Vestalis gracilis explained

Vestalis gracilis,^[1] is a species of damselfly belonging to the family Calopterygidae. It is known commonly as the clear-winged forest glory or clear-winged flash-wing. It is native to Southeast Asia and surrounding regions.^[2]

Description

The male and female are similar in size; the male having an abdomen 45 to 46 millimeters long and a hindwing 34 to 38 millimeters long and the female with an abdomen 43 to 50 millimeters long and a hindwing 36 to 39 millimeters long.^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]}

The male is iridescent green with a yellow and black underside. It has brown legs and blue-tinged transparent wings. The eyes are dark brown above and greenish yellow below. The female is duller greenish brown in color.^{[3] [4] [6]}

Habitat

This is a common species across much of its range. It breeds in forest streams, often in disturbed and cultivated areas too. Commonly seen as a group rest among bushes in forest paths and shades together with Vestalis apicalis.^{[3] [4] [6]}

Subspecies

A subspecies, V. g. Fraser, 1934, has been described from Western Ghats of South India. It is now synonymised with V. a. submontana and is considered as a separate species Vestalis submontana.^{[8] [9]}

See also

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

Notes and References

1. Web site: Calopterygoidea of the World . M. Hamalainen. caloptera.com. 2017-02-20.
2. 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. 70–71.
3. Book: Subramanian, K. A.. Dragonflies and Damselflies of Peninsular India - A Field Guide. 2005.
4. 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. 126-130.
5. 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.
6. Web site: Vestalis gracilis Rambur, 1842. India Biodiversity Portal. 2017-02-20.
7. Web site: Vestalis gracilis Rambur, 1842. Odonata of India, v. 1.00. Indian Foundation for Butterflies. 2017-02-20.
8. Web site: NOTES ON THE TAXONOMIC STATUS OF VESTALIS SUBMONTANA ERASER, 1934 FROM SOUTH INDIA (ZYGOPTERA: CALOPTERYGIDAE) . M. Hamalainen. caloptera.com. 2017-02-20.
9. Web site: Calopterygoidea of the World . M. Hamalainen. caloptera.com. 2017-02-20.