Disparoneura apicalis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Disparoneura apicalis |
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| Genus: |
Disparoneura
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| Species: |
apicalis
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The black-tipped bambootail (scientific name: Disparoneura apicalis) is a type of damselfly. Damselflies are like dragonflys, but they usually hold their wings together over their body when resting. This special damselfly belongs to the Platycnemididae family.
It is found only in the Western Ghats region of India. Scientists first described it from Kodagu, Karnataka, near the Kaveri River. You can also find it in Kuruvadweep, Wayanad, Kerala, along the Kabini River. This damselfly is considered a vulnerable species, meaning its population is decreasing.
Contents
What Does the Black-tipped Bambootail Look Like?
This is a medium-sized damselfly. It has reddish-brown eyes, which are yellowish-green underneath.
Male Damselfly Features
The male's body, called the thorax, is a shiny greenish-black on top. It has a narrow brick-red stripe on its shoulders. This stripe can become hidden by a powdery white coating called pruinescence as the damselfly gets older. There's also a brownish-white stripe on its sides. This stripe can also get covered by the white coating in older adults. The lower sides of the male's body are often covered in this white pruinescence.
Its wings are clear, but the very tips are a deep blackish-brown. This black tip helps tell it apart from other damselflies in the same group. The small, colored spot near the tip of its wing, called the pterostigma, is dark reddish-brown. The main part of its body, the abdomen, is bronze-brown and darker on top. It has small, white rings at the base of segments 2 to 8. The parts at the very end of its body, called anal appendages, are black.
Female Damselfly Features
The female's eyes are yellowish-white. They have a reddish-brown cap on top and a reddish-brown band around the middle. Her thorax is black on top and yellowish-white on the sides, with black and brown markings. Her wings are clear. The female's abdomen is yellowish-white, with wide black markings on top.
Where Does This Damselfly Live?
Black-tipped bambootails live in small groups. You can find them along the banks of rivers. They prefer areas that are well shaded by trees hanging over the water. Female damselflies often hide in the riparian zones. These are the special areas of land right next to a river or stream.
