Anax indicus
{{short description|Species of dragonfly}}
{{Speciesbox
| name =
| image = Anax indicus by Arun V.jpg
| image_caption =male
| image2 = Anax indicus 5231.jpg
| image2_caption =female
| status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
| taxon = Anax indicus
| authority = Lieftinck, 1942
| synonyms =
}}
Anax indicus{{World Odonata List}} is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. It is found in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.Odonata: Catalogue of the Odonata of the World. Tol J. van , 2008-08-01{{cite book |last1=K.A. |first1=Subramanian |last2=K.G. |first2=Emiliyamma |last3=R. |first3=Babu |last4=C. |first4=Radhakrishnan |last5=S.S. |first5=Talmale |title=Atlas of Odonata (Insecta) of the Western Ghats, India |date=2018 |publisher=Zoological Survey of India |isbn=9788181714954|pages=191–192}}
Description and habitat
It is a big dragonfly with blue eyes, pale green thorax and dark brown abdomen with bright yellowish-red markings on the sides. Its wings are transparent; but there are brown patches on the inner half of the hind-wings. Segment 1 and sides of segment 2 of the abdomen are pale green. The dorsum of segment 2 is blue with a narrow and broken transverse carina in the midst of the segment in addition to the broad terminal carinae. The dorsal side of segment 3 is blue with a black longitudinal mid-dorsal black line and sides are silvery white. The remaining segments are dark brown with yellowish-red dots on the sides. Segments 4 to 6 are with a pair of bright yellowish-red spots. On 7-8 these spots combine to form a continuous yellow band. Segments 9 to 10 are with a pair of large yellowish-red spots. Anal appendages are dark brown; the superiors have a triangular projection at the middle of their inner margin.Lieftinck, M. A. [https://e-journal.biologi.lipi.go.id/index.php/treubia/article/view/2611 Odonata of New Guinea]. Treubia, 18 (3): 589-591.Fraser, F.C. (1921) Indian dragonflies. The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 28: [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/95242#page/197/mode/1up 115-117]
File:Anax indicus in Chinnar WLS Kerala IMG 6856.jpg|Male in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
File:Lesser Green Emperor (Anax indicus) female in flight.jpg|Female
File:Anal appendages of Lesser Green Emperor (Anax indicus) male.jpg|Anal appendages (male)
File:Anal appendages of Lesser Green Emperor (Anax indicus) female.jpg|Anal appendages (female)
File:Dorsal thorax of Lesser Green Emperor (Anax indicus) male.jpg|Segment 2 of male
File:Dorsal thorax of Lesser Green Emperor (Anax indicus) female.jpg|Segment 2 of female
This dragonfly looks similar to Anax guttatus; but can be identifiable by contiguous yellow spots on the posterior abdomen segments (7-8). They are not connected in Anax guttatus.{{Cite journal|last=F. F.|first=Laidlaw|date=August 1921|title=A List of the Dragonflies Recorded from the Indian Empire with Special Reference to the Collection of the Indian Museum: Part IV – Suborder Anisoptera: The Subfamily Aeschninae |url=http://faunaofindia.nic.in/PDFVolumes/records/022/02/0075-0091.pdf|journal=Records of the Indian Museum |volume=XXII |pages=82–86 |via=Zoological Survey of India}}{{Cite web|url=http://thaiodonata.blogspot.in/2011/07/143-anax-sp-indicus.html|title=Anax indicus (Lieftinck, 1942)|last=Farrell|first=Dennis|date=2011-07-24|website=Dragonflies & damselflies of Thailand|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2018-03-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://odonatabd.blogspot.in/2015/03/anax-indicus-lieftinck-1942.html|title=Anax indicus (Lieftinck, 1942)|last=Khan|first=Kawsar|date=2015-03-19|website=Dragonflies and Damselflies of Bangladesh|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2018-03-08}}
Females is similar to the male. But the blue on the dorsum of segment 2 will be broken up into four by a narrow brown mid-dorsal carina and a transverse line lying midway to form a cross like mark. Anal appendages are very broad and shaped like lance head.