Gynacantha basiguttata Selys

Gynacantha basiguttata (Selys, 1882) 綠眼晏蜓

Found in Asia: Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand

Super-Family: AESHNOIDEA

Family: AESHNIDAE

Infrakingdom: Ecdysozoa Aguinaldo et al., 1997 ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - ecdysozoans
- Phylum: Arthropoda Latreille, 1829 - arthropods
  - Class: Insecta Linnaeus, 1758 - insects
    - Order: Odonata - dragonflies and damselflies
      - Suborder: Anisoptera Selys, 1854 - dragonflies
        
        Family: Aeshnidae
        
        Genus: Gynacantha
        
        Species: basiguttata Selys, 1882
        
        Scientific Name: Gynacantha basiguttata Selys, 1882

Without seeing the abdomen one can tell the sexing by observing the hind wings: females have a rounded hind wing base, while males have a 90 degrees angle in their hind wing base.

Ovipositor: The egg-laying apparatus of insects, typically composed of two sets of valves or a tubular extension of the abdomen.

When the male curls his abdomen downand forward to grasp the female,the cerci curl under the upper rim ofthe head (in typical dragonflies) or contact the mesostigmalplates (in damselflies). Male cerci are often relatively large ap-pendages with hooks or spines for grasping.

The cerci (the pair of superior appendages) of females are typically simple, cone-shaped or leaflike structures and only occasionally of use in field identification.

Stylus of the odonate endophytic ovipositor: a mechanosensory organ controlling egg positioning

Size of a matured female Gynacantha basiguttata (Selys, 1882)

Wing span = 108mm
Body length = 71mm
Hind wing = 52mm
Female has longer wingspan then male by 10mm

This is a natural-dead spacemen of female Gynacantha basiguttata (Selys, 1882) who flew into my house in the evening attracted by light and found dead the next morning.

Gynacantha basiguttata is common in forested swamps. Flies at dawn and dusk. Hangs from low vegetation by day. Easily attracted to light.

I saw a female Blue-eyed Darner of the same family in http://www.wildutah.us/h_d_darner_blueeyed_female.html with similar appendages but without a pair of claw as above Gynacantha basiguttata

I read about eggs of this dragonfly family in http://www.tombon.com/E2Aeshnidae.htm. "The female of Aeshnidae lays eggs in the plant organization (endo-phytic oviposition） or the inside of the mud (sitting-oviposition into mud or mosses)"

This explain why this female's segment 9 and 10 are muddy with even a mud ball stuck on the pair of claw in segment 10.

This is widespread species in Asia.

Gynacantha basiguttata (Selys, 1882) 綠眼晏蜓

	A male Gynacantha basiguttata is generally recognized by its swollen spherical base to the abdomen with a pair of rounded ear-like auricles on segment 2 followed by an extremely thin narrow segment 3. At the end of abdomen is a pair of long thin superior appendages.
	A male Gynacantha basiguttata’s accessory organ underside of second abdominal segment. Notice the pair of sharp hooks with dark tip (A) And the pair of rounded ear-like auricles (B)
	The pair of superior appendage is expanded into a distinct spoon shape with a concentrated tuft of hairs at its tip. The inferior appendage is less than half the length of the superiors.

	This big green dragonfly has two big green compound eyes touch in the midline and covering the head top. This pair of eyes and the pair below are those of 2 different female Gynacantha basiguttata taken in different date.
	The color of this pair of eyes easily mistaken as another species, but this pair of dark green eye is also belong to the same species of Gynacantha basiguttata, except that it was dead after 12 hours. Previous night this female came to my house attracted by light. It was found death the next morning. The crystal light fad when a dragonfly death, like the radiant smile fad when we rest in peace.
	Gynacantha basiguttata (Selys, 1882) abdomen is long and thin with yellow rings. Segment 1 and 2 expanded like a ball. The small section immediately connecting segment 1 is blue color.
	Long time ago people believed that dragonflies were able to "sew up" a persons lips. This may be the reason why some dragonflies are called "darners"; a "darner" is also a kind of knitting needle.