Magnificent emperor
Male in Tamil Nadu, India
Female in Kerala, India
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Aeshnidae
Genus: Anax
Species:
A. immaculifrons
Binomial name
Anax immaculifrons
Rambur, 1842

Anax immaculifrons,[2] the magnificent emperor,[1] or blue darner,[3] is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. Almost all its range is in West and South Asia (the population further east in Asia is now recognized as a separate species, A. aurantiacus); it is Europe's largest dragonfly but very marginal in the continent where restricted to some Aegean Islands and Cyprus.[4][5][6]

Description

A. immaculifrons has a length of 80–86 mm (3.1–3.4 in) and a wingspan of about 120 mm (4.7 in).[5][7] It is a large, bluish green dragonfly with sapphire-blue eyes, bluish-green thorax, and pale reddish-brown abdomen marked with black. Its thorax is pale bluish-green on dorsum with a blackish-brown mid-dorsal carina and turquoise-blue laterally. There is a narrow black stripe over humeral suture and a very broad one over the postero-lateral suture with a narrow black posterior border on metepimeron. Wings are transparent with amber-yellow tint. Segment 1 of the abdomen is entirely black. Segment 2 is turquoise-blue, with a mid-dorsal transverse mark shaped like a sea-gull in flight. Segment 3 has its basal half turquoise-blue and apical half black, with a small mid-dorsal spot on blue. Segments 4 to 8 are with apical half black and pale reddish-brown at base. Segment 9 and 10 are black on dorsum.[8] A more reddish form from southeast Asia and southern China was formerly included in this species, but in 2022 it was recognized as a separate species, A. aurantiacus.[6]

Behavior

A. immaculifrons is found near slow flowing hill or mountain streams where it breeds. Eggs are inserted into reeds emerging from water.[8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Mitra, A. (2010). "Anax immaculifrons". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T165463A6022090. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T165463A6022090.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Paulson, D.; Schorr, M.; Abbott, J.; Bota-Sierra, C.; Deliry, C.; Dijkstra, K.-D.; Lozano, F. (2023). "World Odonata List". OdonataCentral, University of Alabama. Retrieved 14 Mar 2023.
  3. ↑ "Anax immaculifrons Rambur, 1842". indiabiodiversity.org. India Biodiversity Portal. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  4. ↑ "Anax immaculifrons Rambur, 1842 – Magnificent Emperor". Dragonflies and Damselflies - in and around Europe. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Indische Königslibelle – Anax immaculifrons" (in German). libellenwissen.de. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  6. 1 2 Makbun, N.; Wongkamhaeng, K.; Keetapithchayakul, T.S. (2022). "Anax aurantiacus sp. nov., a new dragonfly from mainland Southeast Asia (Odonata: Aeshnidae)". Odonatologica. 51 (3–4): 301–339. doi:10.5281/odon.v51i3-4.a.
  7. ↑ "Magnificent emperor". Lepidoptera Libanotica. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  8. 1 2 C FC Lt. Fraser (1936). The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma, Odonata Vol. III. Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, London: Taylor and Francis. pp. 145–146.
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