Palpopleura sexmaculata

Scientific name: Palpopleura sexmaculata (Fabricius, 1787)

Family: Libellulidae

Thai name: แมลงปอบ้านปานปีกทอง

---

male

One of small but cute dragonflies is Blue-tailed Yellow Skimmer/Asian Widow, or Palpopleura sexmaculata. It's an uncommon species found in few places in uplands and montane areas in Thailand. But it's abundant in where it lives. Every time I come close to it, it always flies away from me. While it's fliying, only blue abdomen (like a blue dot) I can see!

female

Male is yellow with expanded blue abdomen and hindwings are yellow. Female is entirely yellow with yellow hindwings.

You can found this dragonfly in February-October in all parts but South Thailand.

Rhinocypha biforata

Scientific name: Rhinocypha biforata Selys, 1859

Family: Chlorocyphidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มน้ำตกสั้นวงม่วง, แมลงปอเข็มน้ำตกปลายลาย

---

adult male

Small and stout damselflies found in the stream is genus Rhinocypha (World list of Odonata (Feb. 2009) include Heliocypha and Aristocypha in this genus). I personally call it "Big Nose". Six species are recorded in Thailand. R. biforata is the commonest species found around the stream.

young male

Male is black body with blue markings. Apical third of hindwing is black with iridescent spot. Female has synthoracic markings similar to the male and is duller in coloration.

female

This species found throughout the country and all year.

Megalestes kurahashii

Scientific name: Megalestes kurahashii Asahina, 1985

Family: Chlorolestidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มปีกกางใหญ่ญี่ปุ่น, แมลงปอเข็มปีกกางใหญ่

---

male

The only one and endemic species of chlorolestid found in Thailand is Megalestes kurahashii. This beautiful and large damselfly appear everywhere in Siriphune waterfall, Inthanon national park in Chiang Mai, North Thailand.

Male is metallic green and pruinosed in lateroventral side of synthorax. Female is similar to the male but S9-10 is brownish tint. It's hard to see this damselfly in the wild because its color is comouflaged with environment.

female

This damselfly is found in mountain in Tak and Chiang Mai only. You can see it between May-December.

Pseudagrion pruinosum

Scientific name: Pseudagrion pruinosum (Burmeister, 1839)

Family: Coenagrionidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มบ่อขนเทา, แมลงปอเข็มแปลงฟ้าดำ

---

male

In a pond or slow-running stream, Pseudagrion pruinosum is specular because of size and coloration among other damselflies. It's the largest member in this genus.

young male

old male

Young male is orange with dark stripes. As it ages, the male has red face with black body. Lower part of synthorax and three last abdomenal segments are pruinosed. Synthorax and apical abdomen will be fully pruinosed when it gets old. Female: synthorax is yellowish green with pale orange stripes. Abdomen is black with two pale orange lateral-ventral spots in S9-10.

female

This damselfly is widespreand and found all year round especially in the South.

Matrona basilaris nigripectus

Scientific name: Matrona basilaris nigripectus Selys, 1873

Family: Calopterygidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มน้ำตกใหญ่ปีกดำ

---

male

In autumn, it's time for a broad-winged damselfly to show off its beuaty. This is Matrona basilaris nigripectus.

Male is metallic green body and abdomen. Wings are black with blue metallic reflection at base. Female is also metallic green body but dark brown abdomen and wings. There is only white one pseudo-stigma in each wing (whereas two in female Neurobasis chinensis).

female

You can find this species in June-December only in North Thailand.

Lestes elatus

Scientific name: Lestes elatus Hagen in Selys, 1862

Family: Lestidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มป่าสีฟ้าปลายขาว, แมลงปอเข็มปีกกางสีน้ำตาล

---

male

The most common Lestid species is Lestes elatus. I found this spreadwing damselfly last year and this year in early winter.

As Dr. Asahina pointed out, subadult is pale brownish ground color maculated with metallic green on the head and on front of synthorax and on the dorsal side of abdomen. The distal two segments of abdomen are largely pale brownish with black-tipped appendages. The remarkable metallic greenish stripes running both side of dorsal carina somewhat varies with individual, but always more or less broadened at their dorsal one fourth. Adult male is pruinosed but not in female.

female

This species is found in every part of Thailand except the south in May-January.

Coeliccia yamasakii

Scientific name: Coeliccia yamasakii Asahina, 1984

Family: Platycnemididae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มท้องยาวยามาซากิ

---

male

This is one of five endemic Coeliccia in Thailand. Coeliccia yamasakii is first decribed in 1984 by Dr. Syoziro Asahina.

Male is black marked with two yellow dots on dorsum of dynthorax. Abdomen is black but yellow in S10 and small part of S9. Caudal appendages is also yellow.

female

Female is not described yet and, fortunately, I have a chance to see the female and copula. It's similar to other female Coeliccia (especially C. didyma and C. doisuthepensis) but differs from those by marking on prothorax and abdomen. Dorsum of prothorax is all black. In S9-10, each segment bears a pair of yellow dot but in some old female, these dots connect to each other

Coeliccia yamasakii is confined to eastern part of Thailand esp. Rayong, Chonburi and Chantaburi. It's found all the year.

Aciagrion tillyardi

Scientific name: Aciagrion tillyardi Laidlaw, 1919

Family: Coenagrionidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มเรียวม่วง, แมลงปอเข็มเรียวเคลือบเทา

---

male

Last year, it was my first time to be at Phu Kradueng national park, Loei province. It's a type locality of endemic Rhinocypha arguta. Though I failed to see this big-nosed damsefly, I found other odonates which are new to me. One of them is Aciagrion tillyardi.

female

Male is vilolet striped with black. I found many perched on the grass near a big pond. Female also presented but much fewer. Female is brownish yellow.

This damselfly is a montane species and found in few provinces. You can find it between February-November.

Ceriagrion chaoi

Scientific name: Ceriagrion chaoi Schmidt, 1964

Family: Coenagrionidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มสีพื้นเหลืองส้ม

---

Pond damselflies are very interesting. It's very colorful and easy to spot especially Ceriagrion species. One is Ceriagrion chaoi.

male

Mature male is entirely yellow in synthorax and red in abdomen. Strouter and larger than C. auranticum.

female

Female is dull in coloration. Synthorax is green and abdomen is brown.

You can see this damselfly between May to November.

Brachydiplax farinosa

Scientific name: Brachydiplax farinosa Krüger, 1902

Family: Libellulidae

Thai name: แมลงปอบ้านสีตะกั่วขนขาว

---

male

One of the small but specular dragonflies is Brachydiplax farinosa. It's very frighten creature which is hard to photograph.

young female

Male has the white pruinosed synthorax and first seven abdomen segments but the last three segments are black.

mature female

Young female is yellow striped with metallic green. The dorsum of S1-8 are reddish and the rest are black. As it ages, It become pruinosed like the male. Female is distinguised from other Brachydiplax members by presence of 8-9 antenodal crossveins in forewing.

You can find this dragonfly all year.

Coeliccia loogali

Scientific name: Coeliccia loogali Fraser in Laidlaw, 1932

Family: Platycnemididae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มท้องยาวลูกัล, แมลงปอเข็มท้องยาวผู้ฟ้าเมียเหลือง

---

mature male

In rainy season, Coeliccia loogali is easily spotted everywhere around waterfall in this time of the year.

young male

Young male is black triped with yellow stripes in pterothorax and the tip of abdomen is also yellow like C. poungyi. As it ages, the yellow strip on synthorax turns to blue and the tip of abdomen turns to black.

female

Young female is similar to the young male. Yellow tip of the abdomen turns to connected two white dots as it matures.

Coeliccia loogali is a montane species found in north and northeast Thailand. You can see this damselfly in April to December.

Coeliccia doisuthepensis

Scientific name: Coeliccia doisuthepensis Asahina, 1984

Family: Platycnemididae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มท้องยาวดอยสุเทพ, แมลงปอเข็มดอยสุเทพ

---

If you travel to Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai to see dragonflies, one of endemic species you should see is beautiful Coeliccia doisuthepensis.

male

First discovered in 1984 by Dr. Asahina in Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai, this damselfly is small in size and lives only in high latitude.

Male has three pairs of blue dots on dorsum of synthorax. The tip of abdomen is orange.

female

Female is hard to differentiate from the female of other species in this genus. The yellow stripe is a bit irregular curve and S8-10 is entirely orange but black in caudal appendages.

You can find this rare damselfly between May to September.

Leptogomphus gestroi

Scientific name: Leptogomphus gestroi Selys, 1891

Family: Gomphidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเสือเกสโตร, แมลงปอเสืออกลายขีด, แมลงปอเสือหางทรายแดง

---

male

If you go to waterfall in western and northern Thailand, you probably find this gomphid landing on the stone near the stream.

female

This dragonfly is medium in size. Male and female similar in markings. Anal appendages are white.

This dragonfly found in Tak, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Kanchanaburi and Loei between April-July.

Caliphaea thailandica

Scientific name: Caliphaea thailandica Asahina, 1976

Family: Caliphaeidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มตาปีกสั้นถิ่นไทย, แมลงปอเข็มภูเขาท้องเหลือง

---

male

One of two member of Caliphaeidae, Caliphaea thailandica is very beautiful damselfly. It's once an endemic species but, later, is found in Vietnam.

female

Male and female are similar. It's smaller than Vestalis. Body and abdomen are coppery green.
This species found in slow-running stream in mountain.

It's found only three provinces; Tak, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. You can see it in May-July.

Protosticta khaosoidaoensis

Scientific name: Protosticta khaosoidaoensis Asahina, 1984

Family: Platystictidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มรำไรเขาสอยดาว

---

male

Two years ago, I had a chance to Krating waterfall, Chantaburi province. There are many many odonates around there esp. endemic species. One of my impressed damselfly is Protosticta khaosoidaoensis, an endemic platystictid of Thailand.

This tiny black-and-white damselfly perched on leaf or stones along trail near the stream. The white spots were the thing I notice. It's hard to follow this damselfly when they're flying.

female

This species is differentiated from other members but white prothorax and white ninth abdominal segment. The large white caudal ring of eighth segment in female is reliable for identification.

You can see this damselfly in rainy season in Chiangmai and East Thailand.

Ceriagrion fallax pendleburyi

Scientific name: Ceriagrion fallax pendleburyi Laidlaw, 1931

Family: Coenagrionidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มสีพื้นหางดำ, แมลงปอเข็มเซอร์อกเขียวท้องเหลือง

---

male

In a pond on uplands in North and West Thailand, you can find this widespread damselfly. Ceriagrion fallax pendleburyi is a green and yellow damselfly with black tip of abdomen. Female is similar to the male but duller.

female

You can find this species in March to November in Thailand.

Vestalis gracilis

Scientific name: Vestalis gracilis (Rambur, 1842)

Family: Calopterygidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มน้ำตกใหญ่ธรรมดา

---

male

Vestalis gracilis is commonly found in every part of Thailand. With brown wings and yellowish green body and abdomen, it's easily to differentiated from other members.

female

You can see this species all the year. It's scarcer in the south.

Burmargiolestes melanothorax

Scientific name: Burmargiolestes melanothorax (Selys, 1891)

Family: Megapodagrionidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มภูเขาพม่า

---

male

On the dry twig or leaf of shrub near the dark seepages in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai province, I see nothing but Coeliccia loogali. Suddenly, There is something flew in front of my eyes. It turned out Burmargiolestes melanothorax.

It's a black damselfly striped with white or creamy. Its face is orange in male and pale orange in female. The way it fly is like those in Coeliccia. It's not scared when I come closer.

female

This species is found in April to November in North, West and South Thailand. It's also found in Laos and Myanmar.

Calicnemia miles

Scientific name: Calicnemia miles (Laidlaw, 1917)

Family: Platycnemididae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มหญ้าหางส้มธรรมดา, แมลงปอเข็มคาลดำแดง

---

male

There are three members of genus Calicnemis which is red and black in color. Calicnemis miles is commoner. I've seen this species from 700-1300 m. above sea level.

female

Male and female is similar. The pterothorax is yellowish white striped with black. In the male, front of pterothorax is bright red. Abdomen is red.

I often see this species perched in the leaf of a shrub near the slow-running stream. You can it during March-October in Chiang Mai province.

Calicnemia imitans

Scientific name: Calicnemia imitans Lieftinck, 1948

Family: Platycnemididae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มหญ้าแถบเขียว

---

male

There are 3 members of genus Calicnemis recorded in Thailand. Two species are red and another one is blue. The blue one is ... Calicnemis imitans.

immature male

Immature male is yellow with black stripes like the female and changes to blue puinosed as it ages. I once understanded it as a female of Coeliccia. But when I looked closer, I realised that it is not...because its small size and there is no any marking on S8-10.

female

This species is found in northern, western and southern part of Thailand.

Sympetrum hypomelas

Scientific name: Sympetrum sp.

Family: Libellulidae

Thai name: แมลงปอบ้านสูงหลังแดง

---

Sympetrum dragonfly mostly found in temperate zone. But there is one species recorded in Thailand, mostly in the mountain. Although this species first recorded in 1997, it's still an unnamed species. Recently, Dr. Wen Chi Yeh identified this Thai specimens as S. hypomelas, a species previously found in India.

male

I first found this brightly red dragonfly in Phu Kradueng while searching for Rhinocypha arguta. I were so happy when I first found a male along the way to plateau because I heard that it's very rare species. After that, I spotted plenty of this species over there...it's as much as those Crocothemis servilia found around my home! 

young female

Male: front of prothorax is red but laterally yellow striped with black. Abdomen is red dorsally. Female: similar to the male.

adult female

As far as record concern, it's found in few places mostly in North and Northeast. You can see this species in October-November.