Green Emperor (Anax gibbosulus)

The Green Emperor (Anax gibbosulus) is a dragonfly species of the family Aeshnidae, which contains 13 species in Australia.

The identification key to the family Aeshnidae consists of 12 couplets, 4 of which are pertinent to Anax gibbosulus. Click on the numbers on the right to display the corresponding couplets. Or click on the ALLin1 button to see all the relevant couplets together in a single, scrollable window.

#	Family	Species	Couplet No.
	Aeshnidae	Green Emperor (Anax gibbosulus)	Aeshnidae: Key couplet 1 of 12 ● Last prominent fork of IR3 at or near level of distal end of pterostigma in both wings ● Margin of hindwing rounded in both sexes, male lacking anal triangle and auricles ⇒ genus: Anax a ↑ Aeshnidae: Key couplet 2 of 12 ● Sides of abdominal terga 7-9 in male, 4-9 or 5-9 in female, with strong supplementary longitudinal ridge a ↑ Aeshnidae: Key couplet 3 of 12 ● Top of frons with T-shaped mark consisting of dark brown to black bar along frontal crest and dark brown mid-dorsal line, joining subtriangular black patch in front of eyes and ocelli b ↑ Aeshnidae: Key couplet 4 of 12 ● Tergum 9 of both sexes with pair of large, posterodorsal spots ⇒ species: Green Emperor (Anax gibbosulus) a ↑
1			Aeshnidae: Key couplet 1 of 12 ● Last prominent fork of IR3 at or near level of distal end of pterostigma in both wings ● Margin of hindwing rounded in both sexes, male lacking anal triangle and auricles ⇒ genus: Anax a ↑ b ↓ ● Prominent fork of IR3 near or proximal to level of basal end of pterostigma in both wings ● Anal margin of hindwing rounded in female, angulated in male, forming anal triangle ● Male with auricles
2			Aeshnidae: Key couplet 2 of 12 ● Sides of abdominal terga 7-9 in male, 4-9 or 5-9 in female, with strong supplementary longitudinal ridge a ↑ b ↓ ● Sides of abdominal terga evenly rounded in male, strongly ridged on terga 7-8 or 7-9 in female ⇒ species: Australian Emperor (Anax papuensis)
3			Aeshnidae: Key couplet 3 of 12 ● Top of frons dark brown to black only in subtriangular area in front of eyes and ocelli, midline and frontal crest pale or only slightly darkened ⇒ species: Lesser Green Emperor (Anax guttatus) a ↑ b ↓ ● Top of frons with T-shaped mark consisting of dark brown to black bar along frontal crest and dark brown mid-dorsal line, joining subtriangular black patch in front of eyes and ocelli
4			Aeshnidae: Key couplet 4 of 12 ● Tergum 9 of both sexes with pair of large, posterodorsal spots ⇒ species: Green Emperor (Anax gibbosulus) a ↑ b ↓ ● Tergum 9 of male with pair of small, pale posterodorsal spots, or entirely dark. Female unknown. ⇒ species: Kimberley Emperor (Anax georgius)