Austrolestes colensonis

Austrolestes colensonis
Mating pair
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Family: Lestidae
Genus: Austrolestes
Species: A. colensonis
Binomial name
Austrolestes colensonis
White, 1846

Austrolestes colensonis, (Māori: kekewai) is a common native New Zealand damselfly.

It is New Zealand's largest damselfly, and can change the colour of its body to help thermoregulation.[1] Austrolestes colensonis flies between the months of October and May and is usually seen close to still water, rushes and reeds.[2]

Description

Austrolestes colensonis is a member of the zygoptera family, which can be identified by their mobile head and robust multi-faceted compound eyes, short bristle-like antennae, an enlarged thorax supporting the flight muscles for two pairs of richly veined elongated membranous wings and the ten part segmentation of the abdomen[3] . In terms of the species itself, Austrolestes colensonis is the largest damselfly in New Zealand, with an average length of 40 to 47 millimeters [4]. The key identifying features of Austrolestes colensonis are the distinct blue markings on the males and green marking on females as well as the tendency for males to perch at right angles on the support plant [4]. In contrast to the adults, the larvae are between 17 and 21 millimeters in length and characterised by a broad head with large eyes, cylindrical body shape, rounded tip on the tail gill with no hairs and three horizontal brown stripes [4]<ref name=landcare>Landcare Research. (n.d.). Blue damselfly (Lestidae: Austrolestes). Retrieved from http:// www.landcareresearch.co.nz/resources/identification/animals/freshwater-invertebrates/guide/jointed-legs/insects-and-springtails/dragonflies-and-damselflies/blue-damselfly </ref>. The larvae are quite active due to their ability to perform jumping movements and when disturbed the larvae swim very rapidly with the legs held close to the body towards the bottom sediments in which it burrows itself [5][6]. Adult males can be distinguished by their widely separated blue eyes alongside a pale blue upper boarder on the mouthparts [4]. The thorax has three blue stripes separated by black, which is the predominant colour of the Austrolestes colensonis [4]. Along the abdomen each segment from two to seven has a blue anterior ring located on the margin between segments, the remainder of the abdomen is black except for a dorsal blue area on segment ten [4]. Females have similar characteristics to the male with the exception of having a bright yellow-green colouration, a thicker abdomen and being clubbed distally [4].

References

  1. ↑ "Austrolestes colensonis – New Zealand Blue Damselfly". Ray Wilson Bird & Wildlife Photography. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  2. ↑ Crowe, Andrew (2002). Which New Zealand Insect?. Penguin Books. p. 78. ISBN 0141006366.
  3. ↑ Gullen, P., & Cranston, R. (2005). The Insects: An outline of entomology (3rd ed.). Oxford, England: Blackwell Publishing Limited.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Rowe, R. (1987). The dragonflies of New Zealand (1st ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: University of Auckland Printing Services.
  5. ↑ Rowe, R. (1985). Intraspecific interactions of New Zealand damselfly larvae I. Xanthocnemis zealandica, Ischnura aurora, and Austrolestes colensonis (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae: Lestidae). New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 12(1), 1-15. doi:10.1080/03014223.1985.10428263
  6. ↑ Crumpton, J. (1979). Aspects of the biology of Xanthocnemis zealandica and Austrolestes colensonis (Odonata: Zygoptera) at three ponds in the South Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 6(2), 285-297. doi:10.1080/03014223.1979.10428367

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