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Protoneura also known as Slender Threadtails are a
Neotropical damselfy. They are slender and longer than the robust
threadtails. Males of this genus have brightly colored thoraxes
generally with reds, oranges and yellows. The males are easily
identified by their attenuated abdomens which are generally of a darker
color, contrasting with the rest of their bodies. This contrast
makes them magnificent when hovering over the waters surface.
Females are somewhat more robust and generally have colors similar to
the males but somewhat less bright.
Many species inhabit small, slow streams, ditches
and seepages. Although others may appear at larger streams and
others may occassionally appear around ponds or sheltered lakeshores
with a good degree of leaf litter or submerged vegetation.
Protoneura are not always visible while hovering over the waters
surface, some can even be undetectable until they fly into the sun, then
they look like little glow sticks hovering over the water.
Pairs can be seen ovipositing in floating detritus.
They also have been known to use live plants ovispositing alone.
Little is known about the larvae of threadtails, it
is thought that they probably live in leaf litter in small trickles and
pools. |