With a blue face and shorter hindwings, which are gold and black on the upper surface and silvery white and black on the under surface, meet the phoenix damselfly.

This damselfly or kind of dragonfly is the sole species in the Pseudolestidae family that is endemic to south China's Hainan Province. They prefer an environment characterized by low temperature and high precipitation. In Hainan, they are mainly found in the low-altitude regions of tree-covered mountains.

Some people are curious about why this damselfly is named "phoenix." Graham Reels, who called himself an Asian dragonfly enthusiast, proposed that "phoenix" be adopted as the English common name. 

From ancient Egyptian mythology and Christian theology, the phoenix, a brilliant gold-coloured bird, rises from the ashes of its own funeral pyre. The analogy with the male damselfly rising upwards on golden wings is obvious.

Here's what the scientists observed when two male phoenix damselflies confronted each other.

When a male intrudes into another male's territory, the owner flaps his wings and flies head-on toward the intruder. But instead of fighting violently, the two males face each other and show off their golden hind wings with superb flying skills, sometimes hovering, sometimes flying high and low, like a fighting dance. The humbled one quits the fight, the winner takes the territory and waits for the female to arrive.

A phoenix damselfly requires certain environmental conditions to survive and reproduce, so conservation efforts must be continuously implemented to ensure the long-term survival of the species. 

About 'Fantastic Species in Hainan' series:

The annual Boao Forum for Asia will soon be held in Bo'ao, south China's Hainan Province. Among the topics discussed will be "green development," which cannot be achieved without ecological protection. Hainan has the best preserved and largest contiguous tropical rainforest in the country, home to numerous creatures unique to the province. This series dives into Hainan, leading the audience to learn more about how the amazing species thriving here under the great protection efforts from all walks of life.

(Cover image design by CGTN's Li Wenyi)

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