Neurobasis chinensis explained

Neurobasis chinensis, stream glory is a species of damselfly in the family Calopterygidae. It is a common species distributed across much of Asia.^[1]

Description and habitat

It is a large metallic bronze-green colored damselfly. Its fore-wings are transparent, tinted in pale yellow with green neuration. Its hind-wings are opaque in brilliant metallic green or peacock-blue according to angle of view. They flash the wings, displaying the colors to attract females. The colour is produced by interference from the thin surfaces of the wing membrane.^{[2] [3]} Female is very similar to the male. But its wings are transparent and light coffee brown with white wings spots. There are another creamy yellow patches at the nodes.

This species breeds in forest streams. The males maintain their territories along stretches of moderately fast-flowing streams. Normally found only near the water bodies. Female lays eggs in submerged vegetation, often among root masses.^{[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]} The naiads burrow in sediment underwater and have a long abdomen that is held recurved above the body.^[9]

See also

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

Notes and References

1. 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. 66–67.
2. P.. Vukusic. R. J.. Wootton. J.R.. Sambles . 2004. Remarkable iridescence in the hindwings of the damselfly Neurobasis chinensis chinensis (Linnaeus) (Zygoptera: Calopterygidae) . Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B. 271 . 1539. 595–601 . 10.1098/rspb.2003.2595. 1691628 . 15156917.
3. Kumar, A. . Prasad, M. . amp . 1977. Reproductive behaviour in Neurobasis chinensis chinensis (Linnaeus) (Zygoptera: Calopterygidae). Odonatologica. 6. 163–171.
4. Book: Subramanian, K. A.. Dragonflies and Damselflies of Peninsular India - A Field Guide. 2005.
5. Book: C FC Lt. Fraser. Frederic Charles Fraser. The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma, Odonata Vol. II. Taylor and Francis. Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, London. 1934. 121-124.
6. Book: C FC Lt. Fraser. Frederic Charles Fraser. A Survey of the Odonate (Dragonfly) Fauna of Western India and Descriptions of Thirty New Species. 1924. 479.
7. Web site: Neurobasis chinensis Linnaeus, 1758. India Biodiversity Portal. 2017-02-19.
8. Web site: Neurobasis chinensis Linnaeus, 1758. Odonata of India, v. 1.00. Indian Foundation for Butterflies. 2017-02-18.
9. Book: Silsby, Jill. Dragonflies of the World. CSIRO. 2001. 20.