Notoaeschna sagittata - Southern Riffle Darner

Male identification: Large, red-brown dragonfly with very distinct pale yellow markings. Top of thorax has a single long straight pale stripe on each side of centre and parallel. Side of thorax has a long stripe with large spot at end on the mesokatepisternum and a third broad thoracic stripe lower down. Thus the thorax has three parallel stripes when viewed from the side. Three small spots in the area between the two lower stripes. The abdomen has a large forward pointing triangle on the rear half of the dorsal surface of segments 2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8. A short transverse bar is at the terminal point of the triangle, halfway along segment. Sides of abdomen heavily marked by a series of yellow features in a line along entire length. Segment 10 is noticeably narrower than preceding segments, and has a cluster of five dorsal longitudinal ridges. Anal appendages long and convex, meeting at centre line.Top half of postclypeus pale, a short band reaches on top of frons from each side without meeting, labrum yellow divided into halves by a centre line. Postgenae yellow and centre of occipital triangle with yellow spot.

Female identification: Markings same as male, identified by much thicker abdomen. Anal appendages also long, twice as long as segment 10, but do not meet at tips, running parallel from each side of segment 10.

Similar species: A very distinctive Darner unlikely to be confused with any other species. Combination of red-brown colouration and patterning of thorax and face similar to both A.pulchra and Spinaeschna, but the dorsal row of triangular shapes of the abdomen is diagnostic.

Behaviour: Strong flight, often low over water. Occasionally perches on rocks.

Distribution: Distributed in central and eastern parts of Victoria, possibly south of the alps and generally between about 200-400m altitude.

Australian State distribution (from CSIRO Entomology)

Habitat: Wide, stoney-bottomed rivers in floodplains, with areas of whitewater.

Status: Uncommon and localised.

Flight period: October to January