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Anax cf. panybeus (Odonata: Aeshnidae).
A huge Dragonfly predating on a common house Lizard (H. platyurus).Anax Leach is a large dragonfly genus distributed throughout the world (Tsuda 2000). Currently 29 species are recognized (Schorr & Paulson 2012). The adults of different species are found in diverse wetland habitats such as ponds, marshes, lakes, rivers and streams. Labium and labrum brownish-yellow. Labrum narrowly bordered with brown. Front yellow with a distinct black ‘T’ shaped marking on the upper surface. Prothorax reddish-brown. Thorax pale green. Legs black. Wings hyaline but a large patch of amber yellow on hindwing spreading between posterior end of discoidal cells and slightly distal to node. Pterostigma darkish brown covering more than 2½ cells, long and narrow; discoidal of fore wing 6-celled and basal cell divided into two cells, 4-celled in hindwing; five cubital nervure in forewings and four in hindwing. Hypertrigone traversed three times in all the wings. Membrane brownish with a patch of white at extreme base. Nodal Index: 9-18/18-9 in forewings 9-12/12-10 in hindwings. Two robust antenodal nervure present in the forewings. Anal loop with 10–12 cells. Abdomen: 1 st segment pale green; 2 nd segment pale green on lower parts and bluish on dorsum and subdorsum; 3 rd to 10 th segments dark reddish-brown with black markings. Abdominal segment 3 is more constricted and distinctly elongated (about 11–12 mm). Anal appendages are reddish-brown; superior appendages are thick and strong.
Divers wetlands, ponds, swamps and this specimen was found at a high elevation forest margin.
This spotting is an observed predation of H. platyurus by a dragonfly, Anax cf. panybeus (Odonata: Aeshnidae). At 1330 hours on 8 September 2013, John Alaban observed a female Anax cf. panybeus (60 mm right hindwing length), clutching a still struggling Hemidactylus platyurus, land on a branch of a tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica) in Pueblo de Panay, Barangay Dinginan, Roxas City, Capiz Province, Panay Island, Philippines . The dragonfly utilized its anterior legs to hold on to its prey while simultaneously chewing the left eye of the gecko for ca. four minutes. To our knowledge, this is the first recorded incident of a dragonfly predating on a lizard in the Philippines. Photographic vouchers were deposited at the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore (ZRC[IMG] 2.183a-c).
Spotted on Sep 8, 2013
Submitted on Dec 31, 2013
![[Anax imperator]](https://lh5.ggpht.com/JozCi0CoAqAJ1r2C94Fhwjz5xhXWTTY9LXdawEmHw0wJLCrs8jDRh3X1CXPlhlyfZNOpXo8AvKl3hL2bKfMOCg=s62-c)
4 Comments
Thank you for the info and concern for the dragonfly DrNamgyalT.Sherpa, Don't worry the dragonfly was not dead. This kind of dragonfly is so calm that it is easy to catch , so we caught it after it was done eating and then take the measurement and release it.
Dear Shekainah, Pl don't take it personally, but generally speaking I feel these beautiful creatures should be left alone in the wild as they were, or whatever they're doing. Simply take their photos and enjoy. In the name of science or information they shouldn't be subjected to manual handling. We should take the scale to them rather then bringing them to the measuring scale! An estimate's good enough statestics. The 3rd shot shows a beautiful rare giant dragonfly suddenly lifeless. My happiness suddenly clouded into a chaotic feeling!
@ Lanzz , yes it can, actually this might be the first time that a dragonfly was documented while eating a lizard. This docu actually was taken by my father. I have updated this spotting with a video for further proof , unfortunately the video is not of good quality but nevertheless it can prove the veracity of the event.
Wow, i never know that dragonfly can eat a lizard...