Metallic ringtail
| Metallic ringtail | |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Family: | Lestidae |
| Genus: | Austrolestes |
| Species: | A. cingulatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Austrolestes cingulatus (Burmeister, 1839) | |
The metallic ringtail (Austrolestes cingulatus) is an Australian damselfly in the family Lestidae, It is widely distributed in Tasmania, Victoria and eastern New South Wales. It is a thin, medium-sized damselfly with a green and gold or bluish green and gold coloration. Each abdominal segment is marked by a pale "ring"; this, combined with its glossy metallic coloration, give it its common name of metallic ringtail.
It is active through October to March in still-water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, and alpine bogs, being usually found amongst vegetation.