Diplacodes bipunctata

{{short description|Species of dragonfly}}

{{Speciesbox

|name=Wandering percher

|image=Diplacodes bipunctata 1673.jpg

|image_caption=Male

|image2=Wandering percher (5694790534).jpg

|image2_caption=Female

|status=LC

|status_system=IUCN3.1

|status_ref={{cite iucn |author=Rowe, R. |author2=Marinov, M. |date=2020 |title=Diplacodes bipunctata |volume=2020 |page=e.T197099A83372847 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T197099A83372847.en |access-date=20 November 2021}}

|taxon=Diplacodes bipunctata

|authority=(Brauer, 1865){{Cite journal|last=Brauer|first=F.|year=1865|title=Dritter Bericht über die auf der Weltfahrt der kais. Fregatte Novara gesammelten Libellulinen.|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16400944|journal=Verhandlungen der Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien|language=German|volume=15|pages=501–512 [503]|via=Biodiversity Heritage Library}}

|range_map=Diplacodes bipunctata distribution map.svg

}}

Diplacodes bipunctata (Māori: tiemiemi){{Cite book |last=Parkinson B. J. & Horne D |title=A photographic guide to insects of New Zealand. |publisher=New Holland. |year=2007 |isbn=9781869661519 |pages=21}} is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae,{{Cite web|url=https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/Diplacodes_bipunctata|title=Species Diplacodes bipunctata (Brauer, 1865)|last=|first=|date=2012|website=Australian Faunal Directory|publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study|access-date=28 February 2017}}

known as the wandering percher or red percher dragonfly.

Description

Diplacodes bipunctata is a small to medium-sized dragonfly with a wingspan of about 55 millimeters. The wings are colorless except for a yellowish spot at the base of the hindwing. The male has a bright orange or red abdomen with dark markings along the dorsal line and sides, and the female is yellowish with similar markings. There are two dark spots at the side of the synthorax, one of which is the metastigma.{{cite book |title=The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia |last=Theischinger |first=G |last2=Hawking |first2=J |year=2006 |publisher=CSIRO Publishing |location=Collingwood Vic. |isbn=978 0 64309 073 6 |page=276}}

Range

Diplacodes bipunctata is a widespread species occurring in New Zealand and in a number of islands in the south-Pacific. In New Zealand it is most common in Northland, but occasional specimens have been found as south as Fiordland. In Australia it is found throughout the continent except in Tasmania. It is found near a wide variety of freshwater pools, streams and swamps.

Biology

This species is an early colonizer of appropriate habitat types in freshwater and brackish waters.

Gallery

Diplacodes bipunctata imported from iNaturalist photo 1733216 on 3 July 2019.jpg|Female

Female Wandering Percher bum up (15920092471).jpg|Female

Wandering percher (immature male).jpg|Immature male

Diplacodes bipunctata (14502599136).jpg|Male

Wandering Percher. Teneral male. Diplacodes bipunctata. Libellulidae (15192128944).jpg|Immature male

Male Wandering Percher (17063332425).jpg|Male with outspread wings

Wandering percher tip of the tail (5481495167).jpg|Male tail

Australian insects (Plate VIII) (7268226282).jpg|6. Diplacodes bipunctata from Australian Insects 1907, by W.W. Froggatt

Diplacodes bipunctata 3406.jpg|Adult female from above

Diplacodes bipunctata female wings (34248708183).jpg|Female wings

Diplacodes bipunctata male wings (34248710823).jpg|Male wings

References