''Rhadinosticta banksi'' is an Australian species of

damselfly Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies (which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Epiprocta) but are usually smaller and have slimmer bodies. Most species fold the win ...

in the family

Isostictidae Isostictidae is a family of small to medium-sized damselflies restricted to Australia, New Caledonia, and New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by are ...

, commonly known as the northern wiretail. It prefers fresh water streams and pools. The adult is a small to medium-sized damselfly with a length of 35 to 40mm, with the hindwing 20 to 25mm. They are dull in colour with a bluish thorax and may have pruinescence toward the end of the abdomen. In Australia, the distribution is in suitable habitat from

Broome, Western Australia Broome, also known as Rubibi by the Yawuru, Yawuru people, is a coastal Pearl hunting, pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley (Western Australia), Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The town recorded a population of 14,6 ...

, across the north of the continent to the southern Queensland border. The taxon has been assessed in the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is an inventory of the global conservation status and extinction risk of biological ...

as least concern.

Notes

The taxonomic difference between ''Rhadinosticta banksi'' and '' Rhadinosticta handschini'' is uncertain. They may not be separate species.

Gallery

Northern Wiretail f7 6428.jpg, Male in Cairns, Queensland Northern wiretail (female) 4087.jpg, Female, right hand side Northern wiretail 4084.jpg, Female left hand side Northern wiretail 4086.jpg, Female from above Rhadinosticta banksi female wings (34377676390).jpg , Female wings Rhadinosticta banksi male wings (33920945024).jpg , Male wings

References

{{Taxonbar , from=Q9309994 Isostictidae Odonata of Australia Insects of Australia Endemic fauna of Australia Taxa named by Robert John Tillyard Insects described in 1913 Damselflies