Austroaeschna unicornis (Martin, 1901)
UNICORN DARNER
Family Telephlebiidae
Side view of a male Unicorn Darner – Austroaeschna unicornis unicornis at Kilmore March 29th 2011.
Since seeing a Unicorn Darner along the little creek adjacent to the town of Kilmore in Victoria, I had kept an eye out for this species in NE NSW. It took almost 4 years to find one, but my luck was in when we stopped at a little creek (Kangaroo Creek) on the way to the Cathedral Rock National Park. This Darner came flying low over the water and then flew up and down a short length of the creek a few times before disappearing. I could see it was different to the 3 Darners that I usually see in this area by the distinct markings on its synthorax.
The 3 Darners I usually see around the Ebor to Dorrigo area of NSW are the Sigma Darner – Austoaeschna sigma, the Swamp Darner – Austroaeschna parvistigma, and the Forest Darner – Austroaeschna pulchra.
There were 2 subspecies of Austroaeschna unicornis in Australia. Both the Unicorn Darner that I saw in Victoria and the one near Ebor in NSW were of the subspecies Austroaeschna unicornis unicornis. (now Austroaeschna unicornis)
The other subspecies A unicornis pinheyi is found in Queensland and possiblly in NSW near the Queensland border. It may now be good as a species and is called Austroaeschna pinheyi.
The anterior lateral stripe on the synthorax of the species Austroaeschna unicornis is an unevenly constricted line unlike the same lateral stripe on a A pinheyi which is a straight line. The pattern on segment 8 of the male Austroaeschna unicornis also distinguishes it from A pinheyi. A pinheyi is generally darker in colour as well
