Summary of Odonata Collection in 2010!

2010 was another fruitful year for me in photographing Odonata. I have added 17 new dragonfly and 8 damselfly species in my collection, many of which are classified as uncommon, rare, very rare or even extinct in Singapore. The breakdown is as follows:

Dragonflies (17)
Common species = 4
Uncommon species = 9
Rare species = 2
Critical Endangered = 1

Damselflies (8)
Uncommon species = 3
Rare species = 1
Very Rare species = 2
Extinct in Singapore = 2 (photographed in Malaysia)

With that, I have collected a total of 74 odonata species so far, which represents 60% of 124 Singapore species.  Looking forward to add more in Year 2011.

Wishing all a Happy New Year!

Damselfly (32) - Platylestes heterostylus

Family : Lestidae
Common name : Slender Sprendwing
Status : Very Rare
Location : Endau Rompin State Park

According to the Photographic Guide to Dragonflies of Singapore Book, Platylestes heterostylus was found in Singapore in 1960 - 1970's and was last recorded at Macritchie on 29 Aug 1980.  It looks very much like Lestes praemorsus except that its thorax is pale green in colour with dark spots instead of greyish-blue.

For the past 30 years, it has never been sighted again and that may be the reason why there was no picture available (only drawing) in the abovementioned Dragonflies book.  Although it was classified as very rare, it is highly possible that it may already been extinct in Singapore.

(Endau-Rompin State Park - 30 Oct 2010)

When I photographed the above damselfly at Endau-Rompin State Park, it never occurred to me that it was a species that was previously recorded in Singapore.  It was only when Noppadon makbun, an odonata expert from Thailand, advised me on its id.  I was delighted that I had added another Singapore damselfly species in my collection.