Agriocnemis rubricauda

Identification: Body length 21-25 mm. Wingspan 22-28 mm. Tiny. Young female reddish, top of synthorax bronze, central dark markings on top of abdomen towards tip. Reddish areas become greenish with age. As female matures, upper half of side of thorax becomes black, leaving a narrow green humeral stripe between this and dark top of synthorax. In older female, narrow green stripe darkens so that whole upper thorax is black, and lower half of side of thorax develops pale powdery coating. Rear margin of prothorax has central, trilobed projection. Mature male has dark head, with pair of small bluish-green spots on top between eyes. Upper thorax dark brown or black, with thin pale, bluish or greenish stripe; lower thorax bluish or greenish. Top of abdomen mostly dark brown or black; reddish tip (most of A7, A8, A9 and A10).

Habitat: Variety of standing-water habitats, including small, well-vegetated ponds, dams and swamps.

Distribution in SEQ: Patchy from Sunshine Coast to Gold Coast in coastal lowlands and near coastal ranges.

Notes: Only females are known from southern parts of range, including SEQ, where they are probably parthenogenetic (i.e. can reproduce without mating). Males known only from northern Queensland and Northern Territory.

Similar local species: Females resemble female Pygmy Wisp (Agriocnemis pygmaea) and female Aurora Bluetail (Ischnura aurora).