Platylestes platystylus[2][1] or Green-eyed Spreadwing is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae. Although this species appears to be widespread, there are very few recent records. This species is known from old records from West Bengal in India, Myanmar (Fraser 1933),[3] Thailand (Hämäläinen and Pinratana 1999) and Laos (Yokoi 2001).[1] There are recent records from Thailand,[4] Vietnam,[5] Laos[6] and Kerala, South India.[7][8]
It is a small dull colored damselfly of the size of Lestes. Its prothorax and thorax are in palest khaki brown color, paler at the sides and pruinosed white beneath. There are a large number of black spots on the thorax. Its wings are palely enfumed with short and broad pterostigma having white or pale inner and outer ends. Its abdomen is in olivaceous to warm reddish brown in color with black apical rings on each segments. Anal appendages are whitish with the superiors black at base, curling in at apices to meet each other. Inferior appendages are about half the length and thick at base.[3][9]
Female closely resembles the male in most respects, differing mainly in sexual characters. Anal appendages are yellow, blackish brown at the base, and as long as segment 10.[3]
The small black spots on each side of thorax and quadrate pterostigma with white at both ends are the most distinguishing features of this damselfly compared to other spreadwings.[3]
Dorsal view of male, showing black spots on thorax
Lateral view of male
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Female
Terminal abdominal appendages of male
Ventral view of terminal abdominal appendages of male
Wing details. Note the quadrate pterostigma with white at both ends
Platylestes platystylus or Green-eyed Spreadwing is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae. Although this species appears to be widespread, there are very few recent records. This species is known from old records from West Bengal in India, Myanmar (Fraser 1933), Thailand (Hämäläinen and Pinratana 1999) and Laos (Yokoi 2001). There are recent records from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Kerala, South India.
