Anotogaster klossi - the redder the better?

Although the IUCN site, based on 2010 knowledge, classified Anotogaster klossi as DD (data deficient), Karube in 2012 in his overview of Vietnamese Anotogaster species described and illustrated the male, thus filling a gap in our knowledge. The species had already been published for Pia Oac by Asahina in 1998 and Karube mentions specimens from Pia Oac from 1996 and 1997. Moreover, he published a specimen from Bach Ma in Central Vietnam. In a recent post I published a male from Yen Bai Province, but I have seen this species regularly at Pia Oac between late May and late August, with a maximum of 10 on June 17. And although I had seen males until that day, it was on June 17 that I saw quite a few females, which served to support the initial identification of the males. The female is remarkable, not just because it is one of the largest dragonflies I have seen (about 11.5 cm including the ovipositor), but also because she is unique amongst Anotogaster species in having a largely orange abdomen, which is very striking both in flight and perched.

This is her, the orange monster! So big that I had to stretch uncomfortably to be able to take her picture in hand. 11.6 cm, this beauty.

Posed, but still pretty pleasing

The same female as in the previous two pictures

This male however properly perched, not posed. Note the characteristic orange areas on the ventral side of the abdomen, merging with the yellow rings, and the yellow base to the mandible

Trip to Nam Bung (Yen Bai) - a superb surprise and a second Anotogaster*

*Adjusted on June 1, 2016. This subspecies now published as Orthetrum melania superbum.

July 11 I drove all the way to Nam Bung along the QL32 (in Yen Bai Province) in search of an enigma large Periaeschna species, of which I caught a female two weeks back. But I failed to see it again. I spent the beautiful day along a stream that runs through forest and a canyon, the same place where I had seen the Periaeschna.

The trail through the forest had some puddles and it was here that I spotted a large pale-blue Orthetrum with pale appendages, a dark face, and a black dorsum to the thorax with very prominent and clear antehumeral stripes. The wingtips had a darker crescent and the wing bases had a prominent blue-and-black basal patch. I was pretty convinced that by now the genus Orthetrum was not going to present surprises, but here I was faced with what was obvious a new species for Vietnam.

I collected a single male of the 4 males present at the puddles. It is very weird. These puddles were dirty, with buffalo crap and mud, nothing special. If you consider this, why on earth would this species be rare? Also interesting, Orthetrum triangulare was omnipresent (it is a very common species in this area), and also all around, but not at these few puddles. Clearly it can not compete with this species (in fact the abdomen of O. triangulare is 30mm, but of the present species 37mm, so it is much larger).

From the shape of the appendages, the coloration (face, wing base and tip, abdomen, thorax (but not the dorsum) I can only conclude this is Orthetrum melania. This species was long considered to be a subspecies of O. triangulare, although that is no longer the case and the co-exist in the south of China. Indeed, structurally the caudal appendages and sex apparatus look similar unless you look carefully. Originally this species was thought to be restricted to Japan, but it is now known to have a much larger range. O. melania has also been found in Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan. Therefore it is maybe not surprising it also occurs in Vietnam.

There are however a few aspects that indicate that this may be an (unknown) subspecies. The specimen is right at the top of the range for Japanese specimens, with abdomen 37mm. The median space in the hindwing is clear, but integral part of the basal patch in the Japanese specimens. The basal patch is also smaller, not covering the base of the anal loop. But most prominently, the dorsum of the thorax has no pruinosity. It is solid black with clearly demarcated antehumeral stripes that are not pruinose, but truly blue in color. These antehumerals are surprising, because they are absent in the true O. melania, which has a unicolored pale dorsum as immature, that gets covered in pruinosity like the rest of the thorax. Most Japanese specimens have all black appendages, but some have paler tips of varying extent. As can be seen in the photos of the Yen Bai specimens there is some variety there too, from all pale to pale in the apical halve. Nevertheless, the overlap in characteristics makes it unlikely this is a completely different species. I am curious to hear what specimens in the south of China look like. If they are the same as in Japan the present specimens are even more remarkable. I have not been able to find any similar species on the web.

Another surprise was Anotogaster klossi. I have seen A. gigantica in the same general area, but A. klossi only at Pia Oac. Interestingly, it passed over the same track and puddles where I found O. melania.

Let's get this out of the way. Anotogaster klossi, with characteristic reddish colour on abdomen, yellow mandible bases and long superior appendages in which no obvious tooth visible halfway. 

To start the argument: scan of Orthetrum triangulare (top) and O. melania (bottom). The size difference is obvious.

The first male O. melania I noticed. This specimen has completely pale appendages.

The same male in dorsal view. 

The same male in hand. The dark face clearly visible. But what is especially eye-catching is the dorsal pattern. Although the lateral grey is a powdery substance that is easily scratched, the antehumeral stripes (or maybe dorsal stripes is better) are not the result of powder. They contrast very strongly with the solid black remainder.

Note the lack of colour in the median space

Another male, with mostly black appendages with only pale apices.

Appendages in ventral view

In dorsal view

And in lateral view

The hamulus and lamina in lateral view

Two new and two old Anotogaster species

The last few weeks have been pretty productive where Anotogaster species are concerned. And these giants are a always a treat. They are big, bold and beautiful. They are also pretty confusing, with at least 5 different species occurring in northern Vietnam, all of which for instance occur around Sa Pa and often several species are present at the same streams (see also the very useful introduction on Vietnamese Anotogaster species by Haruki Karube).

Until now I had observed A. sakaii, the largest species, A. klossi and A. gigantica (the smallest, intriguingly). This year I again saw A. sakaii. On May 3 we observed a male on mount Mau Son in Lang Son Province, on May 20 I saw it in Pia Oac in Cao Bang Province and on May 25 I saw one at the Love Waterfall area in Sa Pa.

But on May 17 I also caught a smaller species in the Sa Pa area. This turned out to be A. chaoi. This somewhat smaller species resembles A. sakaii in that it has orange bases to its mandibles. But it is, as said, significantly smaller, with a deeper excavated frons and different appendages. On May 25 I saw at least 3 males at Sa Pa, and also a female. (There is some confusion about A. gregoryi, a species recorded from Thailand, that may have been confused with A. chaoi).

The male Anotogaster chaoi. Note the orange mandible base.

The face of the male in frontal view, showing the deeply excavated frons (relative to A. sakaii)

The female of A. chaoi, sharing the same pattern of the face and the small yellow lines along the posterior edge of S2.

The face of the female

Appendages of the male in dorsal view

And in lateral view

On May 25 I also found a freshly emerged male at exactly the same spot where a week earlier I had caught my first A. chaoi. But it was immediately clear that this fresh specimen was a different species, the magnificent A. sapaensis. Magnificent, because it has an all orange face, very different from the other 4 species known from Vietnam. This feature makes it easy to recognize. Other characteristics, like the shape of the appendages help verify the ID. After all it cannot be ruled out that there may still be undiscovered species about, so this check is necessary.

Against the unattractive background of discarded plastic the very attractive fresh A. sapaensis, right next to its exuvia.

The face in close-up, all unmarked orange brown 

On May 31 I caught my fourth species of this year at Pia Oac. This was A. klossi, which I had found there before. Like A. gigantica it has yellow bases to the mandibles, helping to separate it from A. sakaii and A. chaoi. A. klossi is a large species, close to A. sakaii, with the male being about 10 cm. It differs from A. gigantica not just in size, but also in the abdominal pattern, which is much reduced and more orange red ventrally.

Scan of the male A. klossi, with the much reduced banding on the abdomen, turning orange red ventrally.

The face of the same male, with the bright yellow mandible bases

A. gigantica. Another Anotogaster!

Sunday September 7 I visited the Yen Bai area and checking a small stream running of the hills alongside QL32 I noticed a large dragonfly cruising. Large, but not extremely large. Nevertheless, when it passed once more it was clearly a Goldenring. It flew up the hillside and hung up in some shrubs. I could take a few record shots and then clambered up the hill until close to it and as this was a lucky day, I could net it. In hand it was immediately obvious from the small size and the yellow mandible bases that this was neither A. sakaii (larger and missing yellow bases), nor A. klossi (larger, although with yellow mandible bases, but different appendages). Indeed, checking the appendages, these were clearly different from what I had seen before, with a very clear large ventral tooth at over one third of the superior appendage, plus another basal one. The top of the frons was black, so later I could rule out A. kuchenbeiseri (which has yellow dorsum to the frons) and A. gregoryi, which has different teeth to the superior appendage. Remains A. gigantica. What is in a name, for a smaller species! But indeed, gigantica is a smaller Anotogaster, if still close to 9 cm. The appendages are rather distinctive, although apparently the specimens from Sapa miss the clear yellow bases to the mandibles. Although the IUCN list only mentions the species from a few old records from Yanmar, Karube (2012) illustrated it as one of 5 species of Anotogaster occurring in Vietnam. It was until now only known from Sapa.

The beautiful Anotogaster up in the shrub. Immediately the very yellow appearance is obvious

And in hand. Note the large yellow lateral markings on the thorax, and broad yellow rings on the abdomen down to S9. The yellow bases to the mandibles are also visible.

Although difficult to capture with my microscopic camera, this shot in the field of the appendages shows the clear ventral tooth almost in the middle of the superior appendage and directed anteriorly, plus a smaller but obvious basal ventral tooth. The epiproct is clearly getting thicker towards its apex and reaches to two thirds of the superiors.

Just short of 9 cm, a full cm smaller than A. klossi and A. sakaii, which is just as well. Those are chunky bulky things, this is a slender beautiful insect.

Typical diverging superiors

Another shot, with the microscopic camera, of the ventral tooth.

Ventral view of appendages 

And lateral view of S1-2. Note the different lamina compared to A. klossi (see that post).

Anotogaster klossi - another Goldenring

On August 30 I drove to just north of Ba Be, stayed the night at a local hotel in Cho Ra and drove on the next morning to Pia Oac. As usual the skies were clear until I got near the top, which invariably is covered in cloud. But I was in luck, as the shifting winds caused it to clear up now and then for longer spells of sun in the afternoon. Visiting the little swamp and the stream that feeds it close to the pass, I noticed a large dragonfly cruising along the opening. Goldenring! This was exactly the same spot where two months ago I observed several Anotogaster sakaii and the size fitted. But as it passed I could catch it and noticed the clear yellow markings on the bases of the mandibles. In A. sakaii these are unmarked orange-brown. A different species of Anotogaster! Using the paper by Karube (2012) the appendages and the shape of the lamina matched very well with Anotogaster klossi, the only species in the paper with clear yellow bases to the mandibles. It is large for that species, but just at the top of the range given by Karube. The length of the abdomen was 76 mm and total length 10 cm. Anotogaster klossi has been recorded in southern, central and northern Vietnam. In fact, Asahina recorded it from Pia Oac. No cool range extension thus, but nevertheless, a very exciting find. Those records are from May and I was surprised to find this species this late in the season. I saw 2 more Anotogaster, but not close enough to verify these too were A. klossi.

Scan of Anotogaster klossi, male. 

The male A. klossi in hand. Note the clear yellow bases to the mandibles. The head is hanging almost detached, that explains the awkward position.

Note the yellow mandible patches and the deeply excavated frons.

Very long superior appendages and thin epiproct.

Dorsal view of appendages, showing superiors twice as long as epiproct in dorsal view

Ventral view with slight excavation of epiproct

Typical shape of lamina in lateral view

Anotogaster sakaii

In early spring I encountered a teneral male Anotogaster sakaii in Sa Pa and thanks to Haruki Karube and his students, I also saw one near Tam Dao hill station in May. As this is a monstrously large and spectacular species, I was more than thrilled to see several more during our trip through the northern provinces in late June and early July. At Pia Oac I saw several males and a fantastic female and another male was photographed at Sa Pa at the Love Waterfall swampy area. The size of the male, at 10.5 cm, is already huge, but the female is almost 12 cm and one of the largest dragonflies around. Holding it, it has true weight.

Male Anotogaster sakaii in hand

Female Anotogaster sakaii in hand

Just to give an idea of its monstrous size

Female perched (posed)

Another male in Sa Pa

Face of male, note the orange bases of the mandibles, without yellow markings

Face of female, with same general pattern

Anotogaster sakaii*

*This entry has been modified after I received the article by Karube (2012) on Vietnamese Anotogaster, courtesy of Wen Chi Yeh. After careful consideration of all 5 (!) species recorded and illustrated for Vietnam in the article, I can conclude my specimen is A. sakaii, a species recorded from Tam Dao to Sapa. The only anomaly is that it was recorded around 1000m asl in his specimens. The most important characteristics, apart from the measurements (that are good for A. sakaii, A. gigantica and A. klossi (A. flaveola)) the shape of the appendages excludes A. gigantica, and the completely orange brown mandibles, without yellow base, exclude all but A. sakaii and the somewhat smaller A. chaoi. Measurements of note include the pterostigmata of close to 6mm in both HW and FW and abdomen length of 72mm. Furthermore, the head is very broad, with width of postclypeus : distance lower edge labrum and upper edge antefrons approximately 1.1.

On April 16 I was birding on the slopes of Phan Xi Pang mountain at approximately 2000m asl. We were in a little valley in open terrain, with marshy ground traversed by a few clear small streams. When checking one of the streams I noticed a huge dragonfly that was stuck in the grass, apparently freshly emerged. Its abdomen was bent sideways and it seemed not to be able to fly. In fact it missed the left hindwing.

It was immediately obvious that this was a Goldenring of some sort. Its massive size (97mm, HW 56mm) and the lack of anal triangle in the hindwing pointed me to Anotogaster. It is very similar to Anotogaster sieboldii, but there are some minor differences. Wilson (2005) already pointed out the occurrence of A. sieboldii in Guangxi Province in China and the differences between specimens there and the ones in Japan, but also why he considered them conspecific. My first impression of the appendages was that this also appeared to be A. sieboldii. However, Karube (2012) described 5 species for Vietnam, all also occurring in the Sapa region.

It is clear my specimen belongs to the sakaii-group of Anotogaster, if only based on the orange-brown mandibles, without yellow base. The other species in that group, A. chaoi, has slightly different measurements, notably HW and pterostigmata. It does have a brown antefrons, like my specimen, but I consider this caused by the general stage of the specimen, like other parts of its body that will still darken further.

Anotogaster sakaii, male, as I found it with damaged abdomen

The same insect, showing more obviously the yellow wing bases. 

Although clear yellow on postclypeus, the mandibles are orange-brown, without any yellow on the bases.

Hindwing showing the absence of the anal triangle, hence it is Anotogaster

Dorsal view of the appendages. The bent tips are curved upward and inward, maybe due to pressure from the ground upon which it rested. At the base, best visible in the top cercus in the photo a small but clear tooth.

Clearly visible here are the two ventral teeth (different from the lateral tooth in the previous picture), one pointed ventrally close to the base of the cerci and another at about one third, pointed lateral-ventrally inwards. This feature is shared by several species of Anotogaster, but not all. In A. gigantica, both teeth are obvious in lateral view. In most other species they are only both visible in dorso-lateral view.

View showing the ridges at the apical corners of the lower appendage, which becomes thicker apically.