Zebra Vicetail (Hemigomphus comitatus)

The Zebra Vicetail (Hemigomphus comitatus) is a dragonfly species of the family Gomphidae, which contains 35 species in Australia.

The identification key to the family Gomphidae consists of 47 couplets, 11 of which are pertinent to Hemigomphus comitatus. Click on the numbers on the right to display the corresponding couplets. Or click on the ALLin1 button to see all the relevant couplets together in a single, scrollable window.

#	Family	Species	Couplet No.
	Gomphidae	Zebra Vicetail (Hemigomphus comitatus)	Gomphidae: Key couplet 1 of 47 ● Generally no incomplete antenodal crossvein proximal to Ax1 in any wing ● End of abdomen not elongate, mid-dorsal length of abdominal tergum 9 less than 2.3 mm in male, 2.1 mm in female b ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 10 of 47 ● Superior anal appendages converging at tips, bearing basal, ventral to lateral spine or toothed spur b ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 11 of 47 ● Upper projection of bipartite sternum 11 concealed by basal, toothed spine of superior anal appendage ○ From eastern and northern Australia ⇒ genus: Hemigomphus a ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 12 of 47 ● Abdominal sternites 7 and/or 8 each with pair of strong, central setal tufts protruding below ventral carina b ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 13 of 47 ● Tip of superior appendage abruptly folded inward ● Setal tufts present or absent on sternite 7 b ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 16 of 47 ● Setal tufts lacking from sternite 7 ⇒ species: Zebra Vicetail (Hemigomphus comitatus) a ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 19 of 47 ● Anterior part of abdominal segments 3 and 4, in front of supplementary transverse carina, with broad, mid-dorsal black patch or band a ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 20 of 47 ● Ovipositor less than half length of sternum 9 b ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 21 of 47 ● Two or three (occasionally one) crossveins between sectors of arculus proximal to fork of Rs in hindwing ○ From eastern and northern Australia ⇒ genus: Hemigomphus b ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 22 of 47 ● Occiput armed with central, more or less upright spine a ↑ Gomphidae: Key couplet 23 of 47 ● Occiput spine stout, irregular conical, slanting rearwards ⇒ species: Zebra Vicetail (Hemigomphus comitatus) a ↑
1			Gomphidae: Key couplet 1 of 47 ● Incomplete (subcostal) antenodal crossvein proximal to Ax1 usually present in forewings, sometimes lacking in hindwings ● End of abdomen elongate, mid-dorsal length of abdominal tergum 9 more than 2.4 mm in male, 2.3 mm in female ⇒ genus: Antipodogomphus a ↑ b ↓ ● Generally no incomplete antenodal crossvein proximal to Ax1 in any wing ● End of abdomen not elongate, mid-dorsal length of abdominal tergum 9 less than 2.3 mm in male, 2.1 mm in female
2		Male only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 10 of 47 ● Superior anal appendages parallel or divergent, not converging at tips, each bearing a long, curved ventrobasal branch a ↑ b ↓ ● Superior anal appendages converging at tips, bearing basal, ventral to lateral spine or toothed spur
3		Male only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 11 of 47 ● Upper projection of bipartite sternum 11 concealed by basal, toothed spine of superior anal appendage ○ From eastern and northern Australia ⇒ genus: Hemigomphus a ↑ b ↓ ● Upper projection of bipartite sternum 11 lying outside base of superior anal appendage, its upper end turned to rear and toothed or sculptured
4		Male only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 12 of 47 ● Abdominal sternites 7 and 8 lacking strong, central tufts of setae ⇒ species: Kakadu Vicetail (Hemigomphus magela) a ↑ b ↓ ● Abdominal sternites 7 and/or 8 each with pair of strong, central setal tufts protruding below ventral carina
5		Male only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 13 of 47 ● Tip of superior appendage smoothly curved inwards ● Setal tufts on sternite 7 and 8 a ↑ b ↓ ● Tip of superior appendage abruptly folded inward ● Setal tufts present or absent on sternite 7
6		Male only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 16 of 47 ● Setal tufts lacking from sternite 7 ⇒ species: Zebra Vicetail (Hemigomphus comitatus) a ↑ b ↓ ● Setal tufts present on sternite 7
7		Female only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 19 of 47 ● Anterior part of abdominal segments 3 and 4, in front of supplementary transverse carina, with broad, mid-dorsal black patch or band a ↑ b ↓ ● Anterior of abdominal segments 3 and 4 with mid-dorsal yellow band, sometimes narrow, or entirely yellow
8		Female only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 20 of 47 ● Ovipositor about as long as sternum 9 ⇒ species: Pinchtail (Odontogomphus donnellyi) a ↑ b ↓ ● Ovipositor less than half length of sternum 9
9		Female only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 21 of 47 ● One crossvein between sectors of arculus proximal to fork of Rs in hindwing ○ From south-western Australia ⇒ species: Armourtail (Armagomphus armiger) a ↑ b ↓ ● Two or three (occasionally one) crossveins between sectors of arculus proximal to fork of Rs in hindwing ○ From eastern and northern Australia ⇒ genus: Hemigomphus
10		Female only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 22 of 47 ● Occiput armed with central, more or less upright spine a ↑ b ↓ ● Occiput unarmed
11		Female only	Gomphidae: Key couplet 23 of 47 ● Occiput spine stout, irregular conical, slanting rearwards ⇒ species: Zebra Vicetail (Hemigomphus comitatus) a ↑ b ↓ ● Occiput spine slender, upright or slanting slightly to front ⇒ species: Rainforest Vicetail (Hemigomphus theischingeri)