Austrolestes leda

Wandering Ringtail at Majura, ACT

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Identification history

Austrolestes leda	12 Oct 2020	HarveyPerkins
Austrolestes leda	12 Oct 2020	HarveyPerkins
Austrolestes io	11 Oct 2020	RodDeb

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5 comments

RodDeb wrote:

12 Oct 2020

Harvey, what are the noticeable differences between the Wandering and Iota Ringtail damselflies so we know what to look for. Thanks

HarveyPerkins wrote:

12 Oct 2020

The only thing the T&H field guide indicates is the shape of the mark in the dorsum of the 2nd abdominal segment - the "i" mark. Which is what you presumably based your ID on. But I find it very unreliable on field photos as you rarely get a really good view of it. The things I now look for, which you won't find in any available field guides or online resources, is the detail of the "waviness" of the blue markings on the lower lateral part of the thorax, and particularly the extent of blue on the 9th abdominal segment. In Iota RTs, the wavy upper edge of the thoracic segment is much more 'humped' in the middle, and the 9th segment only has a small patch of blue on the tergum itself, not continuing down the side to the underneath.
The only place I've found Iota Ringtails in the ACT in any numbers is in small high mountain creeks, such as Grassy Creek. The very first ones I found, in a small pond at the Gleneagles golf course, appear to be an aberration for the ACT situation, but elsewhere Iota Ringtails can be found at low elevations. So unfortunately, there is insufficient data on this species in the ACT to really try to understand it's distribution or requirements.

RodDeb wrote:

12 Oct 2020

Thank you very much Harvey for the detailed description, really appreciate your time and help. Maybe you should think about writing a book with your wonderful wealth of knowledge. :)

HarveyPerkins wrote:

12 Oct 2020

I am preparing a Field Guide for the ACT. It's a slow process!

RodDeb wrote:

12 Oct 2020

That will be something to look forward to, hope we hear about it when you have finished. Good luck.

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