Megalogomphus superbus
Megalogomphus superbus, is a species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae.[2] It is known only from the Western Ghats of India.[3][1]
| Megalogomphus superbus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
| Family: | Gomphidae |
| Genus: | Megalogomphus |
| Species: | M. superbus |
| Binomial name | |
| Megalogomphus superbus Fraser, 1931 | |
Description and habitat
It is a large dragonfly with bottle-green eyes. Its thorax is velvet-black marked with tender-foliage green. Segment 1 of the abdomen is black with lower part of sides and middle of apical border dorsally pale grass-green. Segment 2 is black with a mid-dorsal stripe bordered with yellow or grass-green. Segment 3 is with a narrow mid-dorsal stripe in green to yellow. The apical third of the segment is black, the medial third except on mid-dorsum bright reddish-brown. Segments 4 to 6 are similar to 3; but the middle third of all segments is entirely reddish-brown. Segment 7 has basal two-thirds citron-yellow and apical third black. Segment 8 is dark reddish-brown changing to black on dorsum. Segment 9 is similar but with the lateral spot much larger and brighter yellow. Segment 10 is reddish-brown. Anal appendages are reddish-brown, paler at base.[4]
It differs from Megalogomphus hannyngtoni by the red medial markings of abdominal segments 3 to 6, by the occiput being yellow instead of black and the face less black, and by the presence of a humeral stripes.[4]
This dragonfly perches on twigs, shrubs, and boulders in hill streams. It breeds in fast flowing forested hill streams.[4][5]
References
- Dow, R.A. (2009). "Megalogomphus superbus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009: e.T163693A5636959. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009-2.RLTS.T163693A5636959.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- "World Odonata List". Slater Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
- K.A., Subramanian; K.G., Emiliyamma; R., Babu; C., Radhakrishnan; S.S., Talmale (2018). Atlas of Odonata (Insecta) of the Western Ghats, India. Zoological Survey of India. p. 234. ISBN 9788181714954.
- C FC Lt. Fraser (1934). The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma, Odonata Vol. II. Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, London: Taylor and Francis. pp. 300-302.
- C FC Lt. Fraser (1931). Additions to the Survey of the Odonate (Dragonfly) Fauna of Western India, with Descriptions of Nine New Species (PDF). pp. 460–463.