Onychothemis testacea,[2] the stellate river hawk,[3] or riverhawker,[4] is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is widespread in many Asian countries.[1][5]

Onychothemis testacea
Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Onychothemis
Species:
O. testacea
Binomial name
Onychothemis testacea
Laidlaw, 1902

Description

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It is a medium sized dragonfly with bottle-green eyes. Its thorax is dark metallic-blue, marked with citron-yellow. There is a narrow mid-dorsal carina, a humeral spot and a narrow stripe on mesepimeron. Abdomen is black, marked with citron-yellow. Segment 1 has a triangular spot on mid-dorsum. Segment 2 has a small diamond-shaped spot on mid-dorsum. Segment 3 has its base dorsally and sub-dorsally narrow yellow and a stellate spot on mid-dorsum. Segments 4 to 9 are similar to 3; but the lateral spots much smaller. Segment 10 is entirely black. Anal appendages are black. Female is similar to the male.[6]

Habitat

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It breeds in streams in forest or at its margins. This is a very fast flying dragonfly of forested streams. Males usually perch on dry twigs and other similar vantage points over streams and aggressively chase other dragonflies entering their territory.[6][7][3][4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Dow, R.A. (2009). "Onychothemis testacea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009: e.T163664A5632305. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009-2.RLTS.T163664A5632305.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ Paulson, D.; Schorr, M.; Abbott, J.; Bota-Sierra, C.; Deliry, C.; Dijkstra, K.-D.; Lozano, F. (2024). "World Odonata List". OdonataCentral, University of Alabama.
  3. ^ a b "Onychothemis testacea Laidlaw, 1902". India Biodiversity Portal. Retrieved 2017-02-15.
  4. ^ a b "Onychothemis testacea Laidlaw, 1902". Odonata of India, v. 1.00. Indian Foundation for Butterflies. Retrieved 2017-02-15.
  5. ^ K.A., Subramanian; K.G., Emiliyamma; R., Babu; C., Radhakrishnan; S.S., Talmale (2018). Atlas of Odonata (Insecta) of the Western Ghats, India. Zoological Survey of India. pp. 346–347. ISBN 9788181714954.
  6. ^ a b C FC Lt. Fraser (1936). The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma, Odonata Vol. III. Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, London: Taylor and Francis. pp. 404-406.
  7. ^ C FC Lt. Fraser (1924). A Survey of the Odonate (Dragonfly) Fauna of Western India and Descriptions of Thirty New Species (PDF). p. 442.