Eusynthemis brevistyla (Selys, 1871)

SMALL TIGERTAIL

Family Synthemistidae

There are seven Tigertail dragonflies from the genus Eusynthemis found in NE NSW.
Eusynthemis aurolineata - Variable Tigertail
E brevistyla - Small Tigertail
E nigra - Black Tigertail
E rentziana - Swift Tigertail
E ursa - Barrington Tigertail
E ursula - Beech Tigertail
E virgula - Golden Tigertail

The Variable and Small Tigertails are reasonably easy to find around Deer Vale NSW in the right season whilst the Golden Tigertail is quite uncommon here. I have only seen the Black Tigertail in the Sherwood Creek Nature Reserve. As these Eusynthemis species look quite similar I have put a set of comparative photographs at the end of this page.

A male Small Tigertail at Deer Vale NSW on November 11th 2013.

A male Small Tigertail at Deer Vale NSW on January 7th 2015.

A male Small Tigertail at Deer Vale NSW on December 8th 2014.

A scan of a male Small Tigertail at Deer Vale NSW on December 22nd 2012. Inset (A) of enlarged section of front wing with arrows pointing to the accessory thick antenodal and the two primary antenodals.

Notice the constricted lateral stripe on the synthorax of this male Small Tigertail at Deer Vale NSW on December 14th 2012.

The genus Eusynthemis has an accessory thick antenodal in the forewings in addition to the 2 primaries which alternate with thin antenodals. The genus Synthemis does not have the accessory thick antenodal. (Reference -“The Complete Guide to Dragonflies of Australia by Gunther Theischinger and John Hawking - pages 200 and 208).

The Small Tigertail is as its common name suggests small, being about same length as the Common Flatwing. I usually find it low down on vegetation next to small creeks. It often flies low in its territory and returns to the same perch or a nearby one. It seems to like parts where thick vegetation meets a clear area.

The Small Tigertail found in NE NSW differs from the same species in Victoria in that the lateral thoracic stripe is markedly constricted but does not divided.

Tigertail comparison