Biology:Acisoma attenboroughi

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Short description: Dragonfly from Madagascar named after David Attenborough

Acisoma attenboroughi
Libellulidae- Acisoma attenboroughi (Attenborough's Pintail) male
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Acisoma
Species:
A. attenboroughi
Binomial name
Acisoma attenboroughi
Mens, Schutte, Stokvis & Dijkstra, 2016

Acisoma attenboroughi, or Attenborough's pintail, is a species of dragonfly. It is a member of the genus Acisoma and was named after the naturalist Sir David Attenborough in honour of his 90th Birthday.[2][3][4]

It is found only in Madagascar, but is "very common" there.[2][3] It has commonly been confused with other African and Asian species for over a hundred years, but genetic testing and studies have confirmed it's unique species status.

Appearance

It's whole body is a strikingly beautiful pattern of black and vibrant blue. They have blue eyes. Their thoraxes look as though they are black and have symmetrical blue patterns, while their abdomens almost seem to do the inverse and appear as though they are blue with black patterns. The terminal abdominal appendages are blue, which is a stark contrast to the rest of the end of their abdomens which is black. The pterostigma is a slightly see through black.

Behavior

Widespread across the island of Madagascar.[5]

Conservation Status

They are marked as "Least Concern" as of 2017. Although, their population trends have not been monitored.

See also

  • List of things named after David Attenborough and his works

References

  1. Schütte, K. (2017). "Acisoma attenboroughi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T98537212A98538095.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/98537212/98538095. Retrieved 29 August 2024. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "A dragonfly named Attenborough". Attenborough at 90. 8 May 2016. BBC Television. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Mens, Lotte P.; Schütte, Kai; Stokvis, Frank R.; Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B. (2016). "Six, not two, species of Acisoma pintail dragonfly (Odonata: Libellulidae)". Zootaxa 4109 (2): 153–72. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4109.2.3. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 27394858. 
  4. Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B. (2016). "Natural history: Restore our sense of species". Nature 533 (7602): 172–174. doi:10.1038/533172a. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 27172032. Bibcode2016Natur.533..172D. 
  5. Mens, L.P., Schütte, K., Stokvis, F.R. & Dijkstra, K.-D.B. (2016) Six, not two, species of Acisoma pintail dragonfly (Odonata: Libellulidae). Zootaxa, 4109 (2), 153–172. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4109.2.3


Wikidata ☰ Q24038904 entry