Dragonflies & Damselflies of Sri Lanka

A total of 120 Ordonate (Dragonflies & Damselflies) species have been described from Sri Lanka to date. There are few more new species in the process of description (van Der Porten N. & Karen Conniff 2012).  Out of described 120 there are 48 endemic species and additional 8 endemic subspecies. 



Order : Odonata


Sub-Order: Zygoptera


Family: Calopterygidae

1
VU
2
VU

Family: Chlorocyphidae

3
VU
4
Species: Libellago finalis(Hagen, 1869) [Ultima Gem]
VU
5
EN
6
CR

Faamily: Euphaeidae

7
NT

Family: Lestidae

8
NT
9
LC
10
Species: Lestes malabaricus (Fraser, 1929) [Malabar Spreadwing]
DD
11
Species: Sinhalestes orientalis (Hagen, 1859) [Emerald Sri Lankan Spreadwing]
DD
12
Species: Indolestes divisus (Selys, 1862) [Closed-wing Reedling]
EN
13
VU

Family: Coenagrionidae

14
Species: Agriocnemis femina femina (Brauer, 1868) [White-backed Wisp]
CR
15
LC
16
Species: Mortonagrion ceylonicum (Lieftinck, 1971) [Sri Lanka Midget]
EN
17
VU
18
Species: Paracercion malayanum (Selys, 1876) [Malay Lilysquatter]
LC
19
Species: Amphiallagma parvum (Selys, 1876) [Little Blue]
DD
20
VU
21
NT
22
LC
23
VU
24
LC
25
LC
26
LC
27
Species: Pseudagrion decorum (Rambur, 1842) [Azure Sprite](*2)

DD
28
LC
29 E
Species: Archibasis lieftincki (Conniff & Bedjanic 2013) [Lieftinck’s Sprite]

30
Species: Archibasis oscillans hanwellanensis (Conniff & Bedjanic 2013) [Lieftinck’s Sprite]


Family: Platycnemididae

31
LC

Family: Platysticidae

32
CR
33
CR
34
CR
35
Species: Ceylonosticta digna (selys, 1860) [Nobel Shadowdamsel]
CR
36
Species: Ceylonosticta hilaris (Selys, 1860) [Merry Shadowdamsel]
CR
37
CR
38
CR
39
CR
40
Species: Ceylonosticta submontana (Fraser, 1933) [Bordered Knob-tipped Shadowdamsel]
CR
41
Species: Ceylonosticta tropica (Selys, 1860) [Drak-shouldered Cornuted Shadowdamsel]
CR
42
Species: Ceylonosticta subtropica (Fraser, 1933) [Blue-shouldered Cornuted Shadowdamsel]
CR
43
Species: Ceylonosticta walli (Fraser, 1931) [Wall's Shadowdamsel]
CR
44
Species: Ceylonosticta anamia (Bedjanic 2010) [Ana Mia's Shadowdamsel]
CR
45
Species: Ceylonosticta bine (Bedjanic 2010) [Bine's Shadowdamsel]
CR
46
Species: Ceylonosticta mojca (Bedjanic 2010)[Mojca's Shadowdamsel]
CR
47
Species: Ceylonosticta mirifica

48
Species: Ceylonosticta inferioreducta

49
EN
50
Species: Platysticta maculata(Selys, 1860) [Blurry Forestdamsel]
EN
51
Species: Platysticta secreta

52


Family: Protoneuridae

53
EN
54
VU
55
Species: Elattoneura centralis (Selys, 1860) [Dark-glittering Threadtail]
VU
56
CR
57
EN
58
LC

Sub _Order: Anisoptera


Family: Gomphidae

59
Species: Anisogomphus ceylonicus (Hagen, 1878) [Sri Lankna Clubtail]
DD
60
Species: Burmagomphus pyramidalis sinuatus (Fraser, 1933) [Sinuate Clubtail]
CR
61
Species: Cyclogomphus gynostylus (Fraser, 1925) [Transvestite Clubtail]
CR
62
Species: Megalogomphus ceylonicus (Laidlaw, 1922) [Sri Lanka Sabretail]
EN
63
EN
64
Species: Paragomphus campestris(Bedjanic, 2013) [Lowland Hooktail]

65
CR
66
Species: Heliogomphus nietneri (Selys, 1878) [Nietner's Grappletail]
DD
67
EN
68
EN
69
Species: Macrogomphus annulatus keiseri (Lieftinck, 1955) [Keiser's Forktail]
DD
70
Species: Microgomphus wijaya (Lieftinck, 1940) [Wijaya's Scissortail]
EN
71
EN
72
LC

Family: Aeshnidae

73
Species: Anax guttatus (Burmeister, 1839) [Pale-spotted Emperor]
LC
74
VU
75
Species: Anax indicus (Lieftinck, 1942) [Elephant Emperor]
LC
76
Species: Anax tristis (Hagen, 1867) [Black Emperor](*3)
DD
77
Species: Anax ephippiger (Burmeister, 1839) [Vagrant Emperor]
DD
78
NT
79
Species: Anaciaeshna donaldi (Fraser, 1922) [Dark Hawker]
CR

Family: Corduliidae

80
Species: Epophthalmia vittata cyanocephala (Hagen, 1866) [Blue-eyed Pondcruiser]
NT
81
Species: Macromia flinti (Lieftinck, 1977) [Flint's Cruiser]
DD
82
CR
83
Species: Macromidia donaldi pethiyagodai (van der Poorten 2012)[Forest Shadow-emerald]


Family: Libellulidae

84
Species: Hylaeothemis fruhstorferi fruhstorferi(Karsch, 1889) [Fruhstofer's Junglewatcher]
CR
85
EN
86
LC
87
EN
88
NT
89
Species: Lyriothemis defonsekai (Van der Poorten, 2009b).[Vermilion Forester]
CR
90
VU
91
NT
92
NT
93
NT
94
LC
95
EN
96
LC
97
LC
98
LC
99
LC
100
LC
101
NT
102
LC
103
Species: Indothemis carnatica(Fabricius, 1798) [Light-tipped Demon]
NT
104
Species: Indothemis limbata sita(Campion, 1923) [Restless Demon]
NT
105
NT
106
LC
107
NT
108
EN
109
LC
110
VU
111
NT
112
EN
113
VU
114
LC
115
Species: Hydrobasileus croceus(Brauer, 1867) [Amber-winged Glider ]
NT
116
LC
117
VU
118
Species: Tramea limbata(Desjardins, 1832) [Sociable Glider]
LC
119
LC
120
NT
121
LC
122
Species: Macrodiplax cora(Brauer, 1867) [Coastal Pennant]
VU
123
LC
124
VU

CR Critically Endangered
EN Endangered
VU Vulnerable
NT Near Threatened 
LC Least Concern
DD Data deficient 

Notes:
  • Palpopleura s. sexmaculata is no longer considered as a valid dragonfly species inhabit in Sri Lanka( van der Poorten, N. 2011). 
  • (*2) - Presence of Pseudagrion decorum (Rambur, 1842) in Sri Lanka was confirmed with photographic evidence obtained from Giant’s Tank by G. de Silva Wijeyeratne in 2006. (Van der Poorten N. 2012)
  • (*3) - Single record with specimen from Colombo May 1928 (Van der Poorten N. 2012)
  • de Fonseka listed 7 more species (Aciagrion hisopa (Selys, 1876), Cyclogomphus heterostylus (Selys,1854), Neurothemis fulvia (Drury, 1773), Neurothemis fluctuans (Fabricius, 1793), Trithemis kirby kirby(Selys, 1891), Rhyothemis obsolescens (Kirby, 1889) and Rhyothemis phyllis phyllis (Sulzer, 1776)) that their occurrence in the country is doubtful or they have not been recorded from here yet but are likely to be found.  
  • Drepanosticta sinhalensis (Lieftinck, 1971) - [Bedjanic, 2012] [Sinhalese Shadowdamsel] and Drepanosticta starmuhlneri (St. Quentin, 1972) - [Bedjanic, 2009] [Starmuhlner's Shadowdamsel] are now considered as synonymy of Drepanosticta lankanensis (Fraser, 1931) [Drooping Shadowdamsel] and Drepanosticta fraseri (Lieftinck, 1955) - [Bedjanic, 2012] [Fraser's Shadowdamsel] as synonymy  of Drepanosticta submontana (Fraser, 1933) [Bordered Knob-tipped Shadowdamsel]
  • Also Disparoneura ramajana (Lieftinck, 1971) - [Bedjanic 2012] [Ramajana Bambootail] is synonymy of Elattoneura leucostigma (Fraser, 1933) [Smoky-winged Threadtail]
Literature cited:

 bedjanic M. 2006. Current Status of Taxonomy, Research and Conservation of Dragonfly Fauna (Insecta:   Odonata) of Sri lanka IN: The    fauna of Sri lanka:  status of taxonomy, research and conservation. IUCN, Sri lanka: 20-34.


bedjanic, M. 2013 Paragomphus Campestris Spec.Nov., A New endemic dragonfly from Sri Lanka (Ansoptera:Gomphidae) Odonatologica 42(1): 45-53 March 1, 2013 (http://www.rufford.org/files/Odonatologica%2042(1)%2045-53%20March%201,%202013.pdf)


Bedjaniĉ, M., 2012. On the synonymy of three endemic dragonfly species from Sri Lanka (Zygoptera: Platystictidae, Protoneuridae). Notulae odonatologicae 7(9): 77–80.

Bedjanič, M., 2010. Three new Drepanosticta species from Sri Lanka (Zygoptera: Platystictidae). Odonatologica 39(3): 195-215.

Bedjanič, M., 2009. Drepanosticta starmuehlneri St. Quentin, 1972 from Sri Lanka, a synonym of D. lankanensis (Fraser, 1931) (Zygoptera: Platystictidae). Notulae Odonatologicae 7(4): 38-39.


     hämäläinen, M., M. Bedjanič and N. van der Poorten, 2009. Libellago indica (Fraser, 1928) deleted from the list of Sri Lankan Odonata (Chlorocyphidae), Echo 6: 3-5 (published in Agrion 13(1)).


     van der Poorten, N., 2009a. Libellago corbeti sp. nov. from Sri Lanka (Odonata: Chlorocyphidae).  International Journal of Odonatology 12 (2): 223-230, pl. V

     van der Poorten, N., 2009b. Lyriothemis defonsekai spec. nov. from Sri Lanka, with a review of the known species of the genus (Anisoptera: Libellulidae). Odonatologica 38(1): 15-27.

    van der Poorten, N. 2011, Palpopleura s. sexmaculata (Fabricius, 1787) deleted from the list of Odonates of Sri Lanka (Libellulidae), Agrion Newsletter of  the worldwide dragonfly association, Volume 15, Number 2 

van der Poorten, N., 2012a. Macromidia donaldi pethiyagodai subsp. nov. from Sri Lanka (Odonata: Corduliidae), International Journal of Odonatology 15 (2): 99-106.

van der Poorten, N., 2012. Corrigenda and Addenda to Terence de Fonseka's Dragonflies of Sri Lanka.


van Der Porten N. & Karen Conniff 2012.The Taxonomy and Conservation Status of the Dragonfly Fauna (Insecta: Odonata) of Sri Lanka. In: The National Red List 2012 of Sri Lanka;Conservation Status of the Fauna and Flora. Weerakoon, D.K. & S. Wijesundara Eds.,Ministry of Environment, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 1-11 pp


References:

bedjanic, M.,  K. Conniff & G. |de Silva Wijeyeratne, 2007, Gehan's photo guide: Dragonflies of Sri Lanka. Jetwing Eco Holidays, Colombo 248p.

de Fonseka, T. (2000). The dragonflies of Sri Lanka. Wildlife Heritage Trust: Colombo. 304 p. 








    

3 comments:

  1. I'm doing A/L s from bio in 2013, and i have chosen to do my project about Dragonflies of Srilanka.can you please send me anysort of informatiion or photos you have? My Email -: Pemila.Silva@yahoo.com /Pemila24@gmail.com/Pemila25@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pemila
    Feel free to take any photos already published in my blog. Also I suppose there are enough information on around 40 species out of 120 there. Have a look at this link - http://biodiversityofsrilanka.blogspot.com/search/label/Odonata

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm looking for all Sri Lankan dragonflies list with image references. you have done an amassing work here. if you can re arrange this grid on the post to display at least one image for each record that would be grate..

    ReplyDelete