Tetrathemis irregularis hyalina (Kirby, 1889)

Found in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand
Genus : Tetrathemis Super-Family: LIBELLULOIDEA Family: LIBELLULIDAE

The vibrant and attractive colors of the  eyes of a dragonfly

Tetrathemis irregularis have relatively very large compound eyes among dragonflies.

An compound eye of a dragonfly cover most part of the head and each containing up to 30,000 facets

I love the changing eye color of a dragonfly. Some area is partially darker than other area The surface of the eye is transparent.

There are two different shapes in the dragonfly's eye surface hexagonal and quadrilateral.

The pair of big eyes covers almost 2/3 of the head.
Tetrathemis irregularis’s eyes are the most colorful and brilliant in the family. This image does not fully capture the beauty of her eyes.

Wings of a female Tetrathemis irregularis.

Open wing venation with no anal loop on hind wing. Clear wing similar to that of a male except this female has some tan at the wing base.

The same female view from top.

While the thorax marking are similar, the male and female have a different physical appearance on the abdomen. Male is slim and female is fat.

Female Tetrathemis irregularis thorax marking is similar to male. Thorax metallic black with 3 yellow stripes.

This female was found roosting in low bush. 100m from the bush is the mountain stream where 3 different males were photographed in June and July the same year.

Tetrathemis irregularis is one of the small size dragonfly in Sabah.

Compare with other small dragonflies, Tetrathemis irregularis has a more robust thorax and faster speed in flight.

Left pair of clear wings of a male Tetrathemis irregularis with simple vain line system.

Strikingly brilliant blue/green eyes of a male Tetrathemis irregularis

This small dragonfly has a hind wing span of 44mm.

Body length is only 28mm, Abdomen is 18mm

Tetrathemis irregularis  It is common and  widespread in lowland swamp forest and sluggish forest streams, particularly in more disturbed areas. Males guard tiny pools and remain perched on station for most of the day.

It is a common local inhabitant of peat swamp and alluvial forest, hovering over tiny ponds in shafts of sunlight penetrating the canopy.

Tetrathemis irregularis has a pair of strikingly brilliant greenish blue eyes

This one is a male.

This lonely males is guarding beside a mountain running stream for most of the day.  As a male has responsibility to guide his territory, he has to stand on top position to keep en eye on intruder.

It is very common to see a male but I have no chance to see a female yet.

He share his water territory with   Neurothemis fluctuans  (Fabricius, 1793) and damselflies Agriocnemis femina oryzae and Rhinocypha humeralis

Wing Knot
Male
 

翅痣 Wing mark

Male
 

M/F
Male
 

Abdomen
Male

 

Wing Base 翅基
Male
 

Back
Male
 

Unique Marks

 
 

INDEX : Dragonfly     October 10, 2007 09:13:30 AM