Madagascan Dragonfly - a photo on Flickriver

            Island of Madagascar
Off The East Coast Of Africa
Berenty Reserve

I was trying to photograph another animal, when the group came across a dragonfly in the distance. It was the only dragonfly we saw during the trip.  Unfortunately the wings were covering up the body. So far I can't find any information on the dragonfly.

Some dragonflies point their wings forward and down in order to reduce exposure to sunlight and, perhaps, to reflect light and heat away from their bodies.

Madagascar has approximately 175 species of Odonata (carnivorous insects). Of the dragonflies (Anisoptera) 60% are endemic and of the damselflies (Zygoptera) almost 95%. 

Wikipedia-
A dragonfly is an insect belonging to the order Odonata, infraorder Anisoptera (from Greek ἄνισος anisos, "uneven" and πτερόν pteron, "wing", because the hindwing is broader than the forewing). Adult dragonflies are characterized by large, multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. The wings of most dragonflies are held flat and away from the body. Dragonflies are agile fliers. Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural coloration, making them conspicuous in flight. An adult dragonfly's compound eyes have nearly 24,000 ommatidia each.

About 3000 species of Anisoptera are in the world today. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions.
Dragonflies are predators, both in their aquatic larval stage, when they are known as nymphs or naiads, and as adults. Several years of their lives are spent as nymphs living in fresh water; the adults may be on the wing for just a few days or weeks. They are fast, agile fliers, sometimes migrating across oceans, and are often found near water. 

They have a uniquely complex mode of reproduction involving indirect insemination, delayed fertilization, and sperm competition. During mating, the male grasps the female at the back of the head or on the prothorax, and the female curls her abdomen under her body to pick up sperm from the male's secondary genitalia at the front of his abdomen, forming the "heart" or "wheel" posture.

Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. 
   

Taken in: Madagascar / Anosy / Ambatoabo / Ambatoabo (show map)

Taken on: November 22, 2017

Tags:

Madagascar 2017

Island Of Madagascar

Berenty Reserve

Dragonfly

Carnivorous

Anisoptera

60% Endemic

Order Odonata

Infraorder Anisoptera

HInd Wing Broader Than Fore Wing

Large Multifaceted Eyes

Elongated Body

Agile Fliers

Tropical

Predator

Aquatic Larval Stage

Indirect Insemination

Loss Of Wetland Habitat

Sue Roehl

Photographic Tours

Natural Exposures

Panasonic

Lumix DMC GH4

100 - 400 mm Lens

Handheld

Cropped

NGC

NPC « less

Sets appears in: • Misc Images From Madagascar 2017 • Madagascar 2017

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