''Hemiphlebia mirabilis'', commonly known as the ancient greenling, is a species of damselfly, the only living species of the genus ''Hemiphlebia'' and the family Hemiphlebiidae. It is very small with a long, metallic-green body and clear wings. It is endemic to south-eastern

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 ...

. Its natural

swamp A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...

habitat is threatened by habitat loss. The oldest representatives of the family date to the Late Jurassic.

Distribution and habitat

The ancient greenling has been recorded from a small number of scattered sites, including on

King Island King Island, Kings Island or King's Island may refer to: Australia * King Island (Queensland) * King Island, at Wellington Point, Queensland * King Island (Tasmania) ** King Island Council, the local government area that contains the Tasmanian is ...

and in Mount William, Tasmania; in Wilsons Promontory National Park and near Yea, Victoria; and in

Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park, formerly the Piccaninnie Ponds National Park, is a protected area of located in southeastern South Australia near Mount Gambier. Description The Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park is located in the south ...

in south-eastern South Australia. Its recorded habitat includes permanent freshwater ponds, riverine lagoons and swamps that may dry out seasonally. A favoured site discovered in 2008, Long Swamp in the

Discovery Bay Coastal Park The Discovery Bay Coastal Park is a linear protected area of coastal land in western Victoria, south-eastern Australia. The park extends along the coast of Discovery Bay from Cape Nelson north-westwards for to the border with South Australia ...

of south-western Victoria, contains extensive areas of twig-rush ('' Baumea'' sp.) which is seasonally flooded but dries out by late summer

Conservation

The greenling's conservation status was raised from

Vulnerable Vulnerable may refer to: General * Vulnerability * Vulnerability (computing) * Vulnerable adult * Vulnerable species Music Albums * ''Vulnerable'' (Marvin Gaye album), 1997 * ''Vulnerable'' (Tricky album), 2003 * ''Vulnerable'' (The Used album) ...

to Endangered in 2008 because of the limited area of habitat occupied, as well as the small and scattered character of the populations, at least some of which were in decline.

Gallery

Hemiphlebia mirabilis female wings (33985042264).jpg , Female wings Hemiphlebia mirabilis male wings (33985048874).jpg , Male wings

References

{{Taxonbar , from1 = Q4040570 , from2=Q3286015 , from3 = Q306302 Odonata of Australia Insects of Australia Endangered fauna of Australia Endemic fauna of Australia Taxa named by Edmond de Sélys Longchamps Insects described in 1869 Damselflies Lestoidea Taxonomy articles created by Polbot