About Lyriothemis acigastra (Selys, 1878)
Lyriothemis acigastra is a small dragonfly species. It has brown-capped greenish-yellow eyes. Its thorax is blackish brown with yellow markings: a broad oval antehumeral stripe located in front of the fore legs, and a short transverse stripe bordering this antehumeral stripe just below. There are three additional stripes on the lateral sides of the thorax. Its wings are transparent, with a pale yellow tint at the extreme base. In males, the abdomen is blood-red, tapered from base to tip, and marked with black. Segment 1 of the male abdomen is black, with only its apical border narrowly red. Segment 2 of the male abdomen has a broadly black base, with its apical region also broadly black. Segments 3 through 8 have narrowly black borders, and broadly black mid-dorsal carinas. The mid-dorsal black stripe widens at the apical ends of segments 3 to 6. Segment 9 only has a narrow short red stripe on each side, while segment 10 is entirely black. The anal appendages of this species are black. Females are similar to males, except their abdomen is cylindrical rather than tapered from base to end, and it is reddish-yellow instead of blood-red. Little is known about the ecology and habitat of this species, which may be due to its rarity and secretive nature. The specimens documented in 2013 were found in bushes surrounding freshwater marshland and streams. Individuals are generally most active during the evening and morning. Males rest at around 8 to 10 metres (26 to 33 ft) from the ground, and prey on skippers and small moths. This species closely resembles L. defonsekai, a Sri Lankan species first described in 2009.
