Austroaeschna multipunctata
Multi-spotted Darner at Alpine, NSW
Identify this sighting
| Austroaeschna multipunctata | 22 Feb 2025 | KorinneM | ||
| Austroaeschna obscura | 9 Aug 2024 | KorinneM | ||
| Austroaeschna sp. (genus) | 8 Aug 2024 | KorinneM | ||
| Austroaeschna multipunctata | 1 Aug 2024 | JanHartog |
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5 comments
KorinneM
wrote:
8 Aug 2024
I'm not confident to distinguish between A. obscura and A. multipunctata from that photo. Both could potentially be in this location. I'm leaning towards A. obscura.
JanHartog
wrote:
11 Aug 2024
I'm not convinced this is an Austroaeschna obscura. On the basis of which characteristics did you come to this conclusion?
KorinneM
wrote:
11 Aug 2024
@JanHartog I spent quite a long time comparing against both A. obscura and A. multipunctata. It's hard, I will agree, to differentiate with teh one angle and it unfortunately being a further away shot.
The defining feature is "Anterodorsal spots on abdominal terga 3 and 4 generally much reduced or absent, and on 5-7, lacking". vs for multipunctata: "Anterodorsal spots on abdominal terga 3 and 4 generally well
developed, and on 5-7, usually detectable"
To me, there's some hints of maybe 'reflections' in those spots on 6 and 7 and that's it. 4 there's maybe a reflection, or maybe it's something just greatly reduced from the size of 3, which fits more with obscura.
The terga numbering of the abdomenal sections is listed here: http://azdragonfly.org/external-anatomy.
To get an idea of what I'm looking at, compare multipunctata: Austroaeschna multipunctata (Multi-spotted Darner) and obscura: https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/202008587 looking at those abdomenal segements. The top view is the easiest to pick it up first.
Is there reasons you're thinking multipunctata?
The defining feature is "Anterodorsal spots on abdominal terga 3 and 4 generally much reduced or absent, and on 5-7, lacking". vs for multipunctata: "Anterodorsal spots on abdominal terga 3 and 4 generally well
developed, and on 5-7, usually detectable"
To me, there's some hints of maybe 'reflections' in those spots on 6 and 7 and that's it. 4 there's maybe a reflection, or maybe it's something just greatly reduced from the size of 3, which fits more with obscura.
The terga numbering of the abdomenal sections is listed here: http://azdragonfly.org/external-anatomy.
To get an idea of what I'm looking at, compare multipunctata: Austroaeschna multipunctata (Multi-spotted Darner) and obscura: https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/202008587 looking at those abdomenal segements. The top view is the easiest to pick it up first.
Is there reasons you're thinking multipunctata?
Location information
- Coordinates 150.544100-34.402600
- Places Alpine, NSW
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 11 Jan 2024 05:24 AM Recorded on
- JanHartog Recorded by
- 25mm to 50mm Animal size
Collections
- JanHartog NatureMapr Southern Highlands Austroaeschna multipunctata Dragonflies (Anisoptera) Dragonflies & Damselflies (Odonata) Insects
Species information
- Austroaeschna multipunctata Scientific name
- Multi-spotted Darner Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1484.4m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
4 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Additional attributes
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Description