Last Updated on Friday, 15 September, 2023 08:49:38 PM


INDEX  >  Dragonflies of Borneo  >  Family Libellulidae


Dragonflies of Borneo Island
Family Libellulidae

Dragonflies and damselflies belong to the insect order Odonata. They have six legs. (Spider has eight legs and not classified as insect)
 

Libellulidae is the largest family of dragonfly in the world with over 1,000 species. Nearly worldwide distribution, these are almost certainly the most often seen of all dragonflies.


DRAGONFLIES are generally difficult to photograph because these insects have very good eyesight that can detect even the slightest movement. It's just not easy to sneak up on them.

Acisoma
Acisoma
Aethriamanta
Aethriamanta
Agrionoptera
Agrionoptera
Brachydiplax
Brachydiplax
 Camacinia
Camacinia
 Cratilla
Cratilla
 Crocothemis
Crocothemis
Genus Diplacodes
Diplacodes
 Hydrobasileus
Hydrobasileus
 Lathrecista
Lathrecista
 Lyriothemis
Lyriothemis
 Nannophya
Nannophya
 Neurothemis
Neurothemis
 Onychothemis
Onychothemis
 Orthetrum
Orthetrum
 Pantala
Pantala
 
Rhodothemis
 Rhyothemis
Rhyothemis
 Tetrathemis
Tetrathemis
 Tholymis
Tholymis
 Tramea
Tramea
 Trithemis
Trithemis
 Tyriobapta
Tyriobapta
 Urothemis
Urothemis
 Zyxomma
Zyxomma

 


The 3 families of dragonflies found in Borneo Island:

1 Family of Aeshnidae

2 Family of Gomphid

3 Family Libellulidae


We have in our image records of following twenty six genus of Libellulidae in Borneo:

1- Genus Acisoma

2- Genus Aethriamanta

3- Genus Agrionoptera

4- Genus Brachydiplax

5- Genus Camacinia

6- Genus Cratilla

7- Genus Crocothemis

8- Genus Diplacodes

9- Genus Hydrobasileus

10- Genus Lathrecista

11- Genus Lyriothemis

12- Genus Nannophya

13- Genus Neurothemis

14- Genus Onychothemis

15- Genus Orthetrum

16- Genus Pantala

17- Genus Pornothemis

18- Genus Rhodothemis

19- Genus Rhyothemis

20- Genus Tetrathemis

21- Genus Tholymis

22- Genus Tramea

23- Genus Trithemis

24- Genus Tyriobapta

25- Genus Urothemis

26- Genus Zyxomma


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Hydrobasileus
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Hydrobasileus croceus
Hydrobasileus croceus


Male ♂50mm 2007-10-13 DRAGONFLY POND


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Tramea
::::::::::::::::::::::::

Tramea transmarina
Tramea transmarina


Male 54mm 2007-10-12 DRAGONFLY POND


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Urothemis
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Urothemis signata MaleUrothemis signata Female
Urothemis signata


Male ♂42mm 2007-10-13 DRAGONFLY POND
Female 44mm 2007-11-25 DRAGONFLY POND


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Trithemis
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Trithemis festiva
Trithemis festiva


Male ♂ 36mm 2007-11-03 BUKIT GEMOK
Female unknown

Trithemis festiva, which has a deep blue colour, is another eye-catching species. This species is not often seen, being encountered only at the forest edge or in relatively undisturbed secondary vegetation.

-------------------------------------------------------



Trithemis aurora


Female ♀ 2007-02-05 BUKIT GEMOK
♂36mm 2016-03-05 SG IMAM
♂35.5mm JUVENILE 2016-10-08 NEW PAPAYA GARDEN
33mm♀ JUVENILE 2016-09-22 BUKIT GEMOK


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Nannophya
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Nannophya pygmaea
Nannophya pygmaea


Male ♂17.5mm 2013-02-08 SRI AMAN TOWN
Nannophya pygmea, with a wingspan of only about 2.5cm, is one of the smallest dragonfly species. It is a pygmy among Malaysia's dragonflies. But it makes up for its small size with an attractive “chilli red” colour.
 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Onychothemis
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Onychothemis coccinea


Onychothemis coccinea (Lieftinck, 1953) is a rare species so far seen only in Indonesia and Eastern part of Malaysia. This species is unique in abdomen colour of entirely light orange with no marking.

------------------------------------------------


Onychothemis culminicola


Male ♂52mm 2008-06-15 BUKIT GEMOK
Female ♀ 2007-03-07 SPORT STADIUM


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Aethriamanta
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Aethriamanta aethra
Aethriamanta aethra


Female ♀26mm
2007-10-07 DRAGONFLY POND


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Pantala
::::::::::::::::::::::::

Pantala flavescensPantala flavescens
Pantala flavescens


Male ♂48mm 2007-10-28 DRAGONFLY POND
Female ♀56mm 2007-10-12 DRAGONFLY POND


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Zyxomma
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Zyxomma petiolatum MALE
Zyxomma petiolatum


Male 53mm 2008-06-29 SEMARAK
Female ♀51mm 2017-05-26 SEMARAK

-----------------------------------------------------------

Zyxomma obtusum MaleZyxomma obtusum Female
Zyxomma obtusum


Male 50.5mm 2007-07-08 VOCATIONAL COLLEGE
Female 2008-05-10 SEMARAK


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Tholymis
::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Tholymis tillarga Tholymis tillarga
Tholymis tillarga


Male ♂43mm 2016-09-20 BUKIT GEMOK
Female ♀ 2016-09-28 SEMARAK


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Lathrecista
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Lathrecista asiatica MaleLathrecista asiatica
Lathrecista asiatica


Male 44mm 2016-10-1 Dragonfly Pond
Female ♀45mm 2017-05-28 SG TAWAU
 

Only 1 species worldwide in this Genus Lathrecista.


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Tetrathemis
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tetrathemis irregularisTetrathemis irregularis Female
Tetrathemis irregularis


Male ♂28mm 2007-07-10 BUKIT GEMOK
Male ♂26mm 2016-10-16 SRI INDAH
Female 28mm 2007-10-07 BUKIT GEMOK
 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Rhodothemis
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Rhodothemis rufa MALE
Rhodothemis rufa


Male ♂44mm 2016-10-02 DRAGONFLY POND
Female ♀45mm 2017-06-09 WHITE BRIDGE POND

Borneo has only 1 species under this genus
 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Brachydiplax
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Brachydiplax chalybea Male
Brachydiplax chalybea Type 1 BrownBrachydiplax chalybea Type 2 Powderly-Blue
Brachydiplax chalybea


Male ♂35mm 2017-06-08 WHITE BRIDGE POND
Type 1 Female Brown ♀30mm 2017-05-31 SG TAWAU
Type 2 Female Powderly-Blue ♀30mm 2017-06-06 WHITE BRIDGE
Brachydiplax chalybea in Borneo has two color types of female: the brown female and powderly-blue female.


 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Agrionoptera
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Agrionoptera insignis
Agrionoptera insignis


Female 43mm 2008-07-13 TAWAU
Male ♂42mm 2017-05-31 SG TAWAU
 

 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Diplacodes
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Diplacodes trivialis maleDiplacodes trivialis female
Diplacodes trivialis


A very common species in Asia
Male ♂34mm 2016-10-06 SPORT COMPLEX POND
Female 30mm ♀ 2016-10-10 SPORT COMPLEX POND
 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Acisoma
::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Acisoma panorpoidesDiplacodes trivialis female
Acisoma panorpoides


Male ♂29mm  2017-06-06 WHITE BRIDGE POND
Female ♀28mm 2017-06-06 WHITE BRIDGE POND

Acisoma panorpoides is a common species which inhabits secondary vegetation near water.
 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Tyriobapta
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Tyriobapta laidlawi
Tyriobapta laidlawi


♂30mm 2008-05-29 SARAWAK
A scarcer species of Borneo

This is an endemic dragonfly species of Borneo. Female has never been photographed yet.

 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Rhyothemis
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Rhyothemis triangularis Male Rhyothemis triangularis Female
Rhyothemis triangularis

 


Rhyothemis triangularis is another attractive dragonfly with wings partly coloured a bright enamel blue. It is not a commonly seen species, being found only at the forest edge and other relatively undisturbed localities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Rhyothemis phyllis Male
Rhyothemis phyllis

--------------------------------------------------------------------

 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Orthetrum
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Orthetrum testaceum Male Orthetrum testaceum
Orthetrum testaceum

 

---------------------------------------------------------------
Orthetrum glaucumOrthetrum glaucum
Orthetrum glaucum

----------------------------------------------------

Orthetrum sabina maleOrthetrum sabina Female
Orthetrum sabina

----------------------------------------------------------

Orthetrum pruinosum
Orthetrum pruinosum

-----------------------------------------------------

Orthetrum chrysis Male Orthetrum chrysis Female
Orthetrum chrysis
 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Neurothemis
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


There are 4 species of Neurothemis in Sabah :
1) Neurothemis disparilis
2) Neurothemis fluctuans
3) Neurothemis ramburii
4) Neurothemis terminata


Male all have red wings while the female have clear or dark wing.
 


Neurothemis terminata Female 35mm
Neurothemis terminata


Male is dark red, but tea colored when juvenile.
Female are 2 types:
1) With Clear Wings
2) With Dark Wings

------------------------------------------


Female Neurothemis ramburii
Neurothemis ramburii

Female : 1- Clear Wings and 2- Dark Wings

 

-----------------------------------------


Neurothemis fluctuans


Female is clear wing

 

Neurothemis fluctuans is a common yet beautiful species of dragonfly. It may be found at the forest fringe, in secondary vegetation and other localities near water.

 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Lyriothemis
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Lyriothemis cleis
Lyriothemis cleis

 

♂40mm 2017-06-25 HILL ZONE
 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Cratilla
:::::::::::::::::::::::

Cratilla metallica (Brauer, 1878)
Cratilla metallica


Recognized by dark wing-tips

------------------------------------


Cratilla lineata
Cratilla lineata


♂47mm 2017-06-26 HILL ZONE
 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Camacinia

Camacinia gigantea

Female 50mm
2008-07-27 DRAGONFLY POND
 



CHART OF DRAGONFLIES OF BORNEO


Identification Guide to common Red Dragonfly in Sabah


RELATED  TOPICS


Pseudagrion sp HILLZONE 婆羅洲細蟌
INTRODUCTION TO THE DAMSELFLIES OF SABAH, BORNEO ISLAND


Ichneumon sp BORNEO
Insects of Borneo

Insects are  diverse and dominant inhabitants of the tropical rainforests in Borneo Island. New species are discovered too often. Entomologists are still struggling to cope with the documentation of tropical insect diversity.


Red Dragonfly of Sabah
Red Dragonfly of Sabah

Most of the common dragonflies in Sabah are red coloured, especially from the family Libellulidae.  Some red pecies are even confused as same species, for example the three species of Genus Neurothemis.


Eyes of a male Brachydiplax chalybea
The compound eyes of dragonflies

Dragonflies and damselflies have large compound eyes that can see in all directions. When the compound eye is magnified several hundred times, each individual facet (ommatidium) is shown to be hexagonal in shape.



Ovipositor (Vulvar Lamina)
of Female Dragonflies and Damselflies

Female dragonflies have either one of the two method of depositing eggs from the abdomen:
1- using Ovipositor Structure
2- using Vulvar Lamina

Male do not have an ovipositor. Instead male dragonfly and damselfly have appendages.



GO FURTHER


FLORA
Ficus subgelderi 淡金榕
Fig trees of Sabah

Borneo has 150 species of wild fig trees. Most of them are found in forests of Sabah.


FISHERIES
Tiger Prawn Farms in Tawau
Tiger Prawn Farms in Tawau

Prawn farming is a main commercial activities in Tawau. Spawners from Tawau are graded the best in Malaysia. For decades, Tawau has been exporting high-grade tiger prawns to several countries such as Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Egypt and Australia.




Web Analytics
Damselflies of Borneo