Phylloneura westermanni explained

Phylloneura westermanni, Myristica bambootail is a damselfly species in the family Platycnemididae. It is endemic to Myristica swamps of Western Ghats in India. The habitat is restricted to a few localities in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.^[1]

Description and habitat

It is a medium-sized damselfly with black-capped blue eyes. Its thorax is black, marked with a narrow ante-humeral azure blue stripe. Lateral side is blue with a moderately broad black stripe over the postero-lateral suture. Its abdomen is black, marked with azure blue broadly on the sides of the segments 1 and 2. Segments 3 to 5 have very narrow baso-dorsal annules in blue. Apical end of segment 7 and segments 8 to 9 are blue on dorsum with very narrow annules in black. Segment 10 is blue on dorsum and black on the sides. Female is similar to the male except in the markings on the last abdominal segments.

The species is closely associated with Myristica swamps and streams with good riparian forest cover. They usually found in small colonies, perching on overhanging plants.^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}

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. 122–123.
2. 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. 269-271.
3. Book: C FC Lt. Fraser. Frederic Charles Fraser. A Survey of the Odonate (Dragonfly) Fauna of Western India with Special Remarks on the Genera Macromia and Idionyx and Descriptions of Thirty New Species. Zoological Survey of India. Volumes (Records). 1924. 506–509.
4. Book: Subramanian, K. A.. Dragonflies and Damselflies of Peninsular India - A Field Guide. 2005.
5. Web site: Phylloneura westermanni Selys, 1860 . India Biodiversity Portal. 2017-03-12.
6. Web site: Phylloneura westermanni Selys, 1860. Odonata of India, v. 1.00. Indian Foundation for Butterflies. 2017-03-12.