Wrapping it up at Cat Tien

All in all it has been an amazing time at Cat Tien National Park again, bringing in plenty of new discoveries and showing what a treasure trove Vietnam really is, when it comes to Odonata. I saw about 270 in 2014 and there is definitely no end in sight, but most of my time is spent in the north. So these trips to the south are a rare treat and bring in loads of new experiences. For one, there is no real quiet season. Although in the north even now you can find dragons or damsels (just last week, on the 26th I had a female Megalestes micans in Sa Pa (yes, even at that height they hang on in the cold) that does not compare to the exciting hustle and bustle of the south. Here is a few more damsel pictures to wrap up adventures there.

Male of Argiocnemis rubescens, very common in November

And the immature female of Argiocnemis rubescens

Another species that was surprisingly common this time round was Onychargia atrocyana, here a male

But what was really a surprise was Rhinagrion hainanense. This is a male, although I also saw a female. Very similar R. yokoii has recently been shown to be a junior synonym of this species.

A few more damsels from Cat Tien worth mentioning

During the first week of August I was the guest of Roy Bateman at the lodge there, helping with the dragonfly list for the reserve. A terrible time as far as the weather was concerned. I sadly lost one camera to the incessant rain and my lenses were foggy for a large part. Still, a few additional record shots…

Let's start with Pseudocopera ciliata. A common species, but the interesting thing is that as far as I know this species is monotypic. However, in northern Vietnam the apical half of the inferior appendages is white, like the remainder of the appendages, whereas in Cat Tien, and as far as I could verify from photos from Thailand also elsewhere in the south the apical half is black.

Close-up of the appendages

This little lady is a fresh female Onycharga atrocyana, photo taken in the rain, sorry.

And this little fella is Agriocnemis nana, a pretty whispy thing that I saw on several occasions, one at the pond in the lodge garden. Apparently a southern species

When I saw this immature Argiocnemis rubescens my heart skipped a beat. It is so different from the pruinose pale examples I saw in Bac Kan Province that it is hard to believe it is the same species, certainly if you also take a look at the mature version from Cat Tien.

For this is the very blue mature male. I saw many, and none should any trace of pruinosity. Like: really? The same species?

The immature male along a tarmac road in inundated grass

A mature male perched at the edge of a pool

Argiocnemis rubescens - supposed to be common

Argiocnemis rubescens is a species rumored to be common. It ranges widely from Australia to India to southern China, but in Vietnam I had been looking for it in vain. I was convinced that in many cases it may well have been confused with Mortonagrion aborense. That species was first found in Hanoi by Sebastien Delonglee, but subsequently I encountered it in many places, ranging from Cuc Phuong to Huu Lien. Several of its phases are similar to M. aborense and the shape of the appendages is also reminiscent of Mortonagrion. But on June 20th I ran into it in northern Bac Kan Province, about 30 km south of Bang Lung, where it shared a muddy puddle with Ceriagrion malaisei, Lestes praemorsus and Orolestes selysi. I did think it was some other Mortonagrion for a while until it dawned on me.

Argiocnemis rubescens, very brown and grayish pruinose male. Note the long appendages.

Another male, less pruinose and very similar to Mortonagrion aborense, but for the pattern of S8-9.

The female in hand, surprisingly similar to the male, but of course variable, like the male.

Close-up of appendages of male A. rubescens