Indolestes gracilis
Indolestes gracilis is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae. It is known only from Sri Lanka, South India and Cambodia.
Subspecies
There are three recognized subspecies.Indolestes gracilis gracilis - from Sri LankaIndolestes gracilis davenporti - from South IndiaIndolestes gracilis expressior - from CambodiaIndolestes gracilis birmanus described from Myanmar is now considered as a distinct species, Indolestes birmanus.
Description and habitat
It is a medium sized damselfly with blue eyes. Its thorax is black on dorsum with a narrow blue mid-dorsal and broad ante-humeral stripes. The lower edge of the black is like a saw-tooth, followed by azure blue on the base of the lateral sides. Wings are transparent with black or dark reddish-brown pterostigma. Abdomen is azure blue on the sides, broadly black on dorsum up to the basal half of segment 9. The apical half of segment 9 and whole of segment 10 are azure blue. There is a black spot on each side of segment 10. Anal appendages are blue; black on old males.Female is similar to the male; differs only in the eye color and color of the last segments. Segment 9 is black.