Anax aurantiacus - the fourth Anax

*The text of this entry was adjusted on December 6, 2022, upon publication of the paper by Makbun et al. describing Anax aurantiacus.

Driving from Da Nang to P'rao, just in Quang Nam Province, I finally caught up with what used to be considered a form of what is in Europe sort of a legendary species, Anax immaculifrons. Anax aurantiacus is a beautiful Anax species. Interestingly, I have not seen it in northern Vietnam, nor am I aware of any records there, but it apparently occurs both on Hainan and in Guangdong in China. In Vietnam it is known from the area around Da Nang, so in that respect it was not strange that I saw several on September 25, 2015. All where observed along clear mountain streams, where there where shallow pools. I did not see any females.

This was the first specimen I saw. It would perch for prolonged periods before going back to patrol flights.

The same male, but posed after I had captured it to take shots of the appendages

And this is what the cerci and epiproct look like in dorsal view

Another male, this one not posed, but posing of its own free will