Variable Tigertail (Eusynthemis aurolineata)

The Variable Tigertail (Eusynthemis aurolineata) is a dragonfly species of the family Synthemistidae, which contains 26 species in Australia.

The identification key to the family Synthemistidae consists of 26 couplets, 10 of which are pertinent to Eusynthemis aurolineata. 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.
	Synthemistidae	Variable Tigertail (Eusynthemis aurolineata)	Synthemistidae: Key couplet 1 of 26 ○ Dark markings, if present, confined to basal parts of wings b ↑ Synthemistidae: Key couplet 2 of 26 ● Generally two to five crossveins in median space of all wings b ↑ Synthemistidae: Key couplet 9 of 26 ● An accessory thick antenodal in forewing in addition to the two primaries; this and the two previous alternating with thin antenodals ○ Male tergum 10 without pale dorsal cone ○ Ovipositor, if developed, not reaching beyond segment 9 b ↑ Synthemistidae: Key couplet 11 of 26 ● Anterior frons pale, or pale with black stripe, often quite broad, in midline b ↑ Synthemistidae: Key couplet 12 of 26 ○ Frons broad ○ Membranule of both wings well developed ● Female ovipositor reduced to vulvar lamina or poorly developed ⇒ genus: Eusynthemis b ↑ Synthemistidae: Key couplet 14 of 26 ○ Labrum black b ↑ Synthemistidae: Key couplet 16 of 26 ● Intermediary piece brown or black b ↑ Synthemistidae: Key couplet 22 of 26 ● Superior appendages of male not longer than width of abdominal segment 10 ○ Non-tropical species b ↑ Synthemistidae: Key couplet 24 of 26 ● Metascutum dark brown to black b ↑ Synthemistidae: Key couplet 25 of 26 ● Front of synthorax with pale stripe, broad or narrow, near outer margin, or rarely missing ● Anterior lateral stripe of synthorax wide, posterior stripe distinctly curved ⇒ species: Variable Tigertail (Eusynthemis aurolineata) a ↑
1			Synthemistidae: Key couplet 1 of 26 ○ Wings with dark brown spots at nodus ⇒ species: Tasmanian Spotwing (Synthemiopsis gomphomacromioides) a ↑ b ↓ ○ Dark markings, if present, confined to basal parts of wings
2			Synthemistidae: Key couplet 2 of 26 ● Generally one crossvein in median space, sometimes two in one or two wings a ↑ b ↓ ● Generally two to five crossveins in median space of all wings
3			Synthemistidae: Key couplet 9 of 26 ● No accessory thick antenodal in forewing, only the two primaries present ● Male tergum 10 with posteriorly directed pale mid-dorsal cone ● Ovipositor reaching beyond segment 9 ⇒ genus: Synthemis a ↑ b ↓ ● An accessory thick antenodal in forewing in addition to the two primaries; this and the two previous alternating with thin antenodals ○ Male tergum 10 without pale dorsal cone ○ Ovipositor, if developed, not reaching beyond segment 9
4			Synthemistidae: Key couplet 11 of 26 ● Anterior frons metallic black ⇒ species: Royal Tigertail (Parasynthemis regina) a ↑ b ↓ ● Anterior frons pale, or pale with black stripe, often quite broad, in midline
5			Synthemistidae: Key couplet 12 of 26 ○ Frons narrow ○ Membranule of both wings vestigial ● Female ovipositor well developed ⇒ genus: Choristhemis a ↑ b ↓ ○ Frons broad ○ Membranule of both wings well developed ● Female ovipositor reduced to vulvar lamina or poorly developed ⇒ genus: Eusynthemis
6			Synthemistidae: Key couplet 14 of 26 ○ Labrum pale, with more or less extensive dark brown or black markings a ↑ b ↓ ○ Labrum black
7			Synthemistidae: Key couplet 16 of 26 ● Intermediary piece at base of each wing white or pale yellow a ↑ b ↓ ● Intermediary piece brown or black
8			Synthemistidae: Key couplet 22 of 26 ● Superior appendages of male longer than width of abdominal segment 10 ○ Tropical species a ↑ b ↓ ● Superior appendages of male not longer than width of abdominal segment 10 ○ Non-tropical species
9			Synthemistidae: Key couplet 24 of 26 ● Metascutum yellow ⇒ species: Swift Tigertail (Eusynthemis rentziana) a ↑ b ↓ ● Metascutum dark brown to black
10			Synthemistidae: Key couplet 25 of 26 ● Front of synthorax with pale stripe, broad or narrow, near outer margin, or rarely missing ● Anterior lateral stripe of synthorax wide, posterior stripe distinctly curved ⇒ species: Variable Tigertail (Eusynthemis aurolineata) a ↑ b ↓ ● Front of synthorax dark except for pale dorsal carina ● Anterior lateral stripe of synthorax moderately wide and posterior stripe straight, or, anterior lateral stripe of synthorax narrow and posterior stripe distinctly curved