''Anax indicus''
is a species of
dragonfly
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threat ...
in the family
Aeshnidae
Aeshnidae, also called aeshnids, hawkers, or darners, is a family of dragonflies, found nearly worldwide, with more than 50 genera and over 450 species.
The family includes some of the largest dragonflies.
Description
Common worldwide or nearl ...
. It is found in
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
,
Nepal
Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
,
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
,
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
, and
Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
.
Description and habitat
It is a big dragonfly with blue eyes, pale green thorax and dark brown abdomen with bright yellowish-red markings on the sides. Its wings are transparent; but there are brown patches on the inner half of the hind-wings. Segment 1 and sides of segment 2 of the abdomen are pale green. The dorsum of segment 2 is blue with a narrow and broken transverse carina in the midst of the segment in addition to the broad terminal carinae. The dorsal side of segment 3 is blue with a black longitudinal mid-dorsal black line and sides are silvery white. The remaining segments are dark brown with yellowish-red dots on the sides. Segments 4 to 6 are with a pair of bright yellowish-red spots. On 7-8 these spots combine to form a continuous yellow band. Segments 9 to 10 are with a pair of large yellowish-red spots. Anal appendages are dark brown; the superiors have a triangular projection at the middle of their inner margin.
[Lieftinck, M. A. ]
Odonata of New Guinea
'' Treubia, 18 (3): 589-591.[Fraser, F.C. (1921) Indian dragonflies. The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 28]
115-117
/ref>
File:Anax indicus in Chinnar WLS Kerala IMG 6856.jpg, Male in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is located 18 km north of Marayoor on State Highway 17 (Tamil Nadu - Kerala, India), State Highway 17 in the Marayoor and Kanthalloor panchayats of Devikulam taluk in the Idukki district of India's Kerala state. ...
File:Lesser Green Emperor (Anax indicus) female in flight.jpg, Female
File:Anal appendages of Lesser Green Emperor (Anax indicus) male.jpg, Anal appendages (male)
File:Anal appendages of Lesser Green Emperor (Anax indicus) female.jpg, Anal appendages (female)
File:Dorsal thorax of Lesser Green Emperor (Anax indicus) male.jpg, Segment 2 of male
File:Dorsal thorax of Lesser Green Emperor (Anax indicus) female.jpg, Segment 2 of female
This dragonfly looks similar to '' Anax guttatus''; but can be identifiable by contiguous yellow spots on the posterior abdomen segments (7-8). They are not connected in ''Anax guttatus''.
Females is similar to the male. But the blue on the dorsum of segment 2 will be broken up into four by a narrow brown mid-dorsal carina and a transverse line lying midway to form a cross like mark. Anal appendages are very broad and shaped like lance head.[
This species breeds in ponds, marshes and lakes.]
See also
* List of odonates of India
The following is a list of the odonata, dragonflies and damselflies found in India.
Aeshnidae
* ''Aeshna''
** ''Aeshna flavifrons'' Lichtenstein, 1976
** ''Aeshna juncea mongolica''
** ''Aeshna mixta mixta'' Latreille, 1805
** ''Aeshna petalur ...
* List of odonates of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a tropical island situated close to the southern tip of India. The invertebrate fauna is as large as it is common to other regions of the world. There are approximately 2 million known species of arthropods, and this number continues ...
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2492793
Aeshnidae
Insects described in 1942