Ischnura aurora
Encyclopedia
The Golden Dartlet is a species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of damselfly
Damselfly
Damselflies are insects in the order Odonata. Damselflies are similar to dragonflies, but the adults can be distinguished by the fact that the wings of most damselflies are held along, and parallel to, the body when at rest...

. There are three described subspecies: Ischnura aurora aurora (Brauer, 1865), Ischnura aurora rubilio (Selys, 1876), Ischnura aurora viduata (Lieftinck, 1949).

Adults

A small apple green damselfly with black thoracic stripes and blue tipped yellow tail.

Male

Eyes: Black half moon like cap above, olive green to dark olive below, which fade to pale olive beneath. Two azure blue spots are present behind the eys. Thorax: Shining black with two pale grass green stripes. Sides are light green and white below. Legs: Pale greenish white with vertical stripe on femur, just above femur - tibia joint. Wings: Transparent. Wing spot: The wing spots are different in fore and hindwings.
It is rose-red in forewings and uniform pale grey in hindwings. Abdomen: Bright yellow. The second and seventh segments has upper narrow and broad black marks respectively. Segments 8-10 are entirely azure blue. The 10th segment has an upper black spot.

Female

Eyes: Brown half moon like cap above, green to pale green below.
Thorax: Shining black with two orange stripes. Sides are pale green. Legs: Pale white with vertical black stripes on femur, just above femur - tibia joint. Abdomen: A broad black stripe runs along the upper side of abdomen. Segments 8 - 10 do not have azure blue markings.

Habitat

Found among vegetation along the banks of ponds, rivers, canals and estuaries; found away from water-bodies also.

Distribution

Asian and Australian regions. Also found in remote oceanic islands probably carried by air currents.
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