Source: ALA
| Common Name | iota ringtail |
| Family | Lestidae |
| Genus/Species | Austrolestes io (Selys, 1862) |
| Abundance & Distribution | These are most common around south-west Western Astralia and Tasmania although they also occur in southern Victoria (and nearby) where they are uncommon. |
| Habitat | Inhabits riverine pools, lakes, ponds (including temporary ponds) and swamps. I find them most at swamps or small lakes with abundant emergent aquatic vegetation. |
| Description & Identification | These are small–medium sized damselflies that are predominantly black but with significant pale markings that are blue when mature. |
| Similar Species | Very similar to Austrolestes leda but the pale dorsal mark on segment 2 for male A. io is never longer than a third of the segment's length where it is longer for A. leda. There is also more pale on the pronotum (neck) for A. io (refer to the 2009 Theischinger &s; Endersby Identification Guide). These features are usally difficult to detect in the wild or from a photo (segment 2 is often obscured by the wings). No other Austrolestes species (ringtails) have the humeral stripe with another small mark underneath it like this. |
| Behaviour & Observations | Males mostly perch on vegetation off the ground around water or in among emergent aquatic vegetation, possibly close to the water surface. |
