Kakadu Vicetail (Hemigomphus magela)

The Kakadu Vicetail (Hemigomphus magela) is a dragonfly species of the family Gomphidae, which contains 35 species in Australia.

The identification key to the family Gomphidae consists of 47 couplets, 10 of which are pertinent to Hemigomphus magela. 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.
	Gomphidae	Kakadu Vicetail (Hemigomphus magela)	Gomphidae: Key couplet 1 of 47 ● Generally no incomplete antenodal crossvein proximal to Ax1 in any wing ● End of abdomen not elongate, mid-dorsal length of abdominal tergum 9 less than 2.3 mm in male, 2.1 mm in female b ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 10 of 47 ● Superior anal appendages converging at tips, bearing basal, ventral to lateral spine or toothed spur b ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 11 of 47 ● Upper projection of bipartite sternum 11 concealed by basal, toothed spine of superior anal appendage ○ From eastern and northern Australia ⇒ genus: Hemigomphus a ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 12 of 47 ● Abdominal sternites 7 and 8 lacking strong, central tufts of setae ⇒ species: Kakadu Vicetail (Hemigomphus magela) a ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 19 of 47 ● Anterior part of abdominal segments 3 and 4, in front of supplementary transverse carina, with broad, mid-dorsal black patch or band a ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 20 of 47 ● Ovipositor less than half length of sternum 9 b ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 21 of 47 ● Two or three (occasionally one) crossveins between sectors of arculus proximal to fork of Rs in hindwing ○ From eastern and northern Australia ⇒ genus: Hemigomphus b ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 22 of 47 ● Occiput unarmed b ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 24 of 47 ● Central part of yellow humeral stripe present, joined or not to upper humeral spot b ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 25 of 47 ● Black band along line of intersegmental suture of synthorax broken below metastigma, extensive to continuous above it ⇒ species: Kakadu Vicetail (Hemigomphus magela) a ↑
1			Gomphidae: Key couplet 1 of 47 ● Incomplete (subcostal) antenodal crossvein proximal to Ax1 usually present in forewings, sometimes lacking in hindwings ● End of abdomen elongate, mid-dorsal length of abdominal tergum 9 more than 2.4 mm in male, 2.3 mm in female ⇒ genus: Antipodogomphus a ↑ b ↓ ● Generally no incomplete antenodal crossvein proximal to Ax1 in any wing ● End of abdomen not elongate, mid-dorsal length of abdominal tergum 9 less than 2.3 mm in male, 2.1 mm in female
2		Male only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 10 of 47 ● Superior anal appendages parallel or divergent, not converging at tips, each bearing a long, curved ventrobasal branch a ↑ b ↓ ● Superior anal appendages converging at tips, bearing basal, ventral to lateral spine or toothed spur
3		Male only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 11 of 47 ● Upper projection of bipartite sternum 11 concealed by basal, toothed spine of superior anal appendage ○ From eastern and northern Australia ⇒ genus: Hemigomphus a ↑ b ↓ ● Upper projection of bipartite sternum 11 lying outside base of superior anal appendage, its upper end turned to rear and toothed or sculptured
4		Male only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 12 of 47 ● Abdominal sternites 7 and 8 lacking strong, central tufts of setae ⇒ species: Kakadu Vicetail (Hemigomphus magela) a ↑ b ↓ ● Abdominal sternites 7 and/or 8 each with pair of strong, central setal tufts protruding below ventral carina
5		Female only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 19 of 47 ● Anterior part of abdominal segments 3 and 4, in front of supplementary transverse carina, with broad, mid-dorsal black patch or band a ↑ b ↓ ● Anterior of abdominal segments 3 and 4 with mid-dorsal yellow band, sometimes narrow, or entirely yellow
6		Female only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 20 of 47 ● Ovipositor about as long as sternum 9 ⇒ species: Pinchtail (Odontogomphus donnellyi) a ↑ b ↓ ● Ovipositor less than half length of sternum 9
7		Female only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 21 of 47 ● One crossvein between sectors of arculus proximal to fork of Rs in hindwing ○ From south-western Australia ⇒ species: Armourtail (Armagomphus armiger) a ↑ b ↓ ● Two or three (occasionally one) crossveins between sectors of arculus proximal to fork of Rs in hindwing ○ From eastern and northern Australia ⇒ genus: Hemigomphus
8		Female only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 22 of 47 ● Occiput armed with central, more or less upright spine a ↑ b ↓ ● Occiput unarmed
9		Female only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 24 of 47 ● Yellow humeral stripe reduced to small upper and lower spots ⇒ species: Wallum Vicetail (Hemigomphus cooloola) a ↑ b ↓ ● Central part of yellow humeral stripe present, joined or not to upper humeral spot
10		Female only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 25 of 47 ● Black band along line of intersegmental suture of synthorax broken below metastigma, extensive to continuous above it ⇒ species: Kakadu Vicetail (Hemigomphus magela) a ↑ b ↓ ● Black band along line of intersegmental suture continuous below metastigma, lacking or almost so above it