Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Suborder Zygoptera Rank Species | Phylum Arthropoda Order Odonata Family Megapodagrionidae | |
Scientific name Griseargiolestes albescens Similar Common flatwing, Australian emerald, Megapodagrionidae | ||
Griseargiolestes albescens is a damselfly species of the subfamily Argiolestinae which is in the Megapodagrionidae. It is commonly known as the coastal flatwing. They are medium in size. The males are 37 mm and the females are 34 mm. Male flatwings are blue to pale blue in colour. Like other flatwings, they do not mind if we come very close. They are found inside the swamp areas of Australia, like boggy seepage. Coastal flatwings usually rest on the low plants with wings flat open. The males look quite different from the females. The male coastal flatwings have a furry thorax in white-blue colour. The patterns on their thorax can hardly be seen for it is covered by the white fur. Its abdomen is dark blue with powder blue light tail. Females are about the same size as the male, or slightly smaller. Like common flatwings, females will sometimes rest with their wings closed. Females don't have fur on their thorax and do not have the white tail light. The patterns on its thorax are clean with metallic blue strips on white. The male and female look so different they are sometimes mistaken for as a different species. The males and females mate in tandem and wheel position.