Mnais andersoni, that other Mnais

April 30 I was looking for dragonflies in Yen Bai Province. This is no new information, see earlier posts. But amongst the interesting discoveries of that day was also an orange-winged Mnais species. Two species are known from Vietnam, Mnais mneme and M. andersoni. M. mneme is a common occurrence in Xuan Son, where in spring many can be seen in the forest along small streams. This specimen I found however on a relatively open hill side, with ample shrubs but no real forest cover, along a shallow stream. It had no pruinosity on the dorsum of the thorax, but this may well be age related. Under the microscope it displayed the typical penile organ of M. andersoni.

Male Mnais andersoni

Face of the same male

Appendages in lateral view

Appendages in ventral view, compare the entry on M. mneme, decidedly shorter

And the penile organ, with the clear V-shape at the proximal end of the apical segment