| Palaemnema is the only genus of platystictids in the New World, while seven genera and many more species occur in the Old World. About ten species occur here, several of which are not yet named. These delicate, slender-bodied damselflies have a similar appearance to perilestids and some coenagrionids. They can always be distinguished by a diamond-shaped cell below the base of the quadrangle. The colors are mostly black with pale stripes on the thorax and a pale cream ring at the base of each abdominal segment. Some species have a blue-tipped abdomen, while others can be totally dark. Shadow damsels live in forested areas along running water ranging from tiny trickles to fast, moderate-sized rivers. They perch quietly with folded wings on dead twigs and plant stems a few centimeters above ground in forest understory within 5 - 50 m of a stream. When flushed they usually fly upward and perch again a meter or two above ground. The males have elongate abdomens that they curl in a snake-like way when handled. The male appendages are used for distinguishing species. The females are generally similar across species and difficult to identify, but color patterns and the shapes of the hind lobe of the prothorax, ovipositor and stigma are useful for separating them. The pale cream-yellow markings of young adults change to blue or green with age. |
