Northern Wiretail (Rhadinosticta banksi)

The Northern Wiretail (Rhadinosticta banksi) is a damselfly species of the family Isostictidae, which contains 15 species in Australia.

The identification key to the family Isostictidae consists of 22 couplets, 7 of which are pertinent to Rhadinosticta banksi. 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.
	Isostictidae	Northern Wiretail (Rhadinosticta banksi)	Isostictidae: Key couplet 1 of 22 ● CuP one or two cells long, occasionally none a ↑ Isostictidae: Key couplet 3 of 22 ● Superior anal appendages shorter than inferiors ⇒ genus: Rhadinosticta a ↑ Isostictidae: Key couplet 4 of 22 ● Distal part of male inferior appendage almost as substantial as superior appendage ● Prothoracic horns elongate, length more than a quarter the basal width of posterior lobe ⇒ species: Northern Wiretail (Rhadinosticta banksi) b ↑ Isostictidae: Key couplet 10 of 22 ● Ac in hindwing proximal to level of Ax1 b ↑ Isostictidae: Key couplet 11 of 22 ○ CuP one cell long in forewing and hindwing b ↑ Isostictidae: Key couplet 12 of 22 ● Labrum creamy white, with or without darker markings occupying up to basal half ⇒ genus: Rhadinosticta b ↑ Isostictidae: Key couplet 13 of 22 ○ Female with or without prothoracic horns ● Hind corner of proepimeron bearing low swelling ⇒ species: Northern Wiretail (Rhadinosticta banksi) b ↑
1			Isostictidae: Key couplet 1 of 22 ● CuP one or two cells long, occasionally none a ↑ b ↓ ● CuP three or more cells long
2		Male only	Isostictidae: Key couplet 3 of 22 ● Superior anal appendages shorter than inferiors ⇒ genus: Rhadinosticta a ↑ b ↓ ● Superior anal appendages longer than inferiors
3		Male only	Isostictidae: Key couplet 4 of 22 ● Distal part of male inferior appendage far more slender than superior appendage ● Lateral horns on posterior lobe of pronotum short, their length (without hairs) less than a quarter the basal width of posterior lobe ⇒ species: Powdered Wiretail (Rhadinosticta simplex) a ↑ b ↓ ● Distal part of male inferior appendage almost as substantial as superior appendage ● Prothoracic horns elongate, length more than a quarter the basal width of posterior lobe ⇒ species: Northern Wiretail (Rhadinosticta banksi)
4		Female only	Isostictidae: Key couplet 10 of 22 ● Ac in hindwing at or distal to level of Ax1 ⇒ species: Slender Wiretail (Oristicta filicicola) a ↑ b ↓ ● Ac in hindwing proximal to level of Ax1
5			Isostictidae: Key couplet 11 of 22 ● CuP one cell long in forewing, two cells long in hindwing ⇒ genus: Eurysticta a ↑ b ↓ ○ CuP one cell long in forewing and hindwing
6		Female only	Isostictidae: Key couplet 12 of 22 ● Labrum black with pale front margin ⇒ species: Large Wiretail (Labidiosticta vallisi) a ↑ b ↓ ● Labrum creamy white, with or without darker markings occupying up to basal half ⇒ genus: Rhadinosticta
7		Female only	Isostictidae: Key couplet 13 of 22 ● Female lacking prothoracic horns ● Hind margin of proepimeron with two short, blunt, upwardly-directed spines ⇒ species: Powdered Wiretail (Rhadinosticta simplex) a ↑ b ↓ ○ Female with or without prothoracic horns ● Hind corner of proepimeron bearing low swelling ⇒ species: Northern Wiretail (Rhadinosticta banksi)