This was a very welcome but completely unexpected find at a river behind a pub in Mitta Mitta in north-east Victoria. It is a “large to very large” damselfly” (to quote Theischinger/Hawking) and when I first spotted the female I thought I was looking at a Flatwing but then I realized that it was hanging rather than perching, as Flatwings tend to do. There are three recognised subspecies endemic to south-east Australia.
I have a suspicion that the term “needle” may stem from the sharp forward-facing point on the thorax side but don’t quote me. Synlestes tropicus (Tropical Needle) has a similar mark.
| male |
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| female |
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