134: Euthygomphus yunnanensis (Zhou & Wu, 1992)

Number: 134 / Family: Gomphidae / Genus: Euthygomphus

Species: Euthygomphus yunnanensis / Indochinese Straight-banded Clubtail

Habitat: Forested Rivers

Province(s) sighted: Chaiyaphum, Lomsak, Nakhorn Ratchasima, Petchabun, Narathiwat

In flight: April-August / Sightings (by me): Uncommon

Another species I saw, but only got a fleeting glimpse of, was Merogomphus parvus, which has been confirmed by Noppadon Makbun. Since I returned to the same place, I managed to capture good photos of of the adult male. The species is quite large with a slim abdomen and distinctive large band on the abdomen. It has greenish stripes, green eye and fairly large white appendages.

The Male...
He's a really stunning little fellow. However, it's a very shy creature and difficult to get close to. The male looks like many other species in the same genus. However, the white dorsal patch on S6-7 seems consistent (though does vary slightly), and it quite visible. This specimen I saw at a large waterfall near Lomsak, resting on the only bit of sandy deposits in the area.

Male in the hand ... 

This was the best I managed in extreme low light.

Caudal appendages

Dorsal view ... this was the best I managed in terrible lighting. Both superior (white) and inferior (black) appendages are in line when looking from above.

Lateral view ... here you can see how the inferior appendages are shorter and curve upwards.

The 'Teneral' Male

I saw this male briefly as it rested on a large lilly pad. However, once I got closer it flew away quickly.

 

The Female

Like with most gomphids, the females are rare to see than the males and, even if you do see one, it isn't always easy to ID them. Fortunately, the band on the female is very similar making ID OK.

The 'Teneral' Female

This could be a teneral of this species, though never easy to tell with female gomphids. It even had Noppadon Makbun a little stumped (and me totally at a loss), though it is likely this species, knowing which gomphids are known from here it was seen. If you know any different, let me know!

133: Aciagrion hisopa (Selys, 1876)

Number: 133 / Family: Coenagrionidae / Genus: Aciagrion

Species: Aciagrion hisopa / Blue Slim

Habitat: Exposed but Weedy, Natural Uplands Ponds 
Province(s) sighted: Chaiyaphum, Nakhorn Ratchasima, Loei, Petchabun, Phitsanulok (poss. more)
Sightings (by me): Locally common
In flight: April-August

One genus that always confuses me is Aciagrion. Many are almost identical species, different populations and possibly subspecies that it is hard to work out what is what. However, more recently, a number of species were separated based on key identification factors. Fantastic news for all concerned... until you look again at Aciagrion hisopa. Going back through my records, it looks like there are at least two or three different forms, which could possibly end up being sub-species or even different species (cue brain explosion). For now, I am going to lump them together, but try to show the differences. Technically, I should throw the lot onto the hisopa-complex and leave it at that but I am excited to learn!

Male 'A'

T male has a very slim ocular stripe and the ocular spots are large. Also S8-10 are solid blue. 

Here, it gives you an idea of size... and the length of my horrible fingernails!

Male 'B'

As this has white appendages it should be A. hisopa. However, where the occular spots are large on the above male, they are very small (almost a line) on this specimen. This one is far more like the 'true' form.

Female 'A'

The female is very similar to the male, though the eyes were a more vivid green. This specimen was tucked away deep in the bushes.

Young Female 'A'

Very similar to the adult, but is more of a grey colour and it has dorsal markings on S8-9, which disappear with time.

Copula 'A' 

Here, in the 'wheel' position.

I saw 3-4 copula that day, but they flew away at the slightest movement. It took me a long time to get these photos. Here, the female is ovipositing onto rotting vegetation.

Here is an ovipositing pair from Phu Khieo WS, which look exactly the same.

Female 'B'

Here is another female which I think is the 'true' form. You can clearly see that the ocular spots are far narrower. I am not sure if there is any variation between same species (i.e. different populations). 

Female 'C'

Like Female 'A', this one from Khao Yai National park, has large ocular spots and also has a blue patch part way along the abdomen like you see sometimes with Argiocnemis rubescens rubeola. Furthermore, this superficially looks more ilke A. pallidum. 

I will add more photos (of the males too), when I find them - they are all over my hard drive from years of neglect!

Teneral Female 'A'

Finally, a teneral female with large occular spots from Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, where hundreds had emerged and all looked the same.

132: Agrionoptera insignis insignis (Rambur, 1842)

Number: 132 / Family: Libellulidae / Genus: Agrionoptera

Species: Agrionoptera insignis insignis / Grenadier

Habitat: Forest Uplands ponds
Province(s) sighted: Chaiyaphum, Chantaburi, Nakhorn Ratchasima, Narathiwat, Petchabun

Sightings (by me): Uncommon
In flight (that I have seen): April-November

Another new species I found at a natural pond, in Khao Yai NP, is Agrionoptera insignis insignis. I instantly knew the species, thanks to Noppadon Makbun's great image of the male on his blog. When I first saw it on his blog, I wanted to see this beautiful dragonfly. And now I have!

The Male

When I returned to the same place that I saw a teneral female, I managed to spot 2 males resting close by under heavy tree cover. They were difficult to get anywhere near, but my persistence paid off and I managed to get a decent shot or two... as well as a million leech bites, full of mud and scratches everywhere. Totally worth it! Since then, I have seen this species quite often. It isn't common but nor is it uncommon... somewhere in the middle haha. 

Another male basking in the bright afternoon sunshine at Phu Khieo WS.

The 'Teneral' Male

This male was spotted at first light at Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, in Chaiyaphum. He had clearly just emerged.

The Female

The females are fare less common than the males, but seem quite approachable when you do see them. Annoyingly, they seem to push their wings forward obscuring some of the patternation on the thorax.

 

Fortunately, she opened her wings momentarily...

The 'Teneral' Female

The female has very similar markings to that of the male. Some seem to be confused with this species and Lathrecista asiatica, especially the male. However, I knew exactly what this was from a good distance. The anguish I went through trying to get close enough to photograph it without scaring it away was immense, especially as I was wading through heavily muddy water.

131: Lestes decipiens Kirby, 1893

Number: 131 / Family: Lestidae / Genus: Lestes

Species: Lestes decipiens / Anchor-marked Spreadwing*

Habitat: Exposed Natural Upland Ponds (Heavily Tree-lined at the Edges)
Province(s) sighted: Chaiyaphum, Chiang Mai, Nakhorn Ratchasima, Petchabun

In flight: April-August / Sightings (by me): Uncommon

Species easily confused with: All Lestes species

*As there is no common name, I named it 'Anchor-marked' after the Thai name and 'Spreadwing' as the common name for the genus, Lestes. 

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 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! Since then, I have seen this species regularly or, at least, I used to... the similar-looking L. dorothea seems to rule the roost nowadays. 

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.

Close up of the face.

The Copula

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).

Ovipositing

Here, the female is ovipositing onto rotting vegetation.

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

130: Rhyothemis obsolescens (Kirby, 1889)

Number: 130 / Family: Libellulidae / Genus: Rhyothemis

Species: Rhyothemis obsolescens / Bronze Flutterer

Habitat: Forested Ponds, Lakes and Marshland
Province(s) sighted: Chaiyaphum, Chantaburi, Nakhorn Ratchasima, Petchabun 
Sightings (by me): Locally Common
In flight (that I have seen): June-August

I have just returned from a 2-day trip to Khao Yai National Park. I visited there for the first time, back in April and it was rather quiet, although I did manage to spot one or two new species. This time, however, I faired rather better. Torrential rain, armies of hungry leeches, heavily swollen rivers and inaccessible areas I had previously visited, didn't put me off (though my girlfriend stayed in the rented car most of the time). And it was worth it. I managed to spot a few more specimens, as well as a lot of non-odonata related things and I had a great time. 

I had been driving around Khao Yai National Park all day and right at the death, I noticed a slow-moving, but swollen river about 900 metres up or so. I chanced my arm and drove towards it. I then noticed it was part of a campsite I hadn't even noticed before. There was a beautiful river that ran though it, shrouded by tall, large lilly pads. I saw a few species and decided I needed a full day there and so planned to camp there with my girlfriend in the next few weeks. As I walked back, I noticed something that looked a little like Neurothemis fulvia. Then I realised... it was a species I had been after for a long time, Rhyothemis obsolescens. I followed the male for long periods, trying to get close to it, but it fluttered further along the lilly pads every time. I followed it about 40 metres downstream and then noticed that there were a few more specimens. Almost waist-deep in mud, I managed to get close enough to get a few half-decent photos, much to the amusement of the camping Thais, and the embarrassment of my girlfriend. So, there you have it... all 5 species in the Rhyothemis genus! I couldn't be happier. 

Since then, I have returned and found both male and female and seen this species quite a few times... though I never tire of seeing it!

The Male

From a distance, the male looks much more boring than its cousins. However, on closer inspection, its a vivid bronze with lots of dazzling variants in colour and patterns on its wings. It really is a truly magnificent creature.

In the hand...

I managed to capture a young male. As you can see, they are small, but no less beautiful.

The Female...
The female is identical to the male, except its abdomen is more robust. 

This one has a damaged forewing.

Here is another young female...

Now in hand...this shows just how similar the female is to the male.