The TEE lab went out for a “dragonfly walk” at Toa Payoh Town Park on 15 August 2020. Our goal was to learn how to identify common odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) around the park based on their morphological traits without netting them. We walked around the pond and found nine dragonflies and one damselfly species. Here we present the key identification characters for each species we observed with photographs.
(1). Acisoma panorpoides (Trumpet Tail)
This species can be easily identified based on the “trumpet-shaped” abdomen, and we observed one female.
(2). Crocothemis servilia (Common Scarlet)
Male of this species has a red colour body while the female has a light brown colour body. Both sexes have a continues black colour line on the dorsal of the abdomen, which can be used to identify this species from the other similar species. During our walk, we saw a few of both females and males around the pond.
(3). Urothemis signata insignata (Scarlet Basker)
We observed a male of this species, which has a red colour body. This species can be easily distinguished from the other red colour-bodied species based on the “diamond-shaped” two black spots on tip of the dorsal abdomen.
(4). Rhodothemis rufa (Common Redbolt)
This was the third red colour-bodied species we observed. However, this species has no markings on the dorsal abdomen.
(5). Rhyothemis phyllis (Yellow-barred Flutterer)
This species can be easily identified based on the two black bars with yellow in the middle of the hindwing base.
(6). Brachythemis contaminata (Common Amberwing)
We observed a few male and female of this species. This is a smaller species and flying around the water body. Orange colour wing with bright-orange wing cell at the edge (i.e.pterostigmas), and weakly striped orange abdomen can be used to identify this species.
(7). Pseudothemis jorina (Banded Skimmer)
We observed a male specimen of this species, which can be easily identified based on white marking on the 1-3 segments of the abdomen, the rest of the abdomen is black in colour.
(8). Neurothemis fluctuans (Common Parasol)
This species has a fluttery flight, which is very different from other dragonflies. The male has a brownish-red body and wings while the female has a light brown body with black markings. We observed a few individuals of both sexes of this species.
(9). Orthetrum sabina (Variegated Green Skimmer)
Unmistakable, this species has an extraordinary bulge at the base of the abdomen.
(10). Ischnura senegalensis (Common Bluetail)
This was the only damselfly we observed. The male has a green colour head and thorax, with azure blue on the tip of the abdomen. The female has variable colour forms (olive, orange, or maybe like the male).
Here is our team
