Gynacantha millardi explained

Gynacantha millardi, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. It is found from India and Sri Lanka. This is a crepuscular species which probably breeds in forested swamps and marshy areas, or in forest pools.^[1]

Description and habitat

This is a slender dragonfly with abdomen not constricted at the 3rd segment and colored a uniform pale green. Its thorax is green and abdomen is pale brown to reddish brown above with segments 1–3 grass green on the sides. It can be distinguished from other Gynacantha species as it has unmarked frons whereas Gynacantha dravida, Gynacantha basiguttata and Gynacantha subinterrupta have a "T-mark".^{[2] [1]}

It resembles G. bayadera in its size, shape and colors. But it can be differentiated by the absence of the usual constriction of segment three which is very prominent in G. bayadera.^[1] G. millardi was considered as a synonym of G. bayadera earlier.^[3] But Priyadarshana et al. (2015) pointed out that it is a valid species and that its synonymy was based on an incorrect interpretation of a remark by Lieftinck (1930).^{[4] [5]} Gynacantha millardi is currently known from India and Sri Lanka while the widespread G. bayadera is known from Northeast India to South China and northern New Guinea. It is unclear if the two species overlap in distribution and a review of records of both species from the Indian subcontinent is needed.^[6]

It is crepuscular and flies low in shady places.^[2]

See also

• List of odonates of India
• List of odonates of Sri Lanka
• List of odonata of Kerala

Notes and References

1. Fraser . F. C. . Some new Indian Dragonflies . The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society . 1920 . 27 . 147 . 8 October 2018.
2. Book: C FC Lt. Fraser. Frederic Charles Fraser. The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma, Odonata Vol. III. Taylor and Francis. Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, London. 1936. 105–106.
3. 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. 195–196.
4. Priyadarshana . Tharaka Sudesh . van der Poorten . Nancy . Wijewardana . G. V. I. H. . Jayasooriya . A. L. A. C.. First record of Gynacantha millardi (Odonata: Aeshnidae) from Sri Lanka . Taprobanica . 2015 . 7 . 4 . 266–267 . 9 October 2018.
5. Dawn . P . Chandra . K . Description of the larva of Gynacantha millardi Selys, 1891 (Odonata: Aeshnidae) from Chhattisgarh, India . Zootaxa . 2016 . 4132 . 2 . 290–294 . 10.11646/zootaxa.4132.2.12 . 27395672 .
6. Checklist of the dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Zootaxa. Kalkman. V. J.. 2020-09-08. 4849. 001–084. Babu. R.. Bedjanič. M.. Conniff. K.. Gyeltshenf. T.. Khan. M. K.. Subramanian. K. A.. Zia. A.. Orr. A. G.. Magnolia Press, Auckland, New Zealand. 10.11646/zootaxa.4849.1.1. 978-1-77688-047-8. 1175-5334. 10072/398768. free.