Eusynthemis virgula - Golden Tigertail

Male identification: Heavily marked with brown base-colour on the head and thorax. Large spots each side of the mid-dorsal line create a series of mid-dorsal black diamond shapes along the abdomen, becoming more broken towards the tail. Yellow spots at the base of each wing. Thin yellow antehumeral stripes are diagnostic.

Female identification: Markings slightly less bold than male. Abdomen even thickness along its length, lacking any 'pinch-point' near the base.

Similar species: Superficially similar to S. eustalacta and P. regina. Both these species lack the brown base-colour around the head and thorax and neither have any antehumeral markings.

Behaviour: Tends to fly relatively slowly, low over water with occasional sorties over open water. Regularly perches.

Distribution: Distributed in eastern and central Victoria mainly in mid-altitude rivers.

Australian State distribution (from CSIRO Entomology)

Habitat: Mostly found hawking against vegetation around the shaded banks of relatively large rivers.

Status: Common and localised

Flight period: October to February