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Gold–Fronted Riverdamsel | Pseudagrion aureofrons |
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Male Gold–Fronted Riverdamsel
Image: 720×360, 31KB
Date & Time: 26 March 2006 16:20
Location: Warrandyte State Park
Female Pseudagrion aureofrons
Image: 784×432, 52KB
Date & Time: 12 March 2007 13:15
Location: Warrandyte State Park
Male Pseudagrion aureofrons
Image: 560×416, 25KB
Date & Time: 23 March 2008 15:15
Location: Warrandyte State Park
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An uncommon species around Melbourne, this damselfly seems to prefer slow rivers with vegetated edges
and possibly also significant aquatic vegetation.
I know the species from a site on the Yarra where they appear during March but
in Victoria you might be able to see them from mid summer to mid autumn,
though from NSW north they may be around as early as mid spring.
The mature male is distinctly orange around the head and blue lower thorax and tip of the tail.
Females are pale with black markings and may have a slightly yellow face, head and thorax.
Females could be mistaken for Xanthagrion erythroneurum.
When hunting I've observed them fly swiftly over flat water extremely close to the surface.
The female photographed in the second photo deposited her eggs 5-10cm under the water surface
on submerged aquatic vegetation and she stayed under water for 5 minutes whilst doing this.
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Male Gold–Fronted Riverdamsel
Female Pseudagrion aureofrons
Male Pseudagrion aureofrons