193. Lestes dorothea Fraser, 1924

Number: 193  

Family: Lestidae

Genus: Lestes

Species: Lestes dorothea

Common name(s): -  

Synonyms: N/A    

Habitat: Temporary ponds/small permanent forested ponds   

Province(s) sighted: Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary (Chaiyaphum); Nam Nao National Park (Petchabun)

Sightings (by me): Locally abundant 

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

Species easily confused with: Lestes praemorsus decipiens; Lestes elatus; Platylestes platystylus

Finally, after searching for it for a long time, I have found it. I think. Lestes dorothea has eluded pretty much everyone (many of the guys on Dragonflies of Thailand on Facebook) including myself but the help of identification through the female has helped for once. 

The major problem is that the males of L. praemorsus and L. dorothea are almost identical in appearance.  I knew that both species had been recorded at Phu Khieo previously and I did notice that the pruinescence at the end of the abdomen on some specimens was significantly reduced when compared to others. Conclusive proof? Of course not. Worse still, the appendages are almost identical (from what I could tell anyway). This was also noted by Tom Kompier on his blog with information that has helped a lot on this. The telltale difference (I am led to believe) is the difference in the female. The female of L. dorothea has the bold markings on the thorax (like a swoosh) followed by another prominent dot. This is the same as the male but is almost always hidden. Again, this was pointed out by Tom on his blog and Noppadon Makbun also explained this to me, though still would like to compare the appendages. Looking back at both males and females, the latter is now easy to separate (see comparison below). However, the male is still a little difficult to separate, but I will have to entrust the expertise of others for now (unless I can find a very young male for easy comparison).

The male:

Though I could be mistaken, from memory it is a slightly larger species than L. praemorsus. However, the key to identifying the male is the reduced pruinescence at the end of the abdomen (see comparison below). 

 L. dorothea, male

 L. praemorsus, male (for comparison)

L. dorothea, copula in the hot afternoon at Nam Nao

 L. dorothea, the same female (not the prominent markings on the thorax)

L. praemorsus, female (for comparison) from Nam Nao. Note the small dots on the thorax.

 Here is a more recent copula from Phu Khieo where the males seem to be abundant (now I can separate them).

Many thanks to Noppadon Makbun for all his help on this confusing genus as well as Tom Kompier for the more than useful information on his blog.

184. Orolestes selysi McLachlan, 1895

Number: 184    

Family: Lestidae    

Genus: Orolestes    

Species: Orolestes selysi McLachlan, 1895 

Common name(s): N/A   

Synonyms: N/A    

Habitat: Forested pond (temporary)   

Province(s) sighted: Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary (Chaiyaphum)  

Sightings (by me): Rare 

In flight (that I have seen): July    

Species easily confused with: Oroletes octomaculata

There are times when you have to question all those hours of your life spent being torn to shreds by nasty bushes, wading through treacle-like mud, waste deep in putrid water, bitten to death by leeches, mosquitoes and horseflies, as well as those long, arduous and expensive journeys. There are other times when it makes the bad times simply melt away. And last Saturday was one of them. I finally managed to see the fabled Orolestes selysi - a stunning damselfly that was the stuff of legends as many of the rarer species at Phu Khieo (and the rest of NE Thailand) seem to be. Though it is found in several countries, it seems to be a very rare species in Thailand. When, after all this time, I managed to spot one dangling from a tree overhanging a gloomy and temporary pond I was over the moon. Amazingly, like buses, I then noticed another and another. In fact, I saw three at this pond and two single specimens at other ponds. It must simply be a good year for them. Another thing of note was the fact that Orolestes octomaculata was also very much present (I am confident this species is around all year now) and they co-habit ... I was amazed to spot a male of each species on a branch, but was just too late to get a shot. The question is now whether there are hyaline specimens here too. According to Noppadon Makbun (the man who had said it was reported from Phu Khieo and encouraged me to find it), it is only known from this location in Thailand... hopefully it will be found again soon at a different location. Until then, I can now sleep happily, safe in the knowledge that I have photos of another rare species in Thailand. Roll on next weekend for more torture to my body for moments of true joy!

Here is the incredibly rare hyaline male. I managed to spot two males at a small pond and one shot each and they made a dash for the top of the tree canopy. Until next year, my friend, when I will get improvement shots!

177. Indolestes gracilis expressior Kosterin, 2015

Number: 177  

Family: Lestidae  

Genus: Indolestes   

Species: Indolestes gracilis expressior 

Common name(s):N/A   

Synonyms: N/A   

Habitat: Forested marshy lake  

Province(s) sighted: Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Chaiyaphum   

Sightings (by me): Rare

In flight (that I have seen): July  

Species easily confused with: Indolestes inflatus

Just as I was clicking my heels at finding one new species for my records, I noticed another ... Lestes inflatus again. My old friend from Nam Nao which I discovered for Thailand (see above). But, wait. No! Surely this wasn't L. inflatus after all. I could see that the wings were clear (a key feature of L. inflatus is that the wings are a brownish colour), the legs were black and the appendages seemed different. I managed to get the best photos I could in the blustery wind and when I returned home I knew it was a new species for me and it actually turns out to be a new record for Thailand! It is Indolestes gracilis ssp. and was IDd by Noppadon Makbun (with thanks). He told me that Oleg Kosterin had recently described a new Indolestes gracilis subspecies from Cambodia and it is quite possibly that species or another very similar species. However, the only way to truly know is if I collect a specimen ... though that's easier said than done. I am going to return this weekend in search of the female and hopefully another male or two. It could even turn out to be a completely new species yet to be described to science ... watch this space. 

NOTE: Since recording this species, I FINALLY managed to track down a second specimen following around eight further trips and got solid shots of the appendages. It confirms that it is, indeed,  Indolestes gracilis expressior Kosterin, 2015. It also highlights just how rare this species is!

2016 specimen playing dead:

The appendages (added 2016):

 

176. Platylestes platystylus (Rambur, 1842)

Number: 176

Family: Lestidae 

Genus: Platylestes  

Species: Platylestes platystylus 

Common name(s):N/A  

Synonyms: N/A  

Habitat: Forested marshy lake 

Province(s) sighted: Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Chaiyaphum  

Sightings (by me): Rare

 In flight (that I have seen): July 

Species easily confused with: Lestes praemorsus decipiens; Lestes elatus

Well, things just seem to be going well for me this year. Another trip to Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary in Chaiyaphum yielded yet another species for me ... this time in the shape of Platylestes platystylus. It is a species that I have been searching for now for a long time (I think I saw it once in Chiang Mai and the search was on from then). Every time I thought I saw it, on closer inspection it turned out to be either L. praemorsus decipiens or most often L. elatus. It is clearly an uncommon species but even more so in NE Thailand (but then most things are). I decided to search an area I visited last October, which is an extremely claggy and marshy area that is difficult to walk through and even though I nearly died of exhaustion, it was well worth it. There deep in the reeds was another specimen from the Lestidae family ... surely ... it was ... yes! Finally, I saw it and got a few decent photos though the wind was terrible and made photographing twig-sized bugs on reeds rather challenging indeed. I managed to spot 4-5 males in a small area and was also extremely happy to not only spot, but get some great shots, of the female 'in action'.

The male

The female (ovipositing)

The copula (close up) ...

... and in tandem ... 

 

171. Indolestes anomalus Fraser, 1946

Number: 171
Family: Lestidae

Genus: Indolestes

Species: Indolestes anomalus

Common name(s):N/A
Synonyms: N/A
Habitat: Forested Pond

Province(s) sighted: Nam Nao National Park (Petchabun); Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary (Chaiyaphum) 
Sightings (by me): Rare (though locally abundant)

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

Species easily confused with: Indolestes birmanus, Indolestes inflatus

Yesterday, I went on a short trip along with my brother, Paul, who was birding. We took in the usual Helicopter Pad Lake which was decidedly quiet. Then moved onto a few trails within Nam Nao National Park. Again, it was seriously quiet, though I did spot a few nice butterflies (which I will soon be posting on my new website (which can be seen here). The trail was around 4-5 kms, though it seemed longer. There were a few ponds and drying puddles along the way, one which housed several Lestes elatus and a surprisingly large number of Ceriagrion olivaceum. Surprising as it is the first time I have seen this species within Nam Nao. At the end of the trail was a larger pond in an opening and was surrounded by reeds. Quietly making my way through the reeds, I saw a very small and dark teneral specimen. Though it was hard to see in blazing sunshine, I could see that it was a female and that it was something different and the end segments were enlarged. I closed in and took a few photos. I knew straight away that it was Indolestes. And the only species from that genus I hadn't seen was Indolestes anomalus. I then saw a solitary male which looked very much like Indolestes birmanus ... and doubt started to creep in. It wasn't until I returned home that I could say confidently that it was indeed I. anomalus, and has been confirmed by Noppadon Makbun, who said he saw this species at Nam Nao in June - possibly at the same place. So, though quiet, I was jumping for joy at spotting a rare species and completing the known Indolestes species of Thailand ... unless I can find another! I will return in March or April in search of fully-mature specimens, which I believe are a blueish colour, similar to Indolestes inflatus, which I discovered at the large lake before.

NOTE: Since first recording this species, I have returned to the same location where I saw literally hundred of specimens and copula at every pond along the trail. Additionally, I managed to spot a healthy number of specimens at Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary on my last trip (21.v.16).

The Male

Teneral male

 The female 
Similar to the male, but dull and boasts bulbous end segments which gave away the ID

Teneral female

The copula

How many holes can you make in a stem?

... a lot more if you team up.

---. Lestes thoracicus (Laidlaw, 1920)

Number: ---

Family: Lestidae

Genus: Lestes

Species: Lestes thoracicus
Common name(s): N/A
Thai name(s): N/A
Habitat: Lowland areas, often seemingly void of a water body
Province(s) sighted:  My back garden! and a few other places so widespread (Khon Kaen)
Sightings (by me): Uncommon
In flight (that I have seen): April-November (possibly year-round)

So the new species keep coming... even when I'm not doing anything! Lestes thoracicus, a species I didn't know I had photographed nor did I know it resided in Khon Kaen and even my back garden for that matter! I always thought that this was mature L. concinnus until Oleg Kosterin pointed out that it is, in fact, as different species altogether. 

Oleg commented on the species (when I had it identified it as mature L. concinnus): "Quite a time ago I was striken by your photos as I never heard L. concinnus gets blueish or greenish. Asahina describes it as "an entirely pale brownish tinted insect", and so I saw it many times. Also the broad dark dorsal stripe in the 'adult male' is strange. What I am trying to say: the bluish ones [whilst on my previous blog with a mix of 2 species] are Lestes thoracicus Laidlaw. I see two characteristic dots on the metepisternum of the prothorax. Asahina points at these dots and describes the colour as 'bluish olive' and wrote 'abdomen mat black dorsally' for the male, isn't this so in yours? What is also characteristic for the species: the pterostigma dark inside and light outside."

Well, that's me all excited again! I'm going to go out this weekend around Khon Kaen for a change and try to find out more abut the habitat of this species. 

The male

The male is about the same size as L. concinnus, but its obvious difference is its colour.

The female

The female is identical to the male, but is slightly more robust. I need to look for more photos of the female in my archives (I'm sure I have some, somewhere).

The female ... close up

Another female basking in the late after noon sun.

In the past, I used to search for this species often. I found 1 male, but then didn't spot another for a long time. Then, one day, I was out in the back garden (very small, but was overgrown with weeds at the time), I noticed 2 males and a female and I still haven't found a water source closer than 1 km. So, I have no idea why they were there. Bear in mind I live on an estate surrounded by many houses. Maybe they were resting. I have also spotted 2 males near small farmer's ponds, surrounded by flat, baron landscape. I need to search the area more thoroughly to give a more accurate description of habitat.

That now means that I have spotted and photographed 4 species from the Lestidae family in Khon Kaen province: Lestes elatus, Lestes concinnus, Lestes thoracicus and Orolestes octomaculata, which I saw at Phu Wiang NP, Khon Kaen earlier this year. 

Once again, Many many thanks to Oleg Kosterin for correcting my identification and providing information regarding the species.  

133. Lestes praemorsus decipiens (Hagen in Selys, 1862)

Number: 133

Family: Lestidae

Genus: Lestes

Species: Lestes praemorsus decipiens
Common name(s): Scalloped Spreadwing, 

Crenulated Spreadwing, Sapphire-eyed Spreadwing
Thai name(s): แมลงปอเข็มปีกแผ่ลายสมอ
Habitat: Exposed natural upland ponds (heavily tree-lined at the edges)
Province(s) sighted: Khao Yai NP (Nakhorn Ratchasima).
Sightings (by me): Rare
In flight (that I have seen): April-July (I assume longer)

On my recent trip to Khao Yai NP, I saw a number of new species, as well as being on the receiving end of a million leech bites! However, it was all worth it, as I saw a beautiful new species in Lestes praemorsus decipiens. I saw this species once before in Chiang Mai, but the photos are too poor for a true ID. It was resting at the edge of the pond in open water, early in the morning and was the very first species I saw that day... anything else was a bonus!

The male
A beautiful specimen, that has a rather short abdomen, 
compared to L. platystylus. This specimen also has heavy pruinescence and therefore the dorsal 'scallop' shape is hidden. Still, a great looking damselfly and a new species for me.

The male very early in the morning.

Same image, but without flash, for a more natural appearance.

Close up of the face.

The female

Upon my return to Khao Yai, I managed to spot a copula, which was brilliant to watch. The female (still with the male attached) oviposited for long periods. Here is a close-up of the female (part of a copula).

The copula

Ovipositing

Here, the female is ovipositing onto rotting vegetation.

Many, many thanks to Mr. Oleg Kosterin for the ID of the male.