ODONATA OBSERVATION REPORT – 2017
(In loving memory of our beloved friend Shri. C.G. Kiran)
I have been observing/documenting Odonata from my home village for the past 3 years. This is the report for the year 2017. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the members of the forums Dragonflyindia and Dragonflies of Kerala for their continuous help and support.
Name of Observer: Muhamed Sherif
Period of observation: January 2017 to December 2017
Location: Chalavara Panchayat, Palakkad District, Kerala (10o82’ N & 76o29’ E)
Total area: 27.9 sq. km
Geography: Small hills interspersed with paddy fields, which constitute 30% of the total geographic area. Chalavara is an agricultural village with rice being the main crop but with considerable extends of coconut and rubber plantations. There are no natural streams present in the area.
Precipitation: Exact data unavailable. Average rainfall for the area received in 2017.
Habitat for Odonata:
- Paddy fields (would hold water for about 8 months in a year).
- Water Channels (kaithodu) – There are numerous water channels flowing across the paddy fields and some of them will hold water up to early March
- Ponds: More than 100 Small to medium sized ponds; many of which are perennial.
Observations:
| Total number of species documented from the area so far | 48 |
| No of species observed in 2017 | 39 |
| New species documented | Brachydiplax chalybea Trithemis pallidinervis Zyxomma petiolatum |
| Families represented | Lestidae (2), Calopterygidae (1), Chlorocyphidae (1), Platycnemididae (1), Coenagrionidae (8), Aeshnidae (1), Gomphidae (2), and Libellulidae (23) |
| Species that are previously documented from the area but not seen in 2017 | Vestalis apicalis Agriocnemis splendidissima Ceriagrion rubiae Cratilla lineata Indothemis carnatica Neurothemis fulvia Orthetrum glaucum Rhodothemis rufa Urothemis signata |
- Three new species were spotted in 2017 from the locality. A good population of Brachydyplax chalybea was observed in September. Trithemis pallidinervis was encountered for the first time from the area, a couple of individuals were noted, and a lone specimen of Zyxomma petiolatum was also spotted.
- No Neurothemis fulvia in 2017. Five species namely Ceriagrion coromandelianum, Diplacodes trivialis, Neurothemis tullia, Orthetrum Sabina, and Trithemis aurora were observed throughout the year. Could not find even a single individual of Neurothemis fulvia, which is one of the commonest species found in the locality.
- Large flocks of Pantala flavescens were observed (especially from July to November) as usual but movement with respect to any particular direction was not observed.
- There is a good population of Lestes nodalis in the area. It is interesting to note that the species was always spotted among the undergrowth, several hundred meters away from the water bodies.
- Cannibalism was observed in Orthetrum sabina. A female was spotted preying up on a male.
- No andromorph form of Urothemis signata: For the past 3 years, at least a couple of individuals of andromorph females of U. Signata were spotted from the area, especially during the months of October-November, however, no Urothemis were to be seen for this year.
- It is observed that in Diplacodes trivialis, number of males encountered is pretty less compared to females. Similarly, females of D. nebulosa can be seen aplenty whereas males were rarely spotted.
- In general, compared to previous years, Odonata activity was less in 2017.
Month-wise observation (observations were made for at least 4 times a month):
A – abundant (more than 30 specimens observed); VC – very common (16 to 30 specimens observed);
C – common (4 to 15 specimens observed); and R – rare (1 to 3 specimens observed).
| Sl No | Name of Species | Dry months | Pre-monsoon & southwest monsoon months | Northeast monsoon & post-monsoon months | |||||||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
| 1 | Lestes elatus | R | C | VC | VC | A | VC | VC | VC | C | |||
| 2 | Lestes nodalis | R | R | R | C | VC | VC | C | |||||
| 3 | Vestalis gracilis | R | C | C | C | R | R | ||||||
| 4 | Libellago indica | C | R | C | A | A | A | A | VC | VC | |||
| 5 | Copera marginipes | C | R | C | A | A | A | A | VC | VC | |||
| 6 | Aciagrion occidentale | C | C | C | VC | VC | C | R | R | ||||
| 7 | Agriocnemis pieris | C | VC | VC | C | C | R | ||||||
| 8 | Agriocnemis pygmaea | C | VC | VC | C | C | C | ||||||
| 9 | Ceriagrion cerinorubellum | R | R | C | C | C | C | C | R | ||||
| 10 | Ceriagrion coromandelianum | C | R | R | R | R | C | A | A | A | A | VC | C |
| 11 | Ischnura aurora | R | R | R | C | C | R | R | R | R | |||
| 12 | Pseudagrion microcephalum | R | C | C | C | C | R | R | |||||
| 13 | Pseudagrion rubriceps | C | VC | C | C | C | R | ||||||
| 14 | Gynacantha dravida | R | R | C | C | R | R | ||||||
| 15 | Ictinogomphus rapax | R | R | C | C | C | R | ||||||
| 16 | Paragomphus lineatus | R | C | C | C | C | C | R | R | ||||
| 17 | Acisoma panorpoides | R | R | ||||||||||
| 18 | Aethriamanta brevipennis | C | R | R | C | VC | VC | C | R | R | R | ||
| 19 | Brachydiplax chalybea | C | C | C | |||||||||
| 20 | Brachythemis contaminata | R | R | R | C | A | A | C | C | ||||
| 21 | Bradinopyga geminata | R | R | R | R | R | |||||||
| 22 | Crocothemis servilia | C | R | R | A | A | A | A | VC | C | C | ||
| 23 | Diplacodes nebulosa | C | C | C | R | R | |||||||
| 24 | Diplacodes trivialis | C | R | R | R | R | A | A | A | A | VC | VC | C |
| 25 | Hydrobasileus croceus | R | R | C | C | C | C | C | |||||
| 26 | Lathrecista asiatica | R | R | C | C | C | C | C | R | ||||
| 27 | Neurothemis intermedia | R | R | C | A | A | VC | VC | VC | ||||
| 28 | Neurothemis tullia | C | R | R | R | R | VC | A | A | A | A | A | VC |
| 29 | Orthetrum chrysis | R | R | R | VC | A | A | A | VC | VC | C | ||
| 30 | Orthetrum luzonicum | R | R | VC | A | A | VC | C | C | ||||
| 31 | Orthetrum sabina | C | R | R | R | R | C | A | A | A | VC | VC | VC |
| 32 | Pantala flavescens | R | R | R | C | A | A | A | A | A | VC | ||
| 32 | Potamarcha congener | R | R | R | VC | A | A | VC | VC | C | |||
| 34 | Rhyothemis variegata | R | R | R | R | VC | VC | VC | R | R | |||
| 35 | Tetrathemis platyptera | C | C | C | C | ||||||||
| 36 | Tholymis tillagra | R | R | R | C | C | C | C | R | R | R | ||
| 37 | Trithemis aurora | C | R | R | R | R | A | A | A | A | VC | VC | VC |
| 38 | Trithemis pallidinervis | R | R | R | |||||||||
| 39 | Zyxomma petiolatum | R | R | ||||||||||
2017 at a glance:
Checklist of Odonata from Chalavara:
| SI No | Scientific Name | Common Name |
| Family: Lestidae Calvert, 1907 | ||
| 1 | Lestes elatus Hagen in Selys, 1862 | Emerald spreadwing |
| 2 | Lestes nodalis Selys, 1891 | |
| Family: Calopterygidae Selys, 1850 | ||
| 3 | Vestalis apicalis Selys,1873 | Black-tipped forest glory |
| 4 | Vestalis gracilis (Rambur, 1842) | Clear winged forest glory |
| Family: Chlorocyphidae Cowley, 1937 | ||
| 5 | Libellago indica (Fraser, 1928) | River heliodor |
| Family: Platycnemididae Yakobson & Bainchi, 1905 | ||
| 6 | Copera marginipes (Rambur, 1842) | Yellow bush dart |
| Family: Coenagrionidae Kirby, 1890 | ||
| 7 | Aciagrion occidentale Laidlaw, 1919 | Green striped slender dartlet |
| 8 | Agriocnemis pieris Laidlaw, 1919 | White dartlet |
| 9 | Agriocnemis pygmaea (Rambur, 1842) | Pigmy dartlet |
| 10 | Agriocnemis splendidissima Laidlaw, 1919 | Splendid dartlet |
| 11 | Ceriagrion cerinorubellum (Brauer, 1865) | Orange-tailed marsh dart |
| 12 | Ceriagrion coromandelianum (Fabricius, 1798) | Coromandel marsh dart |
| 13 | Ceriagrion rubiae Laidlaw, 1916 | Orange marsh dart |
| 14 | Ischnura aurora (Brauer, 1865) | Golden dartlet |
| 15 | Pseudagrion microcephalum (Rambur, 1842) | Blue grass dart |
| 16 | Pseudagrion rubriceps Selys, 1876 | Saffron-faced grass dart |
| Family: Aeshnidae Leach, 1815 | ||
| 17 | Gynacantha dravida Lieftinck, 1960 | Brown darner |
| Family: Gomphidae Rambur, 1842 | ||
| 18 | Ictinogomphus rapax (Rambur, 1842) | Common clubtail |
| 19 | Paragomphus lineatus (Selys, 1850) | Common hooktail |
| Family: Libellulidae Leach, 1815 | ||
| 20 | Acisoma panorpoides Rambur, 1842 | Trumpet tail |
| 21 | Aethriamanta brevipennis (Rambur, 1842) | Scarlet marsh hawk |
| 22 | Brachydiplax chalybea Brauer, 1868 | Rufous-backed marsh hawk |
| 23 | Brachythemis contaminata (Fabricius, 1793) | Ditch jewel |
| 24 | Bradinopyga geminata (Rambur, 1842) | Granite ghost |
| 25 | Cratilla lineata Foerster, 1903 | Emerald-banded skimmer |
| 26 | Crocothemis servilia (Drury, 1770) | Ruddy marsh skimmer |
| 27 | Diplacodes nebulosa (Fabricius, 1793) | Black tipped ground skimmer |
| 28 | Diplacodes trivialis (Rambur, 1842) | Ground skimmer |
| 29 | Hydrobasileus croceus (Brauer, 1867) | Amber winged marsh glider |
| 30 | Indothemis carnatica (Fabricius, 1798) | Black scrub glider |
| 31 | Lathrecista asiatica (Fabricius, 1798) | Asiatic blood tail |
| 32 | Neurothemis fulvia (Drury, 1773) | Fulvous forest skimmer |
| 33 | Neurothemis intermedia (Rambur, 1842) | Ruddy meadow skimmer |
| 34 | Neurothemis tullia (Drury, 1773) | Pied paddy skimmer |
| 35 | Orthetrum chrysis (Selys, 1891) | Brown backed red marsh hawk |
| 36 | Orthetrum glaucum (Brauer, 1865) | Blue marsh hawk |
| 37 | Orthetrum luzonicum (Brauer, 1868) | Tricoloured marsh hawk |
| 38 | Orthetrum sabina (Drury, 1770) | Green marsh hawk |
| 39 | Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798) | Wandering glider |
| 40 | Potamarcha congener (Rambur, 1842) | Yellow tailed ashy skimmer |
| 41 | Rhodothemis rufa (Rambur, 1842) | Rufous marsh glider |
| 42 | Rhyothemis variegata (Linnaeus, 1763) | Common picturewing |
| 43 | Tetrathemis platyptera Selys, 1878 | Pigmy skimmer |
| 44 | Tholymis tillagra (Fabricius, 1798) | Coral tailed cloud wing |
| 45 | Trithemis aurora (Burmeister, 1839) | Crimson marsh glider |
| 46 | Trithemis pallidinervis (Kirby, 1889) | Long legged marsh glider |
| 47 | Urothemis signata (Rambur, 1842) | Greater crimson glider |
| 48 | Zyxomma petiolatum Rambur, 1842 | Brown dusk hawk |
References:
Fraser, F.C. 1933. The Fauna of British-India including Ceylon and Burma, Odonata. Vol. I. Taylor and Francis Ltd., London.
Fraser, F.C. 1934. The Fauna of British-India including Ceylon and Burma, Odonata. Vol. II. Taylor and Francis Ltd., London.
Fraser, F.C. 1936. The Fauna of British-India including Ceylon and Burma, Odonata. Vol. III. Taylor and Francis Ltd., London.
Kiran, C.G. & D.V. Raju 2011. Checklist of Odonata of Kerala with their Malayalam names. Malabar Trogon 9(3): 31-35.
Kiran, C.G. & Raju, D.V. 2013. Dragonflies & Damselflies of Kerala. Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences, Kottayam.
Palot M.J., C. Radhakrishnan & V.P. Soniya. 2005. Odonata (Insecta) Diversity of Rice Field Habitat in Palakkad District, Kerala. Records of Zoological Survey of India 104 (part 1-2): 71-77.
Subramanian, K.A. 2005. India-A Lifescape, Dragonflies of India – A Field Guide. Vigyan Prasar, India Offset Press, New Delhi.
Subramanian, K.A.2007. Endemic Odonates of the Western Ghats: Habitat distribution and Conservation, pp. 257–271. In: Tyagi, B.K. (ed.). Odonata-Biology of Dragonflies. Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur, India.
Subramanian, K.A. 2009. Dragonflies and Damselflies of Peninsular India – A Field Guide. Vigyan Prasar, Noida, India.
Subramanian, K.A. and Babu, R. (2017). Checklist of Odonata (Insecta) of India. Version 3.0. www.zsi.gov.in.