Magnificent emperor | |
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Male in Tamil Nadu, India | |
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Female in Kerala, India | |
Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Odonata |
Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
Family: | Aeshnidae |
Genus: | Anax |
Species: | A. immaculifrons
|
Binomial name | |
Anax immaculifrons Rambur, 1842
|
Anax immaculifrons, [2] the magnificent emperor, [1] or blue darner, [3] is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. Almost all its range is in West and South Asia (the population further east in Asia is now recognized as a separate species, A. aurantiacus); it is Europe's largest dragonfly but very marginal in the continent where restricted to some Aegean Islands and Cyprus. [4] [5] [6]
A. immaculifrons has a length of 80–86 mm (3.1–3.4 in) and a wingspan of about 120 mm (4.7 in). [5] [7] It is a large, bluish green dragonfly with sapphire-blue eyes, bluish-green thorax, and pale reddish-brown abdomen marked with black. Its thorax is pale bluish-green on dorsum with a blackish-brown mid-dorsal carina and turquoise-blue laterally. There is a narrow black stripe over humeral suture and a very broad one over the postero-lateral suture with a narrow black posterior border on metepimeron. Wings are transparent with amber-yellow tint. Segment 1 of the abdomen is entirely black. Segment 2 is turquoise-blue, with a mid-dorsal transverse mark shaped like a sea-gull in flight. Segment 3 has its basal half turquoise-blue and apical half black, with a small mid-dorsal spot on blue. Segments 4 to 8 are with apical half black and pale reddish-brown at base. Segment 9 and 10 are black on dorsum. [8] A more reddish form from southeast Asia and southern China was formerly included in this species, but in 2022 it was recognized as a separate species, A. aurantiacus. [6]
A. immaculifrons is found near slow flowing hill or mountain streams where it breeds. Eggs are inserted into reeds emerging from water. [8]
{{
cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of February 2024 (
link)
Magnificent emperor | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Male in Tamil Nadu, India | |
![]() | |
Female in Kerala, India | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Odonata |
Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
Family: | Aeshnidae |
Genus: | Anax |
Species: | A. immaculifrons
|
Binomial name | |
Anax immaculifrons Rambur, 1842
|
Anax immaculifrons, [2] the magnificent emperor, [1] or blue darner, [3] is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. Almost all its range is in West and South Asia (the population further east in Asia is now recognized as a separate species, A. aurantiacus); it is Europe's largest dragonfly but very marginal in the continent where restricted to some Aegean Islands and Cyprus. [4] [5] [6]
A. immaculifrons has a length of 80–86 mm (3.1–3.4 in) and a wingspan of about 120 mm (4.7 in). [5] [7] It is a large, bluish green dragonfly with sapphire-blue eyes, bluish-green thorax, and pale reddish-brown abdomen marked with black. Its thorax is pale bluish-green on dorsum with a blackish-brown mid-dorsal carina and turquoise-blue laterally. There is a narrow black stripe over humeral suture and a very broad one over the postero-lateral suture with a narrow black posterior border on metepimeron. Wings are transparent with amber-yellow tint. Segment 1 of the abdomen is entirely black. Segment 2 is turquoise-blue, with a mid-dorsal transverse mark shaped like a sea-gull in flight. Segment 3 has its basal half turquoise-blue and apical half black, with a small mid-dorsal spot on blue. Segments 4 to 8 are with apical half black and pale reddish-brown at base. Segment 9 and 10 are black on dorsum. [8] A more reddish form from southeast Asia and southern China was formerly included in this species, but in 2022 it was recognized as a separate species, A. aurantiacus. [6]
A. immaculifrons is found near slow flowing hill or mountain streams where it breeds. Eggs are inserted into reeds emerging from water. [8]
{{
cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of February 2024 (
link)