Spoon-tailed Duskhawker
Why in News?
The Spoon-tailed Duskhawker is in the news because researchers documented its first-ever verifiable photographic record in India inside Arunachal Pradesh's Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve.
Scientific Classification & Nature
- Scientific Name: Gynacantha basiguttata.
- Family: Belongs to the Aeshnidae family, commonly known as hawkers and darners.
- Insect Group: Member of the predatory insect order Odonata.
Physical Characteristics
- Spoon-Like Anal Appendages: Named after the unique structure of the male's cerci (feelers), which start narrow at the base and expand into spoon-like tips used during mating.
- Head Markings: Features a distinctive, well-defined black T-shaped mark on its frons (forehead).
- Thorax: Possesses a uniform, plain olive-green middle section (thorax) that completely lacks stripes or bands.
- Wings: Clear and membranous with amber or brownish tinting concentrated heavily near the basal segments.
Habitat & Distribution
- Global Range: Native to parts of Southeast Asia and originally described in the Philippines.
- Local Habitat: Prefers perching or patrolling close to streams, forest pools, and heavy canopy areas.
- Indian Location: Formally recorded inside the Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
Behaviour & Diet
- Crepuscular Flight: Highly adapted to low-light conditions, making it most active during dawn and dusk.
- Daytime Rest: During the bright daylight hours, individuals hang completely still and vertically from twigs, tree trunks, or roots under dense forest cover.
- Predatory Habits: A powerful, fast flier that hunts flying insects on the wing, including mosquitoes, gnats, and small flies.
- Pest Control: Plays an essential role in regulating local insect populations by feeding on disease-carrying vectors like mosquitoes.
- Bioindicator: Like other dragonflies, its presence serves as an indicator of a healthy freshwater ecosystem and clean forest landscape.
