ENTOMOLOGY : Black tailed skimmer (Dragon fly) - Concise Study.

BLACK-TAILED SKIMMER (DRAGON FLY)

  

Scientific Name - Orthetrum cancellatum

CLASSIFICATION :-

KINGDOM - ANIMALIA

PHYLUM -    ARTHROPODA

CLASS     -     INSECTA

ORDER  -       ODONATA

FAMILY  -      LIBELLULIDAE 

The Black-tailed skimmer has an undoubtedly large splendour.

Shown above.Is an adult male.

With it's Characteristic Blue abdomen. Black tip,and transparent wings.

While female has yellow abdomen,black tip and transparent wings. females oviposits alone but with male in attendance and the Eggs are laid in flight by dipping abdomen onto water surface.The females hatch after 5 or 6 weeks and with the help of bottom debris,it's larvae remains partially hidden,and they mostly takes 2 to 3 years for the emergence. Also,

With age, The adult males extensively develop Blue puinescence on their abdomen.

DISTRIBUTION :   Orthetrum cancellatum (Dragon fly) is a widespread European species,But it also occurs from central Asia to the northern parts of China and Arunachal Pradesh in India. HABITAT : Orthetrum cancellatum is found mainly in the following areas :- 1. Marshy Areas 2. Ponds 3. Slow-rivers. and if you're lucky you may get an opportunity for sighting the female dragon fly,as it's said to be less confident and not as bold as it's male counter part.

- By Ashutosh Lohani Photo Credits - Alok Gupta.