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Alpine Redspot | Austropetalia tonyana |
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Dragonfly with Spots on Wings
Image: 640×528, 52KB
Date & Time: 2 December 2007 16:40
Place: Warburton
Male Austropetalia tonyana Face and Thorax
Image: 688×576, 52KB
Date & Time: 2 December 2007 17:50
Place: Warburton
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Having only been formerly described in 1995 (previously being grouped amongst Austropetalia patricia)
this dragonfly species has earned the somewhat misleading common name of Alpine Redspot,
probably because at the time it had only been recorded from altitudes above 600m.
Its also found predominantly around where water cascades of rocks, including waterfalls.
I have only positively sighted males of this species, late in the day and guarding territory on a waterfall,
usually perching on dead, woody vegetation in the splash zone
(although I observed one try to perch on a slippery rock without success).
Being so close to the waterfall while taking photos meant I too got soaked,
but I think it was worth the experience sharing and evening with such an interesting and attractive animal.
Identification can readily be made from the distinctive dark, slightly reddish spots
along the leading edges of the wings.
These are reasonably large, mostly brown dragonflies with
numerous, evenly-spaced yellow spots along the abdomen and
yellow stripes on the thorax (much like Adversaeschna brevistyla
or Austroaeschna unicornis).
It also has a significant yellow stripe across the front of the face and part of the eye is ringed with yellow.
This insect can be distinguished from the similar Austropetalia patricia by the number and arrangement
of spots on the wings and the two species are also separated by geography,
with that one only north of Canberra while Austropetalia tonyana
appears south, in southern NSW and eastern Victoria (as far as the hills east of Melbourne).
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Dragonfly with Spots on Wings
Male Austropetalia tonyana Face and Thorax