Blue-printed dragonfly male.

(Provided by Taiwan Dragonfly Society, photographed by Huang Sijia)

[Reporter Wu Zhengting/Kinmen Report] The Dragonfly Society of Taiwan stated that a new species was recorded in Taiwan, which is the "blue-printed dragonfly" discovered in Matsu in 2020. Due to the Wuhan pneumonia (new coronavirus disease, COVID-19) epidemic, the process of collecting specimens After several twists and turns, Lin Qidi, a Kinmen boy, took advantage of the opportunity of returning to his hometown to visit his relatives, and finally collected the first specimen of a blue-printed dragonfly in Kinmen in Taiwan. He completed the important puzzle of recording the new species, and then published it in "Taiwan Research Insect Journal" by the society.

Li Yilong, secretary-general of the Dragonfly Society of Taiwan, said that this time the information was released on the basis of "a new record species delayed due to the epidemic - the blue-printed dragonfly". The blue-printed dragonfly is one of 162 species of dragonflies in Taiwan. Hanyan was found in several reservoirs in Matsu, but no specimens were collected at that time, and only unclear photos were available. Later, the epidemic was severe, and the trip to Matsu was blocked many times, so it was put on hold; until last year, bird friend He Jigeng went to Kinmen to watch birds It was not confirmed until the photos were taken again, but the specimens could not be collected because there were no collection tools.

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Li Yilong said that he later contacted Lin Qidi, a student of the Entomology Department of Taiwan University in his hometown in Kinmen. Lin Qidi returned home to visit relatives in September last year, and finally successfully collected the first specimen of the blue-printed dragonfly in Taiwan. Soon, Ma Chenghan, a member of the society, also rushed to Kinmen Photographs of adults were taken and a few more specimens were collected, and the work of collecting samples was finally completed. After the Taiwan Dragonfly Society strengthened the relevant literature description, it was published in Taiwan Research Insects by member Hu Fangshuo on March 25 this year.

Lin Qidi said that when he heard that the blue-printed dragonfly appeared in the Maoshan Pagoda in Jinmen, he went there for the first time and found nothing. He went again the next afternoon and finally saw this new species. It was pasted on the granite ground by the sea, and when I went back on the third day, I found 1 male and 1 female. At that time, the male insects had not turned blue because they were not yet mature, and their body color was very similar to the yellow color of the female insects; Lin Qidi was very happy and excited about the process of species.

Li Yilong said that the original distribution of the blue-printed dragonfly is very scattered, only in some places in India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, so IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species) once listed it as near-threatened. The worm is a bit similar to Lexian Dragonfly and Xishen Dragonfly, so it is easy to be ignored; around 2011, it began to show signs of spreading, and it was recorded in various places one after another. Later, it was changed from Near Threatened to Least Threatened by IUCN.

Li Yilong said that the common name of the blue-printed dragonfly (Indothemis carnatica) in China is "Dark Blue Printed Dragonfly", but the Chinese naming system of Taiwanese dragonflies ends with the family name. The "印" and color of "Indo" at the beginning of the name have taken a new Chinese name, Lanyin Dragonfly.

Li Yilong said that Kinmen and Matsu are very close to China, so there is great potential for the emergence of new species. For example, Kinmen also has the "Black-toothed Pilocus" and "Red-topped Snipe", both of which are dragonflies that do not exist in Taiwan.

Blue-printed dragonfly female.

(Provided by Taiwan Dragonfly Society, photographed by Ma Chenghan)

Kinmen Maoshan Pagoda.

(Provided by Taiwan Dragonfly Society, photographed by Lin Qidi)

There are also records of blue-printed dragonflies in the Matsujinsha Reservoir.

(Provided by Taiwan Dragonfly Society, photo by Chen Cilong)

Li Yilong (first from left), secretary-general of the Dragonfly Society of Taiwan, said that this time member Hu Fangshuo (fourth from right) published a new Taiwanese species, the blue-printed dragonfly, in Taiwan Entomological Journal.

(Provided by Li Yilong)