Onychothemis testacea

And now for something completely different! Although in a way this Libellulid looks somewhat Gomphid like in coloration. But anyway, I commonly encountered this species in Ba Be National Park. It is Onychothemis testacea. Laidlaw already pointed out that there are only slight differences between the specimens of the Malayan peninsula, described as O. testacea, and those of "Tonkin", described as O. tonkinensis. Testacea has preference over tonkinensis. If one wishes, and that may be warranted based on the apparently consistent, but minor, differences, to differentiate between these as subspecies, the specimens from Vietnam would be O. testacea tonkinensis, I guess. I assume I am right that this is the general consensus, as the IUCN list for instance has no entry for O. tonkinensis. However, I still find entries in blogs and websites of O. testacea testacea, O. testacea tonkinensis, next to O. tonkinensis testacea and O. tonkinensis tonkinensis. The latter two must be wrong, or I am wrong. Anyway, be that as it may, this is a massive Libellulid, a strong and fierce hunter, I found along various streams, perched, or making short, rapid patrolling flights.

Onychothemis testacea, male

Ready to pounce