Podolestes harrissoni is one of the nine members of this genus, one of six found in Borneo, and one of four that we were likely to encounter in our survey area, but in the end we would only encounter Podolestes orientalis.
It is easily separated from the latter and from P. chrysopus, which is very close to P. orientalis, by the fact that it bears no colored markings on the thorax, being covered with a whitish pruinescence. The last one, Podolestes parvus, is said to be present only in the Maludam National Park region, there are no photos of it on the web to date, and the article published by Dow & Ngiam, 2019, is not easily accessible.
According to Lieftinck, its abdomen measures 32.5 to 34 mm, with the entire insect reaching almost 43 mm.
It is the most common of the peat swamp Podolestes (3), which are its preferred habitat, but it is also found along forest streams (2). In our case, it was a forested peat swamp that harboured treasures and rarities such as certain Teinobasis and Amphicnemis…
It is endemic to Sarawak and Brunei.
IUCN Red List
Etymology of Podolestes harrisoni
Podolestes (Selys, 1862), from the Greek pous–podos meaning 'foot' or 'leg' and 'lestes'. Lestes was created by Leach (1815) and comes from the Greek word ληστησ, meaning 'robber' or 'pirate', most likely due to the shape of the anal appendages evoking the curved, serrated cutlass of pirates (5). Selys writes, "Legs long, with long cilia, and simple tarsal claws." Selys is therefore almost certainly referring to the peculiar "feet" of this genus, whether regarding their length, their specific tarsal claws mentioned in italics, or both.
Harrissoni is a tribute, and Lieftinck writes: "Naned [sic] in honour of Mr TOM HARRISSON,D.S.O., the able curator of the Sarawak Museum at Kuching" – "Nommé en l'honneur de M. TOM HARRISSON, D.S.O., conservateur émérite du Musée du Sarawak à Kuchin".
1- Dow & Ngiam, 2019 - A new species of Podolestes Selys, 1862 from peat swamp forest in Sarawak (Odonata: Zygoptera: Argiolestidae) - Zootaxa . 2019 Apr 18.
2- Lieftinck, 1953 - ADDITIONS TO THE ODONATE FAUNA OF THE INDO-AUSTRALIAN ARCHIPELAGO - Treubia, 22(1), 233-269.
3- Rory A. Dow, Stephen G. Butler, Robin W.J. Ngiam & Graham T. Reels, 2021 - Previously unpublished Odonata records from Sarawak, Borneo, part V: Odonata from the southwest of Sarawak, including the first records from the Bungo Range National Park - Journal of the International Dragonfly Fund, 09/04/2021