Fat-Bellied Emerald (Hemicordulia continentalis)

The Fat-Bellied Emerald (Hemicordulia continentalis) is a dragonfly species of the family Corduliidae, which contains 12 species in Australia.

The identification key to the family Corduliidae consists of 11 couplets, 6 of which are pertinent to Hemicordulia continentalis. 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.
	Corduliidae	Fat-Bellied Emerald (Hemicordulia continentalis)	Corduliidae: Key couplet 1 of 11 ● Hypertriangles generally free b ↑ Corduliidae: Key couplet 2 of 11 ● Three crossveins between sectors of arculus basal to fork of Rs in hindwing ● Bridge crossvein at subnodus ● Ovipositor short, less than half length of tergum 9 ⇒ genus: Hemicordulia and Procordulia b ↑ Corduliidae: Key couplet 3 of 11 ● Top of frons brown or black with metallic blue-green reflections a ↑ Corduliidae: Key couplet 4 of 11 ● Black mid-dorsal band not strongly constricted at supplementary transverse carina on abdominal segments 6 and 7 ● Male superior appendage without spine b ↑ Corduliidae: Key couplet 5 of 11 ○ Male lacking auricles ● Anal border of hindwing rounded ● Mid-dorsal black stripe on female abdomen strongly constricted at supplementary transverse carina on segment 4 a ↑ Corduliidae: Key couplet 7 of 11 ● Male abdomen strongly club-shaped ● Abdominal tergum 7 approximately 1.9 mm or more wide from midline to lateral margin ○ Female anal appendages 1.9 mm or more long ⇒ species: Fat-Bellied Emerald (Hemicordulia continentalis) a ↑
1			Corduliidae: Key couplet 1 of 11 ● Hypertriangles of both wings crossed ⇒ species: Metallic Tigerhawk (Pentathemis membranulata) a ↑ b ↓ ● Hypertriangles generally free
2			Corduliidae: Key couplet 2 of 11 ● Two crossveins between sectors of arculus basal to fork of Rs in hindwing ● Bridge crossvein between subnodus and oblique vein ● Ovipositor long, spoon-like, extending to or beyond end of abdomen ⇒ species: Offshore Emerald (Metaphya tillyardi) a ↑ b ↓ ● Three crossveins between sectors of arculus basal to fork of Rs in hindwing ● Bridge crossvein at subnodus ● Ovipositor short, less than half length of tergum 9 ⇒ genus: Hemicordulia and Procordulia
3			Corduliidae: Key couplet 3 of 11 ● Top of frons brown or black with metallic blue-green reflections a ↑ b ↓ ● Top of frons yellow with dark T-mark, or black with pair of yellow spots
4			Corduliidae: Key couplet 4 of 11 ● Black mid-dorsal band strongly constricted at supplementary transverse carina, near anterior end of abdominal segments 6 and 7 ● Male superior appendage with prominent, medioventral spine ⇒ species: Australian Emerald (Hemicordulia australiae) a ↑ b ↓ ● Black mid-dorsal band not strongly constricted at supplementary transverse carina on abdominal segments 6 and 7 ● Male superior appendage without spine
5			Corduliidae: Key couplet 5 of 11 ○ Male lacking auricles ● Anal border of hindwing rounded ● Mid-dorsal black stripe on female abdomen strongly constricted at supplementary transverse carina on segment 4 a ↑ b ↓ ● Male with auricles ● Anal border of male hindwing angulated ● Mid-dorsal black stripe on female abdomen not constricted at supplementary transverse carina on segment 4 ⇒ genus: Procordulia
6			Corduliidae: Key couplet 7 of 11 ● Male abdomen strongly club-shaped ● Abdominal tergum 7 approximately 1.9 mm or more wide from midline to lateral margin ○ Female anal appendages 1.9 mm or more long ⇒ species: Fat-Bellied Emerald (Hemicordulia continentalis) a ↑ b ↓ ● Male abdomen slightly club-shaped ● Abdominal tergum 7 1.8 mm or less wide from midline to lateral margin ○ Female anal appendages 1.7 mm or less long ⇒ species: Slender Emerald (Hemicordulia kalliste)