Potamarcha congener

Potamarcha congener
Male, taken at Kadavoor, India
Juvenile male, taken at Kadavoor, India
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Superfamily: Libelluloidea
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Potamarcha
Species: P. congener
Binomial name
Potamarcha congener
(Rambur, 1842)

Potamarcha congener is a species of dragonfly in the genus Potamarcha. It was first described by Jules Pierre Rambur in 1842,[1] almost fifty years before Friedrich Karsch described its genus.[2]

P. congener is one of two species making up the genus Potamarcha, together with P. puella.[2]

This dragonfly is found in terrestrial areas with standing water. This can include near small ponds or rice fields.[1]

P. congener is common through much of its range, which stretches through parts of South Asia, South-East Asia, and Oceania, including in countries such as India, Indonesia, China, Australia, and Vietnam. Owing to its wide distribution, the species has been classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.[1]

Potamarcha congener, commonly known as yellow-tailed ashy skimmer or common chaser, is a medium sized dragonfly with bluish black thorax and yellow tail with black markings. Face is olivaceous yellow to steel black or brown. Eyes are reddish brown above and bluish grey below. In male adults, thorax and first four segments of the abdomen are covered with bluish pruinescence. In young adults, yellow markings are visible through the pruinescence. The rest of the abdomen is black with orange markings, with the last two segments entirely black. The female thorax has yellow and black stripes on the sides. The abdomen is black with dull orange markings, and has prominent flaps on each side of segment eight. The flaps may serve to hold the eggs in place during oviposition.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mitra, A. "Potamarcha congener". International Union for Conservation of Nature. Archived from the original on 3 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Species in the genus Potamarcha". John Caroll University. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
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