Red and Blue Damsel

A red and blue damsel has a bright red face and thorax. Its abdomen is pale in colour and 2.2-2.4 cm long. Females and males are similar in colour.

The red and blue damsel is widespread across all Australian states, as well as Fiji, New Caledonia, and other islands in the Pacific. It is found in north and eastern Tasmania. It is typically found near dams, marshes and slow watercourses.

The genus name Xanthagrion is derived from the Greek ξανθός (xanthos, "yellow") and Agrion, a genus name derived from the Greek ἄγριος (agrios, "wild"). Agrion was the name applied by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775 to all damselflies. The species name erythroneurum is derived from the Greek ἐρυθρός (erythros, "red") and νεῦρον (neuron, "nerve" or "sinew"), referring to the colour of the major wing veins.