List of Odonata species of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a tropical island situated close to the southern tip of India. The invertebrate fauna is as large as it is common to other regions of the world. There are approximately 2 million known species of arthropods, and this number continues to grow. Thus, it is difficult to determine the exact number of Odonata species within particular regions. The following is a list of the dragonflies and damselflies of Sri Lanka.

Dragonflies & Damselflies

Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata.

Dragonflies are predators. The larvae inhabit water and adults fly near aquatic places. They are diverse in color and shape. There are major 2 types of odonates in the world; they are dragonflies and damselflies. The eyes are closer together in dragonflies, and their wings are held broadly opened from the body. They are robust in nature. In contrast, damselflies are delicately built small odonates, with well separated compound eyes. During rest, they do not expand their wings; the wings are folded over the abdomen or slightly spread.

Damselflies are categorized in to Suborder: Zygoptera; and dragonflies into Suborder: Anisoptera. 131 described species within 13 families can be found in Sri Lanka, with three new species in 2016.^[1][2]

The 65 endemic species and marked with an asterisk (*).

Suborder: Zygoptera - Damselflies

Damselflies are insect s of suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies, which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Anisoptera, but are smaller, have slimmer bodies, and most species fold the wings along the body when at rest. An ancient group, damselflies have existed since at least the Lower Permian, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.

All damselflies are predatory; both nymphs and adults eat other insects. The nymphs are aquatic, with different species living in a variety of freshwater habitats including acid bogs, ponds, lakes and rivers. The nymphs moult repeatedly, at the last moult climbing out of the water to undergo metamorphosis. The skin splits down the back, they emerge and inflate their wings and abdomen to gain their adult form. Their presence on a body of water indicates that it is relatively unpolluted, but their dependence on freshwater makes them vulnerable to damage to their wetland habitats.

64 Damselfly species can be found in Sri Lanka.

Family: Calopterygidae - Jewelwings

Common name	Binomial	Local subspecies	Male	Female
Stream glory	Neurobasis chinensis	ssp.chinensis
Black-tipped forest glory	Vestalis apicalis	ssp.nigrescens*

Family: Chlorocyphidae - Jewels

Common name	Binomial	Local subspecies	Male	Female
Adam's gem	Libellago adami*
Ultima gem	Libellago finalis*
Green's gem	Libellago greeni*
Corbett's gem	Libellago corbeti*

Family: Euphaeidae - Gossamerwings

Common name	Binomial	Local subspecies	Male	Female
Shining gossamerwing	Euphaea splendens*

Family: Lestidae - Spreadwings

Common name	Binomial	Local subspecies	Male	Female
Sri Lanka reedling	Indolestes divisus*
Mountain reedling	Indolestes gracilis	ssp.gracilis*
Emerald spreadwing	Lestes elatus
Malabar spreadwing	Lestes malabaricus
Scalloped spreadwing	Lestes praemorsus	ssp.decipiens
Emerald Sri Lanka spreadwing	Sinhalestes orientalis*

Family: Coenagrionidae - Narrow-winged damselflies

Common name	Binomial	Local subspecies	Male	Female
Green striped slender dartlet	Aciagrion occidentale
Variable wisp	Agriocnemis femina	ssp.femina
Pygmy wisp	Agriocnemis pygmaea
Azure dartlet	Amphiallagma parvum
Lieftinck's sprite	Archibasis lieftincki*
Long-banded bluetail	Archibasis oscillans	ssp. hanwellanensis*
Orange-tailed marsh dart	Ceriagrion cerinorubellum
Coromandel marsh dart	Ceriagrion coromandelianum
Golden dartlet	Ischnura aurora	ssp.aurora
Marsh bluetail	Ischnura senegalensis
Sri Lanka midget	Mortonagrion ceylonicum*
Three striped blue dart	Pseudagrion decorum
Malabar sprite	Pseudagrion malabaricum
Blue riverdamsel	Pseudagrion microcephalum
Saffron-faced blue dart	Pseudagrion rubriceps	ssp.ceylonicum*

Family: Platycnemididae - Threadtails

Common name	Binomial	Local subspecies	Male	Female
Two-spotted threadtail	Elattoneura oculata*
Jungle threadtail	Elattoneura caesia*
Dark-glittering threadtail	Elattoneura centralis*
Smoky-winged threadtail	Elattoneura leucostigma*
Red-striped threadtail	Elattoneura tenax*
Stripe-headed threadtail	Prodasineura sita*
Marsh dancer	Onychargia atrocyana
Yellow bush dart	Copera marginipes

Family: Platystictidae - Shadowdamsels

Common name	Binomial	Local subspecies	Male	Female
Alwis's shadowdamsel	Ceylonosticta alwisi*
Ana Mia's shadowdamsel	Ceylonosticta anamia*
Bine's shadowdamsel	Ceylonosticta bine*
	Ceylonosticta mirifica*
	Ceylonosticta mojca*
Alwisi's shadowdamsel	Ceylonosticta nancyae*
Rupasinghe's shadowdamsel	Ceylonosticta rupasinghe*
	Ceylonosticta venusta*
	Drepanosticta adami*
	Drepanosticta austeni*
Brinck's shadowdamsel	Drepanosticta brincki*
Nobel shadowdamsel	Drepanosticta digna*
Merry shadowdamsel	Drepanosticta hilaris*
Drooping shadowdamsel	Drepanosticta lankanensis*
Dark knob-tipped shadowdamsel	Drepanosticta montana*
Nietner's shadowdamsel	Drepanosticta nietneri*
Bordered knob-tipped shadowdamsel	Drepanosticta submontana*
Blue-shouldered cornuted shadowdamsel	Drepanosticta subtropica*
Dark-shouldered cornuted shadowdamsel	Drepanosticta tropica*
Wall's shadowdamsel	Drepanosticta walli*
Dark forestwraith	Platysticta apicalis*
Blurry forestdamsel	Platysticta maculata*
	Platysticta secreta*
	Platysticta serendibica*

Suborder: Anisoptera - Dragonflies.

A dragonfly is an insect belonging to the order Odonata, suborder Anisoptera (from Greek ἄνισος anisos "uneven" and πτερόν pteron, "wing", because the hindwing is broader than the forewing). Adult dragonflies are characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches and an elongated body. Dragonflies can be mistaken for the related group, damselflies (Zygoptera), which are similar in structure, though usually lighter in build; however, the wings of most dragonflies are held flat and away from the body, while damselflies hold the wings folded at rest, along or above the abdomen. Dragonflies are agile fliers, while damselflies have a weaker, fluttery flight. Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural coloration, making them conspicuous in flight. An adult dragonfly eye has nearly 24,000 ommatidia.

Dragonflies are predators, both in their aquatic larval stage, when they are known as nymphs or naiads, and as adults. Several years of their lives are spent as nymphs living in fresh water; the adults may be on the wing for just a few days or weeks. They are fast, agile fliers, sometimes migrating across oceans, and are often found near water.

There are 65 Dragonfly species can be found in Sri Lanka.

Family: Aeshnidae - Hawkers

Common name	Binomial	Local subspecies	Male	Female
Donald's Hawker	Anaciaeschna donaldi
Pale-spotted emperor	Anax guttatus
Magnificent emperor	Anax immaculifrons
Lesser green emperor	Anax indicus
Black emperor	Anax tristis
Vagrant emperor	Anax ephippiger
Brown darner	Gynacantha dravida
	Gynacantha millardi

Family: Gomphidae - Club-tail dragonflies

Common name	Binomial	Local subspecies	Male	Female
	Anisogomphus ceylonensis*
Sinuate clubtail	Burmagomphus pyramidalis	ssp.sinuatus*
	Cyclogomphus gynostylus*
Rivulet tiger	Gomphidia pearsoni*
Lyrate grappletail	Heliogomphus lyratus*
Nietner's grappletail	Heliogomphus nietneri*
Wall's grappletail	Heliogomphus walli*
Indian Common Clubtail	Ictinogomphus rapax
Keiser's forktail	Macrogomphus annulatus*	ssp.keiseri*
Sri Lankan Forktail	Macrogomphus lankanensis*
	Microgomphus wijaya*
Sri Lanka sabretail	Megalogomphus ceylonicus*
Brook hooktail	Paragomphus henryi*
	Paragomphus campestris*

Family: Macromiidae - Cruisers

Common name	Binomial	Local subspecies	Male	Female
Common torrent hawk	Epophthalmia vittata	ssp.cyanocephala*
	Macromia flinti*
Sri Lanka cruiser	Macromia zeylanica*

Family: Libellulidae - Skimmers

Common name	Binomial	Local subspecies	Male	Female
Asian pintail	Acisoma panorpoides	ssp.panorpoides
Scarlet marsh hawk	Aethriamanta brevipennis	ssp.brevipennis
Little Blue marsh hawk	Brachydiplax sobrina
Ditch jewel	Brachythemis contaminata
Granite ghost	Bradinopyga geminata
Scarlet skimmer	Crocothemis servilia	ssp.servilia
Line forest-skimmer	Cratilla lineata	ssp.calverti
Black-tipped percher	Diplacodes nebulosa
Chalky percher	Diplacodes trivialis
Amber-winged marsh glider	Hydrobasileus croceus
Fruhstorfer's junglewatcher	Hylaeothemis fruhstorferi	ssp.fruhstorferi*
Black marsh skimmer	Indothemis carnatica
Restless demon	Indothemis limbata	ssp.sita
Asiatic blood tail	Lathrecista asiatica	ssp.asiatica
	Lyriothemis defonsekai*
Coastal glider	Macrodiplax cora
Paddyfield parasol	Neurothemis intermedia	ssp.intermedia
Pied paddy skimmer	Neurothemis tullia
Aggressive riverhawk	Onychothemis tonkinensis	ssp.ceylanica
Spine-tufted skimmer	Orthetrum chrysis
Blue marsh hawk	Orthetrum glaucum
Marsh skimmer	Orthetrum luzonicum
Crimson-tailed marsh hawk	Orthetrum pruinosum	ssp.neglectum
Slender skimmer	Orthetrum sabina	ssp.sabina
Blue-tailed forest hawk	Orthetrum triangulare	ssp.triangulare
Globe skimmer	Pantala flavescens
Yellow-tailed ashy skimmer	Potamarcha congener
Spine–legged redbolt	Rhodothemis rufa
Sapphire flutterer	Rhyothemis triangularis
Common picture wing	Rhyothemis variegata	ssp.variegata
Red-veined darter	Sympetrum fonscolombii
Elf	Tetrathemis yerburii*
Coral-tailed cloudwing	Tholymis tillarga
Crimson marsh glider	Trithemis aurora
Black stream glider	Trithemis festiva
Dancing dropwing	Trithemis pallidinervis
Keyhole glider	Tramea basilaris	ssp.burmeisteri
Black marsh trotter	Tramea limbata
Greater crimson glider	Urothemis signata	ssp.signata
Emerald cascader	Zygonyx iris	ssp.ceylonicum
Long-tailed duskdarter	Zyxomma petiolatum

See also

• List of Odonata species of Britain
• List of Odonata species of Ireland
• List of Odonata species of India
• List of Odonata species of South Africa
• List of Odonata species of Taiwan

References

1. Priyadarshana, Tharaka Sudesh; Wijewardhane, Ishara Harshajith; Herath, Bimal Eranga (29 November 2016). "Three new species of the genus Ceylonosticta Fraser, 1931 (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from Sri Lanka and the rediscovery of Ceylonosticta subtropica (Fraser, 1933". International Journal of Odonatology. 19 (4): 239–252. doi:10.1080/13887890.2016.1257443.
2. "[Entomology • 2016] Taxonomy and Molecular Phylogeny of the Platystictidae (Insecta: Odonata) of Sri Lanka". Species New to Science. International Journal of Odonatology. 15 December 2016.

• Sumanapala, A. P. (2017). A Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Sri Lanka. Ceylon Tea Services Pvt. Ltd.
• http://journals.sjp.ac.lk/index.php/JTFE/article/view/593