Acisoma panorpoides

Anisoptera

Species Name: Acisoma panorpoides

Family: Libellulidae

Male

At first glance this small species looks like Diplacodes travialis even the males and females in both species are similarly coloured blue and pale greenish yellow respectly. However look closer and you'll see that their abdomens look "pregnant", bulging at the base and thin at the tail end. This unique shape gives it the common name the Pintail.

Female

Acisoma panorpoides is a very widespread Libellulid being recorded

from South Africa and Madagascar to the Mediterranean, into

mainland Asia and Southeast Asia.

Previously thought to be absent from the northern part Borneo, I had

photographed it in Lahad Datu, Sabah as well as Tuaran, near Kota

Kinabalu where I found it to be very common near paddy fields.

Diplacodes trivalis

Anisoptera

Species Name: Diplacodes trivalis

Family: Libellulidae

Mature Male

This small dragonfly is in my opinion the commonest species in open places and drains and other disturbed areas. They can be found far from water in the lowlands as well as higher altitudes. The males are pruinose blue with black markings, while females and immature males are pale green. Looking somewhat like mini Orthetrum sabina they usually perch on the ground or on low grass.

Female Chalky Percher

This species is commonly called the Chalky Percher or Ground Skimmer and is very widespread in tropical Asia and Australiasia.

Orthetrum pruinosum

Anisoptera
Species Name: Orthetrum pruinosum

Family: Libellulidae

Dragonflies of the genus Orthetrum are mostly thick-bodied medium to large-sized red or blue coloured in males and brownish in females. The only exception is O. sabina which is greenish yellow and black-coloured in both male and female and has a very slender abdomen.   

Of the blue/red Orthetrum, perhaps the most beautifully coloured is O. pruinosum the male of which has a deep red abdomen and a powder (or pruinose) blue thorax and basal segments of the abdomen. It is common near slow flowing as well fast flowing streams hillside streams from the lowland up to 1000m above sea level.

Range of distribution: The species is wide spread in Asia, but the sub-species schneideri of Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia is the most vividly coloured in my opinion.