''Diphlebia euphoeoides'', sometimes spelled ''Diphlebia euphaeoides'', known as the tropical rockmaster, is an Australian species of broad winged damselfly. It is one of a group known as the azure damselflies. It is found in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

(

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

) and

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...

. It typically occurs near lakes, waterfalls or streams at relatively low altitudes, and is occasionally seen near dry pools. Unusually for damselflies, it is a relatively large insect with its wings outspread at rest. It is often confused with dragonflies, although like most damselflies, the form is not as robust as dragonflies, and the eyes do not meet as with most dragonflies. Larvae are wide and flat, with long saccoid gills to breathe underwater. The inner tooth of labial palps is elongated. The specific characters of the larvae are mid-ventral, distal width, basal width, and length of median lobe. Larval motor patterns were similar to larvae in the Coenagrionidae. The male tropical rockmaster has a bright blue and black body with dark wings. It can be distinguished from the sapphire rockmaster (''

Diphlebia coerulescens ''Diphlebia coerulescens'', known as the sapphire rockmaster, is an Australian species of broad winged damselfly. It is one of a group known as the azure damselflies. It is found in Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales in eastern Austra ...

'') by the smaller size of blue markings at the base (front end) and underside of

terga A ''tergum'' (Latin for "the back"; plural ''terga'', associated adjective tergal) is the dorsal ('upper') portion of an arthropod segment other than the head. The anterior edge is called the 'base' and posterior edge is called the 'apex' or 'ma ...

4 to 6. Its abdomen is otherwise black. Its wings are the widest in the genus, and the hindwings are wider than the forewings. The legs are brownish black. The female tropical rockmaster is predominantly brown and yellow-green, and also has smoky-coloured wings. The transformation from egg to adult is through an incomplete metamorphosis. Like the adult form, the nymph is also a predator. Eggs are laid underwater on moss and reeds around November. The nymphal phase lasts for approximately one year. Adults usually emerge in September and October. It is an uncommon species, though not considered under threat. It was described in 1907 by a young English-born

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

, Robin Tillyard. He had collected the lectotype at Mervyn Creek in Queensland in January 1905. Forster collected what is now classified as the same species from around

Port Moresby (; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New Z ...

in New Guinea in 1910 and named it ''Diphlebia reinholdi''.

Gallery

Diphlebia euphoeoides female wings (34788174726).jpg , Female wings Diphlebia euphoeoides male wings (33984888534).jpg , Male wings

References

{{Taxonbar , from=Q2123970 Lestoideidae Odonata of Australia Insects of Australia Insects of New Guinea Taxa named by Robert John Tillyard Insects described in 1907 Damselflies