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Showing posts with label Odonata. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Odonata. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Friday, August 22, 2014
Austin's Shadowdamsel (Ceylonosticta austeni [Drepanosticta austeni])
Rare and critically endangered damselfly so far recorded only from few localities in outskirts of Knuckles range, southern to southeastern outskirt of central hills and eastern hills around Badulla and Passara. It is a seasonal insect and occurs from March to November. (Bedjanic, M., K. et. al. 2014)
References:
Bedjanic, M., K. Conniff, N. van der Poorten & A. Salamun, 2014. Dragonfly fauna of Sri Lanka: Distribution and biology, with threat status of its endemics. Pensoft, Sofia. 321pp.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Drepanosticta mojca
References
Bedjanič, M., 2010. Three new Drepanosticta species from Sri Lanka (Zygoptera: Platystictidae). Odonatologica 39(3): 195-215.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Friday, July 4, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Asian Slim (Aciagrion occidentale)
Widely distributed insect in sub montane and monatane areas in open grass beside weedy ponds and rank herbage (de Fonseka T., 2000). But probably it has an island wide distribution in suitable habitats, but hardly notice due to its smaller size. Above specimen was photographed in rather lower elevation, a scrub land in Ambagaspitiya (~150m a.s.l.) of Gampaha district.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Drepanosticta bine
An endemic forest damselfly inhabiting shady rain forest streams of South-western wet zone from 50 to 500 m altitude. It is currently known from only 16 localities in Kegalle, Nuwaraeliya, Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Galle and Mathra districts (Bedjanič, M., 2010). Its flying period is from end April-May until September-October.
My observations
1) Observed at Dombagaskandha forest reserve at Ingiriya (One of the above mentioned 16 localities) in June 2011 and July 2012.
2) At Lankagama - a buffer zone village of Sinharaja world heritage site - in July 2008[Two years before formal description]. ( Although it has been already recorded from Kudawa side of the Sinharaja not so far from the Neluwa entrance. A stream in Haycock range of Hiniduma area is the nearest location mentioned in above 16 localities to the Lankagama)
3) At Halpankandha forest reserve (7°12.806'N, 80°08.894'E) of Meerigama in Gampaha district in May 2012 (New locality)
Bedjanič, M., 2010. Three new Drepanosticta species from Sri Lanka (Zygoptera: Platystictidae). Odonatologica 39(3): 195-215.
My observations
1) Observed at Dombagaskandha forest reserve at Ingiriya (One of the above mentioned 16 localities) in June 2011 and July 2012.
2) At Lankagama - a buffer zone village of Sinharaja world heritage site - in July 2008[Two years before formal description]. ( Although it has been already recorded from Kudawa side of the Sinharaja not so far from the Neluwa entrance. A stream in Haycock range of Hiniduma area is the nearest location mentioned in above 16 localities to the Lankagama)
3) At Halpankandha forest reserve (7°12.806'N, 80°08.894'E) of Meerigama in Gampaha district in May 2012 (New locality)
References
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Brinck's Shadowdamsel (Ceylonosticta brincki [Drepanosticta brincki])
An endemic damselfly inhabiting stream habitats of wet zone rain forests. Rather uncommon insect though relatively common than other forest damsels.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Drepanosticta anamia
Drepanosticta anamia is a recently described endemic damselfly inhabiting small to mid-size shaded stream habitats in primary and secondary wet zone forests from 50-800m a.s.l. altitude in 22 localities in Kegalle, Nuwaraeliya, Colombo, Kaluthara, Rathnapura Galle and Mathara districts (Bedjanič, M., 2010). As per M. Bedjanič flight season stretches from end of April to September with a single end-February record.
My Observations
Above specimen was photographed at Meethirigala forest reserve of Gampaha district adding one more locality to already described 22 locations. It has been observed there in May and June of 2011 and July 2012.
References
Bedjanič, M., 2010. Three new Drepanosticta species from Sri Lanka (Zygoptera: Platystictidae). Odonatologica 39(3): 195-215.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
New distribution record for Libellago corbeti (van der Poorten, N., 2009)
Introduction
Libellago corbeti (Ebony Gem) is an endemic damselfly first identified in
July 2007 from two male specimens seen near Kudawe and later on another two females from
same locality in April 2008. It was described as a new species by Nancy van der
Poorten in 2009 (van der Poorten, N., 2009). Additional sightings of it from the
type locality as well as from several other forests of the south western wet
zone were recorded subsequently (van der Poorten, N., 2011). Those additional
places are -
1)
Near the start of the Moulawella nature trail, river
running down from the Kudawa entry point and near the stream beside research
station in the Sinharaja forest reserve.
2)
A stream in the Haycock hill – Hiniduma.
3)
A stream in the Morapitiya forest reserve.
4)
A stream near entrance of Kanneliya forest
reserve.
5) A specimen collected in 1892 by Col. Yerbury from
Kottawa (Probably the Kottawa forest reserve of Galle) and now deposited at
Natural History Museum London.
Observation
During a field visit to the Katepola, a remote village in
Rathnapura district on 25th of December 2013 we could photograph a male
specimen of Libellago corbeti in a stream - a upper tributary of Kalu river - beside a rubber plantation. Eventhough the stream running through rubber
estates and home gardens, stream itself and banks are well wooded and home to
considerable number of fauna and flora including several endemics. Libellago corbeti both males and females have been observed in that stream since May 2013 (Ishara Harshajith Wijewardhane, Personal communication, December
25, 2013)
Discussion
Hitherto
all published records of Libellago corbeti are from dense rain
forest streams and this might be the first sighting of it from a disturbed
habitat and also from a site with least protection from environmental authorities,
unlike all other places mentioned above with considerable protection under the
law. This record of it from
further north of the type locality and all other additional places indicates that
it might be distributed in wider area and also not very rare as previously thought. Currently it is categorized as a critically endangered species (van Der Porten
N. & Karen Conniff , 2012)
References
van der Poorten, N., 2009. Libellago corbeti sp. nov. from
Sri Lanka (Odonata: Chlorocyphidae). International Journal of Odonatology 12
(2): 223-230, pl. V.
van der Poorten, N., 2011. Additional records of Libellago
corbeti van der poorten, 2009 in Sri Lanka with additional comparative notes on
behavior. Agrion Newsletter of the worldwide dragonfly association 15(1): 18-20.
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
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Friday, May 17, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Brook Hooktail (Paragomphus henryi)
Locally
common dragonfly inhabiting fast flowing streams and rivers in submontane areas
according to the de Fonseka (de Fonseka T., 2000) and hills and mountain
regions as per bedjanic, M.,
et.al., 2007. However F.C. Fraser in
1933 noted that it is the commonest Gomphine in the island found in everywhere
at all elevations (Fraser F.C. 1933). Probably what he meant is in suitable habitats as
he elaborated further that it is a jungle insect usually found sunning itself
on rocks in mid streams. With the recent distribution data of Brook Hooktail in the island M. Bedjanic concluded that P. henryi is not so common anymore, being known from around 70 localities concentrated in central and southwestern part of Sri Lanka (Bedjanic M., 2013) Above picture was taken at lowland rain forest
stream of southwestern Sri Lanka (Indikada Mookalana – A heavily degraded
secondary forest) with about 40m height above sea level (6°54.072'N, 80°09.724'E). Males Brook
Hooktail can be easily distinguished from all others of the family by having
long hook like down-curved anal appendages (insert). Female lack that
expansion.
Fraser F.C. 1933 The Gomphines of Ceylon (Order Odnata), F.C.
Fraser, Ceylon Journal
of Science (B) Vol. XVIII, Pt 1 December
22, 1933 page 33
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.
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)
Friday, April 12, 2013
Amber-winged Glider (Hydrobasileus croceus)
A very
rare dragonfly recorded only once in Sri
Lanka from the Kandy according to the Terrence de
Fonseka (de Fonseka T., 2000). However 2012 National red list listed it under Near Threatened category probably due to records of more occurrences of it in the island than previously thought. Both sexes are similar and it can be easily
identified by the amber color patch on the hind-wing. It is said that it breeds on weedy tanks and where males can be found waiting for females( de Fonseka T., 2000 quoting Fraser ). I have encountered two
specimens on 16th February 2013 close to the Kalu River at Dombagaskandha forest reserve in Ingiriya. First one was flying about 2-3 m above the ground (Time - Around 1PM) close to a
tributary of Kalu River .
Second one was resting on a road side shrub during the evening (Time - Around 4 PM).
Sunday, February 24, 2013
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