Calocypha laidlawi

Calocypha laidlawi,[2] or myristica sapphire,[3][4] is a rare species of damselfly belonging to the family Chlorocyphidae. It is found only from Karnataka and Kerala in South India.[1][5]

Calocypha laidlawi
Male
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Odonata
Family:
Chlorocyphidae
Genus:
Calocypha
Species:
C. laidlawi
Binomial name
Calocypha laidlawi
(Fraser, 1924)
Synonyms

Rhinocypha laidlawi Fraser, 1924

Description and habitat

It is a small damselfly with big eyes and several vermilion spots on the head. Its thorax is dark with a narrow vermilion mark on dorsum and pale yellow marks on the lower part of lateral sides. The apical third of each wing is black with dark violet-metallic reflections. Its abdomen is black, marked with bright azure blue on segments 1 to 8.[6]

Female is black with yellow markings on the face, thorax and abdomen. Abdomen is black, marked with yellow mid-lateral stripes and dots in segments 2 to 7. Fore-wings are transparent. Apices of the hind-wings are broadly brown. Pterostigma are with inner half black and outer half white.[6]

It breeds in forest streams and rivers flowing through the myristica swamps. It is commonly found perched on half-submerged logs in mid-stream or resting on twigs overhanging the river.[7][6][8][3][4] It is a shade-lover; found perched on partially submerged logs in mid-stream or resting on overhanging twigs in the river.[6]

See also

References
  1. Dow, R.A. (2009). "Calocypha laidlawi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009: e.T163604A5622415. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009-2.RLTS.T163604A5622415.en.
  2. Martin Schorr; Dennis Paulson. "World Odonata List". University of Puget Sound. Retrieved 12 Oct 2018.
  3. "Calocypha laidlawi Fraser, 1924". India Biodiversity Portal. Retrieved 2017-02-21.
  4. "Calocypha laidlawi Fraser, 1924". Odonata of India, v. 1.00. Indian Foundation for Butterflies. Retrieved 2017-02-21.
  5. 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. pp. 74–75. ISBN 9788181714954.
  6. 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. 53-55.
  7. Subramanian, K. A. (2005). Dragonflies and Damselflies of Peninsular India - A Field Guide.
  8. C FC Lt. Fraser (1924). A Survey of the Odonate (Dragonfly) Fauna of Western India and Descriptions of Thirty New Species (PDF). pp. 482–483.

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