Tetrathemis irregularis cladophila facts for kids

Quick facts for kidsRainforest elf
	Tetrathemis irregularis cladophila, Cairns, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Odonata
Infraorder:	Anisoptera
Family:	Libellulidae
Genus:	Tetrathemis
Species:	T. irregularis
Subspecies:	T. i. cladophila
Trinomial name
	Tetrathemis irregularis cladophila; (Tillyard, 1908)
Synonyms
	Tetrathemis cladophila Tillyard, 1908;

Tetrathemis irregularis cladophila known as the rainforest elf is a subspecies of Tetrathemis irregularis, a dragonfly in the family Libellulidae found only in Australia.

Description

It is a tiny to small, black and yellow dragonfly with a length of 25-30mm and wingspan of 40-50mm. The mostly clear wings are suffused with pale lemon. The abdomen is black with 3 to 4 yellow markings, and there is a metallic sheen on the synthorax.

Distribution

The genus Tetrathemis extends from Africa and Madagascar to south-east Asia, New Guinea and Australia. Tetrathemis irregularis cladophila has only been recorded coastal and adjacent inland from Cape York Peninsula to Cardwell in Queensland. The taxon has not yet been assessed for the IUCN Red List, but it appears in the Catalogue of Life.