Damselfly checklist - overview

This checklist covers the suborder Zygoptera (Damselflies) for the Philippine islands of Samar, Biliran, Leyte and Panaon in the Eastern Visayas. It aims to be fully updated with info available on the internet on top of field experience (2021-present) and contains 46 species + 1 likely undescribed/new species. Note endemism is extremely high in the area with 40 Damselfies endemic to the Philippines. All these are species for which very little info has been available so far and many were photographed alive in the field for the first time. This list serves as an overview with links to info pages (species with *) and photos (click on thumbs) creating a first illustrated checklist / field guide covering the Eastern Visayas. All photography by Stijn De Win.
(Note work in progress, last update 10 February 2026. Now waiting for more rainy days...) Go to Eastern Visayas Dragonfly checklist

Lestes praemorsus (Scalloped Spreadwing) ; Samar, Leyte (also Bohol, Luzon, Panay, Dinagat, Siargao + widespread in Asia)



Drepanosticta belyshevi ; Leyte, Panaon (+ Bohol)


Drepanosticta mylitta ; Samar, Leyte, Biliran, Panaon (+ Dinagat)


Drepanosticta trachelocele ; Samar, Biliran


Drepanosticta lestoides ; Panaon but no recent sightings (+ Mindanao, Dinagat)
male from Mindanao

Drepanosticta leonardi ; Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Panaon? (+Mindanao)



Neurobasis anumariae (Fairy Metalwing) ; Samar, Leyte (+ Mindanao)


Vestalis melania ; Biliran, Samar, Leyte, Panaon (+ Luzon, Mindoro, Mindanao, Basilan, Dinagat, Jolo)



Cyrano angustior ; Biliran, Samar, Leyte (+ Mindanao, Dinagat, Camiguin)


Rhinocypha colorata ; Samar, Leyte, Biliran, Panaon (+ widespread in Phil. except Palawan)


Rhinocypha turconii ; Samar, Leyte, Biliran, Panaon (+ Luzon, Cebu, Mindanao)



Euphaea amphicyana ; Samar, Leyte, Biliran, Panaon (+ Mindanao,Dinagat, Basilan)


Euphaea cora ; Samar (+ Mindanao, Basilan)



Rhinagrion schneideri ; Samar, Leyte (east side -no recent sightings)


Rhinagrion philippinum ; Leyte (west side -no recent sightings) (+ Luzon, Mindoro, Negros, Masbate, Bohol)
male  /   female


Prodasineura integra ; Samar, Leyte (+Masbate, Homonhon, Mindanao, Basilan, Dinagat, Camiguin and south Luzon)


Coeliccia dinoceras ; Samar, Leyte, Panaon, Biliran (+ Siquijor, Bohol, Mindanao, Basilan, Dinagat)


Risiocnemis appendiculata ; Samar, Leyte, Panaon, Biliran (+ Bohol, Homonhon, Mindanao, Dinagat, Camiguin)


Risiocnemis praeusta ; Samar, Leyte, Panaon, Biliran (+Dinagat)


Igneocnemis flammea ; Samar, Leyte, Biliran, Panaon (also Homonhon, Mindanao, Dinagat)


Igneocnemis fuligifrons* ; Biliran, Leyte, Panaon (+ Mindanao, Dinagat, Basilan)


Igneocnemis siniae* ; Samar, Leyte, Biliran


Igneocnemis calceata ; Panaon (+Dinagat)


Igneocnemis kaiseri* ; Samar, Biliran (new island record March 2024)


Igneocnemis melanops ; Samar


Igneocnemis nigra ; Samar, Biliran (new island record September 2025) (+Dinagat)



-Agriocnemis femina (Variable Wisp) ; Biliran, Samar, Leyte, Panaon (+widespread in Phil. + Asia-Pacific)


-Agriocnemis pygmaea (Wandering Midget) ; Biliran, Panaon (+widespread in Phil. + Asia-Australia)
-Argiocnemis rubescens (Red-tipped Shadefly) ; Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Panaon (+widespread in Phil. + Asia, New Guinea and Australia)
-Ceriagrion lieftincki ; Samar, Leyte, Panaon (+widespread in Phil.)


-Ischnura senegalensis (Common Bluetail) ; Biliran, Leyte, Samar (+widespread in Phil. + Africa, Middle East, Asia)
-Pseudagrion pilidorsum (Red Sprite) ; Samar, Leyte, Biliran, Panaon (+widespread in Phil. + Asia)

Teinobasis filamenta ; Biliran, Leyte, Samar, Panaon (+ Homonhon, Bohol, Mindanao, Basilan)
Teinobasis filiformis ; Leyte (+Luzon)
Teinobasis olivacea ; Biliran, Samar, Leyte (+widespread in Phil.)
Teinobasis samaritis ; Biliran, Samar, Leyte (+widespread in Phil.)
Teinobasis strigosa ; Samar (+Luzon, Polillo)

Xiphiagrion cyanomelas ; Leyte, Samar (+Luzon, Sibuyan, Mindanao, Dinagat, Sulu + Borneo, Indonesia, Papua, Solomons)

Pandanobasis curacha ; Samar (+Homonhon, Surigao del Sur?)
Pandanobasis daku ; Leyte, Biliran


Pericnemis yakal ; Samar, Leyte (+Mindanao)
Pericnemis muragbonita ; Samar, Biliran, Leyte
Pericnemis lestoides ; Samar, Biliran, Leyte (cf. lestoides?)
Pericnemis sp. nov. ; undescribed/new ; Biliran (a mystery, 1 female photographed only)

Sangabasis feliculoi* ; Samar


Sangabasis braulitae* ; Leyte, Samar (+Homonhon, Camiguin)