Family: Libellulidae
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Found in Asia: China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand | ||
Sub-Order: ANISOPTERA | Super-Family: LIBELLULOIDEA | Family: LIBELLULIDAE |
Tramea transmarina hw 43 mm. Large libellulid recognised by dark patch at
base of hw.
Female abdomen is brown; hind wing patch more diffuse. Well vegetated lakes, ponds
and drains; ranges from 0-2000 m but generally breeds in the lowlands. Larva
very like that of Hydrobasileus croceus (lacking dorsal spines) with similar
habits. Adults sail conspicuously over lakes, forest clearings and mountain
tops. Widespread in tropical Asia and Australasia. Tramea transmarina is a large brownish-red libellulid ( hw, 42-45 mm) with an opaque brown patch at the expanded base of the hind wing. This marking is strongly curved along its outer margin and does not reach the anal angle. It is common in a wide range of exposed standing water habitats including landward margins of mangrove, well vegetated ponds and natural lakes. It often travels far from its breeding sites up to 2000 m. Males perch high on emergent vegetation, but spend much of their time on the wing. The larvae are semi-pelagic, with long tibial hairs which may assist in swimming, and live near the water surface among lily pads. Two other species, T. phaeoneura and T. Virginia are known from Borneo. Both differ slightly from T. transmarina in the extent of the basal patch on the hind wing. The endemic T, phaeoneura often occurs together with T. transmarina and the two can easily be confused unless captured and compared. On average T. phaeoneura is a little smaller than T. transmarina and the basal hind wing patch easily reaches the anal angle, its outer margin being little curved. T. Virginia is very rare in Borneo but is widespread on the Asian mainland. It is a large species with a considerably broader basal patch than either of the other species. The outer margin of the patch is irregular.
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