Citrine-headed riverdamsel | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Odonata |
Suborder: | Zygoptera |
Family: | Coenagrionidae |
Genus: | Pseudagrion |
Species: | P. lucifer |
Binomial name | |
Pseudagrion lucifer Theischinger, 1997 [2] | |
Pseudagrion lucifer is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, [3] commonly known as a citrine-headed riverdamsel. [4] It is found in northern Australia, where it inhabits streams. [5]
Damselflies are insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies, which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Anisoptera, but are smaller, have slimmer bodies, and most species fold the wings along the body when at rest. An ancient group, damselflies have existed since at least the Lower Permian, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
The insect family Coenagrionidae is placed in the order Odonata and the suborder Zygoptera. The Zygoptera are the damselflies, which although less known than the dragonflies, are no less common. More than 1,300 species are in this family, making it the largest damselfly family. The family Coenagrionidae has six subfamilies: Agriocnemidinae, Argiinae, Coenagrioninae, Ischnurinae, Leptobasinae, and Pseudagrioninae.
Pseudagrion lucifer is a medium-sized damselfly. Males of the species have yellow faces and pruinose sides to their bodies and start of their tails; males from Cape York in Queensland have cream-yellow faces, whilst those from the Kimberley region in Western Australia have bright yellow faces. [4]
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest unspoiled wilderness in northern Australia. The land is mostly flat and about half of the area is used for grazing cattle. The relatively undisturbed eucalyptus-wooded savannahs, tropical rainforests and other types of habitat are now recognized and preserved for their global environmental significance, but native wildlife is threatened by introduced species and weeds. In 1606, Dutch sailor Willem Janszoon on board the Duyfken reached Australia as its first known European explorer, reaching the Cape York Peninsula.
The Kimberley is the northernmost of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami Deserts in the region of the Pilbara, and on the east by the Northern Territory.
Pseudagrion lucifer appears similar to Pseudagrion ignifer which is found in eastern Australia.
Pseudagrion ignifer is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a flame-headed riverdamsel. It is a medium-sized damselfly with an orange face and pruinose sides to its body and the start of its tail. It is found in eastern Australia, where it inhabits streams.
The gold-fronted riverdamsel is a damselfly species in the family Coenagrionidae. Its body length is 36 millimeters. They are also known as gold-fronted sprites. Gold-fronted riverdamsels can be found near running or still water. They usually fly close to the surface of water, sometimes resting on floating material. They may not be as abundant as their relative the blue riverdamsel, but they are easily recognized by their golden-yellow faces and thorax. Its status is fairly common. They can be found cruising above the water on sunny days along slow-flowing sections of creeks.
Caliagrion is a monotypic genus of damselflies belonging to the family Coenagrionidae. The single species of this genus, Caliagrion billinghursti, is commonly known as a large riverdamsel, and is endemic to south-eastern Australia, where it inhabits slow-flowing rivers and ponds.
Aciagrion fragilis is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a blue slim. It is a small, slender damselfly, the male is blue and black. It has been recorded from northern Australia, New Guinea and the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia, where it inhabits still waters and swamps.
Agriocnemis argentea is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a silver wisp. It is a small damselfly; the male, when mature, is covered in a white pruinescence. It is endemic to northern Australia where it inhabits both still and flowing waters.
Agriocnemis rubricauda is a species of Australian damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a red-rumped wisp. It is a small damselfly; the male has a red end to his tail. It has been recorded from northern Australia where it inhabits boggy seepages and swamps.
Agriocnemis dobsoni is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a tropical wisp. It is a small damselfly; mature males have a white pruinescence over their body, and a dark end to their tail. It is endemic to north-eastern Australia, where it inhabits pools and swamps.
Agriocnemis kunjina is a species of Australian damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a Pilbara wisp. It is a small damselfly, endemic to the Pilbara region in Western Australia, where it inhabits still and flowing water.
Austroagrion exclamationis is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a northern billabongfly. It is a small damselfly; the male is blue and black. It has been recorded from New Guinea and northern Australia, where it inhabits streams and still water.
Austroagrion pindrina is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a Pilbara billabongfly. It is a small damselfly; the male is blue and black. It is endemic to the Pilbara region of Western Australia, where it inhabits streams and still waters.
Austrocnemis maccullochi is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a tiny longlegs. It is a tiny damselfly, bronze-black in colour with very long legs. It occurs across coastal northern Australia and New Guinea, where it inhabits still waters.
Austrocnemis splendida is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a splendid longlegs.
Coenagrion lyelli is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a swamp bluet. It is a medium-sized damselfly, the male is bright blue with black markings. It is found in south-eastern Australia, where it inhabits streams, pools and lakes.
Pseudagrion cingillum is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a northern riverdamsel. It is a medium-sized, blue and black damselfly. It is found in northern Australia and New Guinea, where it inhabits streams, pools and ponds.
Pseudagrion jedda is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a dusky riverdamsel. It is a large, dull and darkly coloured damselfly, found in northern Australia, where it inhabits streams and lagoons.
Teinobasis rufithorax is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as a red-breasted longtail. It is found on Cape York Peninsula, in Queensland, Australia, and on Torres Strait islands, Maluku Island, Aru Islands, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands. It inhabits shaded, deep waters.
Austrosticta frater is a species of damselfly in the family Isostictidae, commonly known as a eastern pondsitter. It has been recorded only from northern Queensland, Australia, where it inhabits ponds and possibly streams.
Nososticta mouldsi is a species of Australian damselfly in the family Platycnemididae, commonly known as a striped threadtail. It has only been found in the Northern Territory, where it inhabits rainforest streams.
Nososticta koongarra is a species of Australian damselfly in the family Platycnemididae, commonly known as a citrine threadtail. It has only been found on the Arnhem Land escarpment in Northern Territory, where it inhabits streams.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pseudagrion lucifer . |