Synthemiopsis gomphomacromioides

Synthemiopsis gomphomacromioides, also known as the Tasmanian spotwing, is a species of dragonfly from southern and north-western Tasmania, Australia. It is the only species in the genus Synthemiopsis and has also been placed in its own tribe, Synthemiopsini. R. J. Tillyard, who first described it, considered it intermediate between the Australian genus Synthemis and the Chilean Gomphomacromia. He had material from swamps around Cradle Mountain, at about altitude, and from Flowerdale Creek near Wynyard. Synthemiopsis gomphomacromioides flies rapidly over the swamps and often sits on reeds. It occurs together with Synthemis tasmanica, a similar but duller-coloured species.

==Documentation== Tillyard described Synthemiopsis gomphomacromioides in 1917 on the basis of both adults and larvae, but his larvae are in fact probably Synthemis tasmanica, a different dragonfly species. Arthropod researcher Günther Theischinger documented the larvae of Synthemiopsis gomphomacromioides while on a holiday trip in 1994 to Tasmania, near Mount Darwin. Despite falling and breaking his ribs at the start of the holiday, Theischinger observed a newly emerged Synthemiopsis gomphomacromioides dragonfly, and finally discovered exuviae (remains from moulting) from a single female and several larvae. At home, however, he reidentified the exuviae and larvae as Archaeosynthemis macrostigma orientalis, another dragonfly from the same group. He discovered several confusions among larvae from this dragonfly group. After collecting in Tasmania again in 1999, he concluded that the specimens he had found in 1994 were in fact Synthemiopsis gomphomacromioides.