Rhyothemis variegata explained

Rhyothemis variegata, known as the common picture wing or variegated flutterer, is a species of dragonfly of the family Libellulidae, found in South Asia,^[1] Indochina and southern China.

Description and habitat

It is a medium-sized dark bodied dragonfly with colorful wings tinted with pale yellow. There are a few black spots on the apices and nodes of the fore-wings. There is a large patch in the base of the hind-wings, marked with black and golden yellow. In females, the apical half of the fore-wings are transparent; basal half tinted with golden-yellow with black marks. The apical ends of the hind-wings are transparent; rest of wings marked with golden-yellow and black.

It breeds in marshes, ponds and paddy fields. They appear to have weak flight and can easily be mistaken for butterflies.^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}

See also

• List of odonates of Sri Lanka
• 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. 374-375.
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. 423-424.
3. 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. 443-443.
4. Web site: Rhyothemis variegata Linnaeus, 1763. India Biodiversity Portal. 2017-02-16.
5. Web site: Rhyothemis variegata Linnaeus, 1763. Odonata of India, v. 1.00. Indian Foundation for Butterflies. 2017-02-16.
6. Book: Subramanian, K. A.. Dragonflies and Damselflies of Peninsular India. 2005.