Coastal Glider

Macrodiplax cora, the coastal glider, is a dragonfly in the family Libellulidae with a broad Indo-Pacific distribution recorded from Taiwan across Southeast Asia, South Asia, eastern Africa, and Pacific islands, indicating a strongly dispersive species with wide coastal and low-elevation range. The genus Macrodiplax is small, containing only two to three species, and the coastal glider is associated with coastal wetlands, mangrove pools, tidal flats, brackish water lagoons, and the margins of freshwater bodies near coastlines, tolerating a degree of salinity that many freshwater odonates cannot. It is a medium-sized dragonfly with brownish or golden coloring and often perches conspicuously on exposed vegetation or in the open near water. Males defend territories around breeding water while females deposit eggs by tapping the water surface in flight. Larvae develop in shallow standing or slow-moving water, preying on aquatic invertebrates. Macrodiplax cora is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN given its extensive range across the Indo-Pacific region. Coastal wetland habitats it depends on are under pressure from saltmarsh reclamation, pollution, and coastal development, but the species' apparent tolerance of disturbed habitats has allowed it to persist across much of its range.