Aciagrion approximans explained

Aciagrion approximans, Indian violet dartlet, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is found in east and south of India. The range extends to Thailand, China and Cambodia.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Subspecies

Fraser considered the specimen found in northeast as Aciagrion approximans and in south as Aciargion hisopa race krishna.^{[4] [1]} A recent study revealed that the subspecies krishna found in south is not conspecific with A. hisopa and found to be very close to A. approximans found in northeast; but differing at the level of subspecies.^{[3] [2]}

• Aciagrion approximans approximans (Northeast India)^[2]
• Aciagrion approximans krishna (Western Ghats)^[5]

Description and habitat

It is a small, slim, slender damselfly with violet and black colors. Its thorax is black with lateral violet stripes. Segments 2 to 7 of the abdomen are black on dorsum and violet in the ventral half. Segments 8 and 9 are violet without any marks. Segment 10 is black on dorsum. The lower half of segment 8 is marked with black in A. a. krishna. Female is similar to the male; but paler in colors. Segments 8 and 9 are black and 10 is blue on dorsum.^{[1] [3]}

It breeds in ponds, lakes or in slow moving streams.^{[1] [3]}

See also

• List of odonates of India
• List of odonata of Kerala

Notes and References

1. Book: C FC Lt. Fraser. Frederic Charles Fraser. The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma, Odonata Vol. I. Taylor and Francis. Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, London. 1933. 340–342.
2. Web site: Aciagrion approximans Selys, 1876 – Indian Violet Dartlet. Odonata of India, v. 1.00. Indian Foundation for Butterflies. 2017-02-25.
3. Shantanu Shrikant Joshi . Oleg Kosterin . Krushnamegh Kunte . New status for Fraser's forgotten Aciagrion approximans krishna, stat. nov. (Odonata: Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) from theWestern Ghats of India . International Journal of Odonatology . 19 . 1–2. 41–51. 2016. 10.1080/13887890.2016.1166463 . 2016IJOdo..19...41J . 89121135 . 25 February 2017 .
4. Fraser . F C. Frederic Charles Fraser . A list of dragonflies from Mahabaleshwar . The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society . 1921 . 27 . 543 .
5. Book: K.A. . Subramanian . K.G. . Emiliyamma . R. . Babu . C. . Radhakrishnan . S.S. . Talmale . Atlas of Odonata (Insecta) of the Western Ghats, India . 2018 . Zoological Survey of India . 9788181714954. 130–131.