253: Ictinogomphus rapax (Rambur, 1842)

    Number: 253 / Family: Gomphidae / Genus: Ictinogomphus

Species: Ictinogomphus rapax / Indian Common Clubtail

Province(s) sighted: Petchabun, Chiang Mai

Habitat: Forested Ponds, Marsh

In flight: March - July / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: Ictinogomphus decoratus melaenops

One species I actually saw back in 2010 and then again on occasion (alegedly) over the years but didn't actually know it, is Ictinogomphus rapax. Commonly known as the Indian Common Clubtail, it looks identical to I. decoratus and it took a while for people to work out how to separate the two species. It appears that, other than additional markings on the thorax (though that isn'y always the case), the key to ID is a solid ring on S8 near the end of the abdomen.

The Male

This male sat on my hard drive for many years, leaving me to think it was Ictinogomphus decoratus melaenops... but you can clearly see the solid yellow ring towards the end of the abdomen.

Here is another specimen I saw back in 2010! Yep, it sat there for 15 years as the wrong species!

So, if you have lots of photos of the common species, take a look as you never know! I a sure I have more too.

249: Nychogomphus lui Zhou, Zhou & Lu, 2005

  Number: 249 / Family: Gomphidae / Genus: Nychogomphus

Species: Nychogomphus lui / Southeast Asian Forest Hooktail*

Province(s) sighted: Bueng Khan

Habitat: Forested Stream

In flight: July / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: N/A 

*As there isn't a common name, I based it on the existing Thai name 'Southeast Asian' and gave the genus the common name 'Forest Hooktail', so the Southeast Asian Forest Hooktail.

I once visited Bueng Khan in search of a number of species, including one called Nannophyopsis clara. Even though I had perfect directions to the location, it eluded me... or I was a month late to see it as it is known from May-June and I visited in July. Slightly unhappy, I trudged on and almost walked straight into a medium-sized gomphid with strange-looking appendages. I knew it was something new straightaway and got a few decent shots in poor light. When I returned home, Noppadon Makbun confirmed it was most certainly Nychogomphus sp. though not sure of the exact species. However, a year later or so, the species has been confirmed in Thailand as Nychogomphus lui and this includes the one I saw. Fortunately, I even managed to get a couple of record shots of the female too!

The Male

The male is a medium-sized gomphid, identifiable by its unique appendages. You've got to love those dark green eyes too!

The Female

Sadly, I only have poor record shots of the female. I saw two but they were both high up and incredibly hard to photograph. They will have to do for now until I get the chance to see it again.

Many thanks to Noppadon Makbun for all his help with this species.

247: Macrogomphus albardae Selys, 1878

  Number: 247 / Family: Gomphidae / Genus: Macrogomphus

Species: Macrogomphus albardae / Indochinese Giant Tiger*

Province(s) sighted: Chaiyaphum

Habitat: Forested Streams and Rivers

In flight: June / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: All Macrogomphus Species

*As this species has no common name, I have used the Thai name 'Indochinese' and the genus I erected for the genus 'Giant Tigers', based on the Thai name, so the Indochinese Giant Tiger.

This species I originally had as Macrogomphus matsukii, though it has been renamed as Macrogomphus albardae. I still cannot differentiate between the two species, though it may simply come down to range. From what I can tell, M. albardae prefers uplands forested rivers and streams, whereas M. matsukii favours more open lowland and large rivers. Other than that, it is a typical looking species.

The Female

I saw this female perching early morning at the large river that flows through Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary in Chaiyaphum. Though it is a beast of a dragonfly, it is also quite skittish.

Here is another female I saw in Bueng Khan low down under a bridge.

(More images to add soon).

242: Lamelligomphus sp. [nec. risi (Fraser, 1922)]

               Number: 242 / Family: Gomphidae / Genus: Lamelligomphus

Species: Lamelligomphus sp. [nec. risi (Fraser, 1922)] / -

Province(s) sighted: Chaing Mai, Udon Thani

Habitat: Forested Streams 

In flight: July / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: N/A

On my last trip to Chiang Mai with Noppadon Mabun, he took me to a lovely shallow but rocky stream that had a number of species, many common, but one or two fantastic finds. One of which, turns out to be Lamelligomphus sp. It is potentially a new species and looks identical to the one I saw in Udon Thani, but for now it will be placed as Lamelligomphus sp. [nec. risi (Fraser, 1922)], as there are a lot of similarities such as prominent yellow appendages and subtle differences in the markings. Hopefully, it will be resolved soon and it could turn out to be something new. For now, the exact location will not be revealed.

The Male

On the surface, this looks like a somewhat standard gomphid... until you look at those appendages, that is! Wow... they are enormous and black and yellow, curving to make a perfect circle. With a weapon like that, maybe the female is a total battle axe! 

I was lucky enough to catch it in flight...

... and Noppadon managed to catch one!

The Female

I also saw two females briefly but both of them were in flight. It has similar markings to those of the male. Sadly, this shot is a little blurry. Until the next time!

237: Burmagomphus w. williamsoni Förster, 1914

    Number: 237 / Family: Gomphidae / Genus: Burmagomphus

Species: Burmagomhpus w. williamsoni / Williamson's Clubtail*

Province(s) sighted: Prachuap Khiri Khan

Habitat: Open Streams on the Edge of Forest

In flight: May / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: All Burmagomhpus species

*No common name so named 'Williamson' after Edward Bruce Williamson and 'Clubtail' which is linked to Burmagomphus.

This was a photo that sat on my hard drive for quite a few years as it is, well, terrible. However, according to Noppadon Makbun, it is actually a female of the species Burmagomphus williamsoni, which I have simply named Williamson's Clubtail. I saw the species literally for about 2 seconds... one photo, gone. I was at a stream outside the entrance to Pa La-U Waterfall. There isn't much else to say about it really as it is such a poor photo, but I will add it until I can get better photos of the female and of the male. 

The Female

As you can see, not exactly an award-winning photo but at least I have seen it!

234: Ictinogomphus acutus Laidlaw, 1914

           Number: 234 / Family: Gomphidae / Genus: Ictinogomphus

Species: Ictinogomphus acutus / Rusty Clubtail*

Province(s) sighted: Narathiwat

Habitat: Peat Swamp Forest

In flight: August / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: N/A

*As there is currently no common name, I have based the name on the genus being known as 'Clubtails' and the appendages of the species having a unique 'rusty' colour. 

Like many species at Sirindhorn Peat Swamp Forest, Ictinogomphus acutus eluded us 'til the last. My brother saw this species a year or so earlier and managed to get a decent shot of it, which we quickly named it the Rusty Clubtail, due to its abdomen end segments. When we arrived, it was nowhere to be seen... except it was! Paul's missus, Suu, saw it perching in the trees and took some nice photos which I will add when I get them processed. Paul even sent images of where it was! But the dragonfly guys (me and Noppadon Makbun) missed it again. 2-0 to the birders! As we searched for it, the birders returned and explained where it was... but we couldn't see it. The other guys wandered off looking for birds. Suddenly, there it was... massive... it WAS still in that tree but it shot off and we watched it disappear over the other side of the lake. It returned shortly afterwards, circled the lake and then, instead of landing in the same tree, it decided it had had enough and zoomed high and far into the distance. It was a beautiful, if not fleeting, glimpse of it, but enough to count it for my records. Until I return, I am using Paul's shot of it from his previous trip.

The Male

The male is very easy to recognise and is found in Mainland Malaysia just over the border so it isn't a surprise to find it here. Check out the 'rusty' end of its abdomen... definitely a beast of a dragonfly and hope to get my own photos next trip!

Photo courtesy of my brother, Paul, as a placement photo until I can get my own (and not just see it whizzing around the lake twice haha). Many thanks, r kid!

205: Macrogomphus parallelogramma (Burmeister, 1839)

Number: 205 / Family: Gomphidae / Genus: Macrogomphus

Species: Macrogomphus parallelogramma / Parallel-lined Giant Tiger

Habitat: Lowland Forested Stream (Shallow and Sandy-bottomed)

Province(s) sighted: Narathiwat

In flight: April / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: Macrogomphus matsukii

*As there is no common name, I decided upon 'Parallel-lined' based on the Latin 'parallelogramma' and Macrogpmphus in Thai are known as  'Giant Tiger Dragonflies' so I kept that for consistency.

My last 'new species' for my records from Narathiwat is a beauty. At a shallow and sandy-bottomed stream just down from Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, I instantly noticed a fairly large Gomphid. As I closed in, I knew it was a Macrgomphus species but it flew away before I got decent shots of it. I continued wading through the stream and noticed at least 3-4 other males. Both of these were far easier to approach and I managed to snap away, though one was clinging on to grass which made photography difficult. I also managed to get fairly decent shots of the appendages and, therefore, was able to get a solid ID when I returned back to base. It turns out to be Macrogomphus parallelogramma a species that is known from the south of Thailand. Now nicely named the Parallel-lined Giant Tiger Dragonfly, I was really happy to see it and it is the second I have managed to find in the genus. Sadly, the female escaped my lens... until next time!

The Male

Similar to other species in the genus, the appendages are a little different and the markings along the abdomen are very faded.

The Appendages
The easiest way to separate most Gomphids! Always get close-ups if you can.

203: Megalogomphus sumatranus (Krüger, 1899)

Number: 203

Family: Gomphidae

Genus: Megalogomphus

Species: Megalogomphus sumatranus

Common name(s): N/A

Synonym(s): Heterogomphus sumatranus Krüger, 1899; Heterogomphus unicolor, Martin, 1902

Habitat: Lowland exposed and sandy-bottomed forest stream

Province(s) sighted: Small sandy stream , Hala below-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary (Narathiwat) 

Sightings (by me): 1 male (fleeting glimpse)

In flight (that I have seen): April-August    

Species easily confused with: Megalogomphus icterops

 This species was a complete surprise... Wading through a shallow and sandy stream at the lower reaches of Hala-Bala, I came across a large green dragon basking in the late afternoon sunshine. I edged forward but armed with only a 180mm macro lens, I wasn't that confident I would get in a shot. However, before it literally flew very, very far away, I managed to get away one record shot good enough for an ID. It turns out to be Megalogomphus sumatranus (confirmed by Noppadon Makbun) which is known from the south of Thailand. Maybe not the best shot in the world, but sooooo happy to see such a beauty. I tried for a few hours to find again but to no avail. Since then, we returned to the very south and Narathiwat and my brother, Paul, was fortunate enough to see a solitary male below a bridge. On three separate occasions, Noppadon and I returned to the same area and even walked along a long stretch of the river but to no avail! Still, Paul's photos are a massive improvement... until me meet again! 

The Male
Quite simply, this is one of the largest and most beautiful species I have ever seen! These are the photos my brother, Paul managed to get... from a narrow stream on the way to the To-Mo area in August, 2025...

And here is my terrible attempt with an incredibly skittish male from April, 2018...

190: Microgomphus svihleri (Asahina, 1970)

Number: 190 / Family: Gomphidae / Genus: Microgomphus

Species: Microgomphus svihleri 

Common name(s): Thai Sheartail*  

Habitat: Small Forested Streams   

Province(s) sighted: Chaiyaphum

In flight: August / Sightings (by me): Rare    

Species easily confused with: Microgomphus sp.

*As there is no common name, I have used 'Thai' from the Thai name and it seems that 'Sheartail' is accepted as the common genus name.

So, with a new month comes baking heat again... and a new species. Microgomphus svihleri is a species that I knew resided at Phu Khieo as it had already been recorded there by Andrew Pierce. However, for some reason, it had managed to evade my lens for over two years. Finally, last Saturday, I was trawling along the stream bed of a narrow, dull stream noting a few common species, when my eyes focused on a little gomphid staring at me from the top of a frond. I edged towards it and flew about five metres from where it was and into blinding sunshine. I edged forward again and this time managed to fire off a few photos before it flew high up into the tree canopy. Though I wasn't entirely sure I had a new species for my records in the bag at the time, it only took a few minutes research at home to realise that it was, indeed, another species. I was clicking my heels with excitement, I can tell you! I will be returning soon to continue my search along these murky, relatively under recorded streams and hopefully can find a more cooperative male as well as a female and a host of other species.

The Male
The male, seen here basking in the baking heat, looks similar to many other small gomphids but can be separated by its unique appendages (just visible in the second photo where it kind of looks like a mini 'OK'). I will attempt to catch one next time for a close up of the appendages. This male was happy in brilliant sunshine but only for a moment before he shot off.

The Female

I was happy to spot a couple of females on a different trip to the same area. Check out those eggs!

The 'Teneral' Female

This female had just emerged and was hanging out to dry just above the water, but she quickly flew upwards and disappeared out of sight.

171: Asiagomphus xanthenatus xanthenatus (Williamson, 1907)

Number: 171  / Family: Gomphidae  / Genus: Asiagomphus 
Species: Asiagomphus xanthenatus xanthenatus / - 
Habitat: Forested Streas 
Province(s) sighted: Kaeng Krachan 
Sightings (by me): Rare 
In flight (that I have seen): April   
Species easily confused with: All Gomphids

Whilst visiting Kaeng Krachan, I managed to spot a number of species I had come across before. I must admit that I was somewhat disappointed and ended up concentrating on butterflies. No idea why, but I could have been a few weeks early for the rarer species. That said, as I was about to cross one of the streams that cross the road, a Gomphid landed momentarily. I managed only a record shot before it, too, shot off. I researched it when I returned home and I was confident it was Asiagomphus xanthenatus xanthenatus, confirmed later by Noppadon Makbun. So I did get a new species after all, but it was a poor shot ... until the next time we meet!

The Female

Sightly better shot than the male but not that much, this was a good distance away and I managed to firs toff two shots before some annoy little s... I mean lovely little boy, threw a ball near it and it flew away! I had this down as a completely different species for a long time but was corrected on it recently (rightly so), by Noppadon Makbun. You know when you have a species locked in and someone says.... "naaaa"... you fight tooth and nail to keep it but I always lose haha. Thanks for the ID Noppadon!

I really must go back and try to get good shots... these really are rubbish!

 

170: Macrogomphus matsukii Asahina, 1986

Number: 170  / Family: Gomphidae  / Genus: Macrogomphus 

Species: Macrogomphus matsukii  / Matsuki's Giant Tiger 

Habitat: Uncertain (though believed to be lowland forest areas) 

Province(s) sighted: Khon Kaen, Roi Et, Sakhon Nakhon

 Sightings (by me): Rare 

In flight (that I have seen): June-July  

Species easily confused with: All Macrogomphus Species

*As there is no common name, I decided upon 'Matsuki' based on the author's honour and Macrogpmphus in Thai are known as  'Giant Tiger Dragonflies' so I kept that for consistency.

Though it may not seem like it, I have been busy searching for new odonates for a while and it has been rather futile. Khon Kaen in still exceptionally dry, especially as we should be well and truly into the rainy season by now. Every trip (several to Phu Wiang, Nam Phong and once to Nam Nao) has yielded very little. To the point, every trip seems to turn into a butterfly trip instead (I do like photographing them too). Today, though, things changed for the better ... and I was actually sat at my desk at school. A work colleague came in and informed me that a large black and yellow dragonfly had crash-landed into a massive window in the school corridor. I dashed out thinking it would be Ictinogomphus decoratus melaenops. Yet, no, it wasn't. I could see it was a new species straight away though wasn't entirely sure. I caught him with my fingers and later on I took photos of him, before releasing him again. By then, I was confident that it was Macrogomphus matsukii, a new species for Khon Kaen and another species for my record list. So, I am certainly a happy camper right now. Still, I can't help but wonder whether it was just passing through Khon Kaen as there isn't a stream, forest or even a pond for a good distance from school. Only he really knows ... unless I find a new place with several specimens one day. Watch this space. 

Resting just after release. I had to be quick as it was going dark and he flew away about 30 seconds later. I have since seen this at the local River Chi in Khon Kaen and also at a shallow sandy stream in Sakhon Nakhon province, as well as a solitary male in Roi Et, but it is not common.  

Being photographed close up ...

... and his appendages close up.

The Female

I was lucky enough to spot a female at the River Chi, Choonabot, Khon Kaen, in 2019.