Swampwatcher (Potamarcha congener)

Swampwatcher (Potamarcha congener) is a species of dragonfly belonging to the family Libellulidae. It is a medium-sized dragonfly characterized by a bluish-black thorax and a yellow abdomen marked with black patterns. Its face ranges from olive-yellow to black or brown, and it possesses large eyes that are reddish-brown on the upper portion and bluish-gray on the lower portion.

Adult males have a face ranging from olive-yellow to black or brown. Their eyes are reddish-brown above and bluish-gray below. The thorax is black and covered in a bluish, powdery coating. The legs are black or reddish-brown. The wings are transparent with brown tips and dark reddish-brown patches. On the abdomen, the basal segments are covered in a bluish, powdery coating. Segments 1 through 8 feature yellow stripes along the center and sides, bordered by black.



Females have a thorax that is reddish-brown on top, fading to a dull brown on the sides. There are yellow markings along the center and brown markings on the sides. The legs are black, with faint yellow stripes on the femora. The wings are transparent, with the brown coloration at the tips being much more pronounced and the yellowish tint appearing more intense. The abdomen is similar to that of the male, though the yellow stripes are broader, leaving only narrow black lines.

This species is frequently encountered in forested areas near ponds and swamps. Females are more commonly seen than males; while males tend to remain at perches near water, females can be found almost anywhere—often far from water—and may even be seen perching on man-made structures.

TAXON

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Order: Odonata
Suborder: Anisoptera
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Potamarcha Karsch (1890)
Species: Potamarcha congener Rambur (1842)

SYNONYMS

Libellula congener Rambur (1842)
Libellula obscura Rambur (1842)
Potamarcha obscura (Ramb.) Ramb. (1890)

VERNACULAR NAME

Chinese (simplified): 湿地狭翅蜻
Chinese (traditional): 溪神蜻蜓 - 濕地狹翅蜻
English: Swampwatcher, Yellow-tailed ashy skimmer, Common chaser, Blue chaser
Hong Kong: 濕地狹翅蜻
Indonesian: Capung sambar, Capung sambar perut pipih
Java: Kinjeng samber
Malayalam: പുള്ളിവാലൻതുമ്പി
Taiwan: 溪神蜻蜓
Thai: แมลงปอบ้านทุ่งขนเทา

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