Neurothemis terminata terminata Ris

Neurothemis terminata terminata (Ris, 1911) 紅蜻蜓

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Found in Asia: China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Peninsular Malaysia
　

Super-Family: LIBELLULOIDEA

Family: LIBELLULIDAE

腹長約22至24.5mm，後翅長約27至30mm，體色為褐色至紅褐色，翅膀自基部起4分之3為紅褐色，成熟個體偏黃色。翅痣為紅色。腹部褐色,具有黑色斑紋肛附器黃褐色末端黑色。與雌蟲之差異只是成熟雌蟲翅膀及腹部顏色有黃褐色與紅褐色兩型。經常單獨或三三兩兩地在水域附近飛行嬉戲，牠的警覺性相當高，一有風吹草動就會驚嚇飛走。雄蟲胸部紅褐色，腹部紅色，翅自基部起約有3/4面積為暗紅色，絨質，翅痣為紅色。雌蟲體色黃褐色，是一種非常漂亮的蜻蜓

	Neurothemis terminata not only has red wings and read abdomen, the face is also red. Neurothemis terminata is one of the 4 confusing Neurothemis species that easily mixed up by their similar red color and pattern.
	But the Neurothemis terminate is easier to separate from others by their wing tip pattern. Neurothemis terminate hind wing red area margin is straight and perpendicular to the wing margin.
	The anal appendages (claspers) of a Neurothemis terminata male Dragonflies Used to clasp the female around the head during mating and when in tandem. The superior (upper) appendages is in a pair.

I always confused the 2 species N. fluctuans and N. terminata. Both species share the same swamp and after a day of photo session of both females and uploaded to the computer, I could not differentiate which is which.

Female has clear wings tipped with brown. Body pattern same as male. Finally I solved the trouble by .......

See detail in female N. terminata...

Exuviae of Neurothemis terminata terminata (Ris, 1911) 紅蜻蜓

19 March 2007 7:18 AM

Last 2 days were rainy and sunless days. So it was an excitement to see a bright sunny morning when I woke up today.Needless to say, this morning is a day of activities for the dragonflies and their nymphs at this monsoon drain beside the car park. This newly emerged Neurothemis terminata terminata is one of the two newly emerged I am able to photographs before they made their maiden flight.

Wings of a teneral male Neurothemis terminata

Detail of Pterostigme, Nodus, Triangles and Anal Loop of this young dragonfly of Sabah, Malaysia

Teneral Wings of Neurothemis terminata

Wings of a teneral (freshly emerged) male Neurothemis terminata terminata (Ris, 1911)

When teneral, the wing of a male Neurothemis terminate is chocolate color with yellow pterostigma. These wings matured into dark red with red pterostigma.

Identify by the small hyaline area at the tips of wings. The hyaline margins are at 90 degree to the wings axis.

Neurothemis terminata is a common species in Borneo. Even if one see one, it could be easily mistaken as Neurothemis fluctuans (Fabricius, 1793) or Neurothemis fulvia (Drury, 1773) which are common in Malaysia.

Only 2 male around the drain when I first saw them on 20th January 2007. No female was seen. Neurothemis terminata is a timid species. A slice movement of grasses caused by wind is enough to scare it to fly away to another grass. But they never fly further than a few meters.
This close up took many efforts as Neurothemis are very timid dragonflies that can be scare easily even by a leave movement cause by wind.

Neurothemis terminata terminata (Ris, 1911) 紅蜻蜓

Exuviae of Neurothemis terminata terminata (Ris, 1911) 紅蜻蜓