An adult male Macrodiplax cora is a medium-sized dragonfly (length 45mm, wingspan 75mm) with a red abdomen, dorsally marked with black patches on each segment. The female abdomen is less brightly colored. The synthorax is a brownish color and may be hirsute. The wings are clear except for a yellowish patch at the base of the hind wing.[4] Its bi-colored legs and hourglass shaped black patches on the abdominal segments will help to easily distinguish them from other red colored dragonflies.[8]
Distribution and habitat
The species undertakes migration and may be nomadic, and is thus widespread in tropical Asia and Australasia. It occurs in South Asia, Australia and a variety of Indian and Pacific Oceans Islands. It prefers coastal lagoons, estuaries and swamps, as it is somewhat salt-tolerant.[8][1]
^ abTheischinger, G; Hawking, J (2006). The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia. Collingwood Vic.: CSIRO Publishing. p. 254. ISBN978 0 64309 073 6.
^K.A., Subramanian; K.G., Emiliyamma; R., Babu; C., Radhakrishnan; S.S., Talmale (2018). Atlas of Odonata (Insecta) of the Western Ghats, India. Zoological Survey of India. pp. 338–339. ISBN9788181714954.