Wandering Percher (Diplacodes bipunctata)

The Wandering Percher (Diplacodes bipunctata) is a dragonfly species of the family Libellulidae, which contains 56 species in Australia.

The identification key to the family Libellulidae consists of 67 couplets, 14 of which are pertinent to Diplacodes bipunctata. 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.
	Libellulidae	Wandering Percher (Diplacodes bipunctata)	Libellulidae: Key couplet 1 of 67 ● Distal antenodal of forewing incomplete, only the costal section present b ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 35 of 67 ● Hindwing triangle free b ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 39 of 67 ○ Not as above b ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 40 of 67 ● Base of hindwing triangle at or slightly proximal to arculus b ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 41 of 67 ● Tip of anal loop closed, the bounding veins meeting midvein one row of cells away from wing margin b ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 45 of 67 ● Subtriangle of forewing with one to three cells, its basal side well-defined a ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 46 of 67 ○ Smaller dragonflies, hindwing shorter than 38 mm b ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 47 of 67 ● Discoidal field of forewing, between triangle and level of origin of IR3, starting with two or three rows of cells, followed by two rows b ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 49 of 67 ○ Hindwing shorter than 30 mm b ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 51 of 67 ● Hind margin of eye uniformly curved ⇒ genus: Diplacodes b ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 52 of 67 ● Subtriangle of forewing subdivided into two or three cells ○ Wings hyaline, or yellow to yellowish brown at base or tips b ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 53 of 67 ○ Abdomen yellowish-brown to bright red, with or without black markings b ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 54 of 67 ● A small dark brown to black spot on intersegmental suture just above level of metastigma b ↑ Libellulidae: Key couplet 55 of 67 ● Male abdomen with prominent black lateral markings on terga 4-7 ● Female abdominal segments 4-7 with well-defined, black mid-dorsal line expanded into spot at end of each segment ○ Wings hyaline except for brownish-yellow spot at base ⇒ species: Wandering Percher (Diplacodes bipunctata) a ↑
1			Libellulidae: Key couplet 1 of 67 ● Distal antenodal of forewing complete, both costal and subcostal sections present a ↑ b ↓ ● Distal antenodal of forewing incomplete, only the costal section present
2			Libellulidae: Key couplet 35 of 67 ● Hindwing triangle crossed a ↑ b ↓ ● Hindwing triangle free
3			Libellulidae: Key couplet 39 of 67 ○ Small (hindwing c. 25 mm) ● Synthorax and abdomen black with well-defined pale yellowish-green markings ⇒ species: Forestwatcher (Huonia melvillensis) (part) a ↑ b ↓ ○ Not as above
4			Libellulidae: Key couplet 40 of 67 ● Base of hindwing triangle well beyond arculus ⇒ species: Spiny-Chested Percher (Raphismia bispina) a ↑ b ↓ ● Base of hindwing triangle at or slightly proximal to arculus
5			Libellulidae: Key couplet 41 of 67 ● Tip of anal loop usually open on one or both sides of midvein, the bounding veins of loop extending to wing margin, occasionally closed, the bounding veins meeting at wing margin a ↑ b ↓ ● Tip of anal loop closed, the bounding veins meeting midvein one row of cells away from wing margin
6			Libellulidae: Key couplet 45 of 67 ● Subtriangle of forewing with one to three cells, its basal side well-defined a ↑ b ↓ ● Basal side of forewing subtriangle poorly defined ● If recognisable, containing more than three cells
7			Libellulidae: Key couplet 46 of 67 ○ Large dragonflies, hindwing longer than 38 mm ○ Male abdomen black, with dorsal pairs of yellow spots ⇒ species: Water Prince (Hydrobasileus brevistylus) (part) a ↑ b ↓ ○ Smaller dragonflies, hindwing shorter than 38 mm
8			Libellulidae: Key couplet 47 of 67 ● Discoidal field of forewing containing three rows of cells, occasionally four, between triangle and level of origin of IR3 a ↑ b ↓ ● Discoidal field of forewing, between triangle and level of origin of IR3, starting with two or three rows of cells, followed by two rows
9			Libellulidae: Key couplet 49 of 67 ○ Hindwing 30 mm or longer a ↑ b ↓ ○ Hindwing shorter than 30 mm
10			Libellulidae: Key couplet 51 of 67 ● Small tongue-like evagination from central hind margin of eye ⇒ species: Swamp Flat-Tail (Austrothemis nigrescens) (part) a ↑ b ↓ ● Hind margin of eye uniformly curved ⇒ genus: Diplacodes
11			Libellulidae: Key couplet 52 of 67 ● Subtriangle of forewing single-celled ○ Wings with brownish-black tips, sometimes hyaline or tinged yellow near base in female ○ Male abdomen black ⇒ species: Charcoal-Winged Percher (Diplacodes nebulosa) a ↑ b ↓ ● Subtriangle of forewing subdivided into two or three cells ○ Wings hyaline, or yellow to yellowish brown at base or tips
12			Libellulidae: Key couplet 53 of 67 ○ Abdomen black marked with yellow, becoming pruinescent bluish grey in mature males ⇒ species: Chalky Percher (Diplacodes trivialis) a ↑ b ↓ ○ Abdomen yellowish-brown to bright red, with or without black markings
13			Libellulidae: Key couplet 54 of 67 ● No small dark spot on intersegmental suture just above level of metastigma ⇒ species: Black-Faced Percher (Diplacodes melanopsis) a ↑ b ↓ ● A small dark brown to black spot on intersegmental suture just above level of metastigma
14			Libellulidae: Key couplet 55 of 67 ● Male abdomen with prominent black lateral markings on terga 4-7 ● Female abdominal segments 4-7 with well-defined, black mid-dorsal line expanded into spot at end of each segment ○ Wings hyaline except for brownish-yellow spot at base ⇒ species: Wandering Percher (Diplacodes bipunctata) a ↑ b ↓ ● Male abdomen lacking lateral black markings ● Female abdominal segments 4-7 with poorly-defined brownish-red mid-dorsal line of similar shape, sometimes absent ○ Base of male hindwing yellow to level of triangle, tip of female wings commonly brownish-yellow ⇒ species: Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes)