Africa Wild

Slate Sprite Pseudagrion salisburyense
Suborder: Zygoptera. Superfamily: Coenagrionoidea. Family: Coenagrionidae

© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Male, garden in Johannesburg

© BluTuna
Young male, garden in Johannesburg

© BluTuna
Female, garden in Johannesburg

Description
Body length: 35–38 mm
Hindwing length: 20.5–21 mm
Plain, slate blue thorax above with a mauve sheen in males. Eyes are black above and green on the undersides. Has two round, bright blue, postocular spots. In the female the blue postocular spots are joined by a brownish bar. The abdomen has a bluish tip which later turns whitish in colour.

Distribution
Very common throughout much of South Africa, except in the southwestern Cape.


Habitat
Among tall grasses and reeds beside quiet reaches and pools of streams and small rivers.

Biology
Flight period: All year, but scarce July to August.


Links:
http://thebdi.org/2020/05/20/slate-spri ... sburyense/
http://www.dragonflies-id.co.za/Damself ... prite.html
https://www.warwicktarboton.co.za/dfpgs ... yense.html

Elegant Dropwing Dragonfly Trithemis werneri
Suborder: Anisoptera. Superfamily Libelluloidea. Family: Libellulidae



© BluTuna
Kruger National Park, on the H1-5 near Olifants camp, South Africa


Description
Medium sized, length 28–35–40mm; wingspan 47–59–66mm.
Orangy to dull red.


Distribution
Angola; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Kenya; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; South Africa; South Sudan; Tanzania; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe.
In South Africa only known from the Kruger National Park.

Habitat
Wide, swift, open, rocky and reedy savanna rivers with large treeslining upperbanks.

Biology
Flight period: November to May.

Links:
http://thebdi.org/2020/04/24/elegant-dr ... s-werneri/
https://books.google.de/books?id=mQH95H ... ri&f=false
https://www.dragonflies.co.za/index.php ... t-dropwing
https://www.dragonflies.co.za/index.php ... is-werneri

Masai Sprite Pseudagrion massaicum
Suborder: Zygoptera. Superfamily: Coenagrionoidea. Family: Coenagrionidae

© Pumbaa
Male, Kruger National Park

© BluTuna
Male

© BluTuna
Ngewnya Lodge

© BluTuna
Mating Masai Sprite Damselflies at Ngewnya Lodge


Description
Body length: 31–35 mm
Hindwing length: 16.5–20.5 mm
Head and thorax in males all the same red colour. Very clearly marked bright red dumbbell-shaped postocular spots. The only Pseudagrion with bright orange on the sides of the thorax. Has a blue pruinescent area between the wing bases and a cobalt blue abdominal tip in males.

Distribution
This species has been recorded from South Africa to Somalia and Ethiopia, westwards to southern Angola and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Habitat
This species is found near streams and rivers in savannah and bush. Perches close to the water on lilies and emergent grass stems in pools and dams. Adults are well documented to fly near swimming pools and artificial waterholes.

Biology
Flight period: Oct to May.


Links:
https://www.dragonflies.co.za/index.php ... sai-sprite
https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/60025/85367515
http://thebdi.org/2020/03/04/masai-spri ... massaicum/
https://www.warwicktarboton.co.za/dfpgs ... aicum.html

Swarthy Sprite Pseudagrion hamoni
Suborder: Zygoptera. Superfamily: Coenagrionoidea. Family: Coenagrionidae

© BluTuna
Male, Ngwenya Lodge

Description
Small to medium-sized. Body length: mm 36-38. Hindwing length: 19.5-20 mm.
Mostly maroon to blackish, contrasting colours, with thorax above very dark and light below, light patches between wings and multi-coloured abdomen.

Face: dull, deep red or brickish red, and black. Labrum and genae maroon. Head above all dull black, with green, greenish blue or, in old individuals brownish green, angular postocular spots, linked by a bar of the same colour.
Eyes: deep red in front, maroon behind, with a light blue patch below maroon area. With age, eyes stay red in front but become black behind. Some populations have dull red eyes with a blackish horizontal ring around middle, and brownish behind.
Prothorax: black, pruinescent at sides.
Synthorax: above, black with bronze sheen and maroon to dark brown stripes. Sides slight greenish blue with light pruinescence becoming very heavy below. Blue spots, becoming pruinescent with age, between wing bases. Femora are black, and tibiae rusty
Wings: clear.
Pterostigmas: reddish brown
Abdomen: above black with bronze sheen. Viewed from below yellowish green with black spots. S1-2 above with heavy pruinescence. S7 black
above and below. S8-9 with bright light blue separated at joint between S8 and S9 by a fine, black, scallopedged ring. S9 has a terminal black saddle. In old individuals, S8-9 light grey with heavy pruinescence

Female: with orangy brown and black head, and pale brown and black body.

Distribution
This Afrotropical species is widespread and often common from the northern half of South Africa to western Africa (Senegal, southern Niger and southern Mali) and Kenya.


Habitat
It is found insavannah and bush. Rivers, both perennial and ephemeral, but also seasonal pools with diverse vegetation.
Perches conspicuously over slow-moving rivers in hot savanna.

Biology
Flight period: November to May.


Links:
http://thebdi.org/2020/05/21/swarthy-sp ... on-hamoni/
https://www.dragonflies.co.za/index.php ... thy-sprite
http://www.dragonflies-id.co.za/Damself ... prite.html
https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/60019/83865948

Corkscrew Hooktail Paragomphus elpidius
Suborder: Anisoptera. Superfamily: Aeshnoidea. Family: Gomphidae

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park, Letaba

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park, Letaba

Description
Medium-sized, greenish, yellowish and brown with reddish brown club.


Distribution
Botswana; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Kenya; Malawi; Namibia; Republic of South Africa; Tanzania; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe.


Habitat
Open, fast, savanna rivers with wide, rubbly banks.

Biology
Flight period: December to April.


Links:
http://thebdi.org/2020/05/12/corkscrew- ... -elpidius/
http://www.dragonflies-id.co.za/Dragonf ... ktail.html
https://books.google.de/books?id=mQH95H ... th&f=false
https://books.google.de/books?id=mQH95H ... us&f=false

Common Citril, Common Pond Damsel Ceriagrion glabrum
Suborder: Zygoptera. Superfamily: Coenagrionoidea. Family: Coenagrionidae


© BluTuna
Male, Kruger National Park, Crocodile Bridge Camp

© BluTuna
Female, Kruger National Park, Crocodile Bridge Camp

© ExFmem
Young female, Kruger National Park



Description
By far the most common and widespread Ceriagrion species in Africa, the mature male has green eyes, the head and thorax (brownish) orange to bright yellow and the abdomen orange to red. It can always be recognised by S10 with raised processes on both sides of apical excision, each bearing several large black denticles; and also the paraprocts reach well beyond tips of cerci.
Small; wingspan 46 mm.
Male easily recognised as a citril species by its bright orange abdomen but only conclusively distinguishable Suave Citril by the presence of a small tooth on the hind margin of s10 (Suave Citrillacks these).
Female less easily identifiable as a citril, is uniformly pale olive to fawn, becoming orange with age, best identified by association with male.

Distribution
Widespread from South Africa to the Sahel.



Habitat
Standing and often temporary waters in open landscapes, open areas in forest or shaded by gallery forest. Usually with emergent and often aquatic vegetation.

Links:
http://thebdi.org/2020/05/11/common-cit ... n-glabrum/
Warwick Tarboton Photos
http://www.dragonflies-id.co.za/Damself ... itril.html
http://addo.adu.org.za/index.php?taxon_id=26500
https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/59828/75380384

Glistening Demoiselle Phaon iridipennis
Suborder: Zygoptera. Superfamily: Calopterygoidea. Family: Calopterygidae

© ExFmem
Female, Kruger National Park

© BluTuna
Female, Kruger National Park, Crocodile Bridge Camp


Description
Very large, metallic greenish brown with large, rounded glistening wings which have dense and delicate net-like venation. The Glistening Demoiselle is distinguishable from all other damselflies in the region by its large size, sombre colouring, densely veined wings and large number (about 25) of Ax veins in fore- and hindwings.
Female: Club-like end of abdomen very conspicuous.

Distribution



Habitat
Rivers and streams, but possibly also flowing channels in marshes, shaded by gallery forest, but sometimes also in open areas in forest. Often with emergent vegetation, submerged roots, coarse detritus and/or probably overhanging branches.

Links:
http://thebdi.org/2020/04/20/glistening ... idipennis/
Warwick Tarboton Photos
http://www.dragonflies-id.co.za/Damself ... selle.html
https://www.dragonflies.co.za/index.php ... demoiselle
https://books.google.de/books?id=gz-aDw ... is&f=false

Horned Rockdweller Bradinopyga cornuta
Suborder: Anisoptera. Superfamily Libelluloidea. Family: Libellulidae

© ExFmem
Male, Kruger National Park

Description
Body length: 42–43mm. Hindwing length: 33–35mm.
Medium-sized, all mottled brown and grey with horned head, long wings with dark tips. Short abdomen, light patch on S7.
Settles on rocky domes.


Distribution
This species is widespread in the southern Africa region, with records ranging from South Africa to Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Common in Southern Kruger National Park.


Habitat
Standing and mostly temporary waters in open landscapes. Often with bare banks and a hard (like rocky) bottom.

Biology
Flight period: September to May.



© ExFmem


Links:
http://thebdi.org/2020/06/15/horned-roc ... a-cornuta/
https://books.google.de/books?id=mQH95H ... ta&f=false
http://www.dragonflies-id.co.za/Dragonf ... eller.html
http://addo.adu.org.za/index.php?taxon_id=70300

Genus Sympretum Newman, 1833 (Darters)
Suborder Anisoptera. Superfamily Libelluloidea. Family Libellulidae

The genus Sympetrum has a species-rich occurrence in North America, Europe and Asia. There are only two species in Africa south of the Sahara, both of which also occur in South Africa. Sympetrum fonscolombii is a migrant, breeding in temporary pools. It is widespread in most parts of Africa, whereas S. navasi is very localised to swamp and large river habitats.
Darters are small- to medium-sized dragonflies. The males have a red abdomen. In both species the female is guarded in tandem by her mate when she lays her eggs by touching the water surface in flight. Characteristic features of the genus are the low number of antenodal veins (6.5–7.5 or even 8.5 in the forewing). It is currently under discussion whether the two species belong to the genus Sympetrum, since they may belong to two completely different genera. Hence, the genus names of both species may change.

Meaning of scientific name: The name is composed of the Greek sym-piézein – “to compress” and êtron – “abdomen”. Newman, the author of the genus, believed erroneously that a laterally compressed abdomen was characteristic of the genus.

Key to the Sympetrum species
1 Male. ......................................................................................................................... 2
– Female. ...................................................................................................................... 3
2 (1) Wing venation red on basal half. Thorax brownish with yellow fields and black makings.................. S. fonscolombii
– Wing venation completely black. Thorax completely brown. ....................................................... S. navasi
3 (1) Wing venation yellow on basal half. ................................................................................ S. fonscolombii
– Wing venation completely brown. ....................................................................................... S. navasi

Red-veined Darter, Nomad Sympretum fonscolombii
Suborder Anisoptera. Superfamily Libelluloidea. Family Libellulidae

Aged male, Kruger National Park, Satara (Feb 2021) © mposthumus

Identification
The male’s abdomen is scarlet and the thorax laterally red with a yellow or greenish-yellow spot. The hindwings are marked with a yellow basal spot. The pterostigma is yellow in both sexes.
Other species with a red body, broader abdomen and yellow basal wing spots are Crocothemis erythraea, C. sanguinolenta and Trithemis kirbyi.

Face: reddish brown. Labrum, frons and front of vertex reddish brown. Sides of postclypeus and frons, and back of vertex, yellowish or greyish brown.
Eyes: dark reddish brown above, greyish blue below.
Prothorax: with long setae giving appearance of a 'hairy collar'.
Synthorax: reddish brown, becoming greyer at sides, with two indistinct, diagonal grey to cream stripes. Sometimes only one of these stripes is visible.
Wings: with small orange splashes at bases, more so in hindwing. Veins reddish brown, particularly near thorax.
Pterostigmas: light yellowish brown between dark brown veins, 3.1-3.2 mm long. Membranule white.
Abdomen: usually orange-red, with two black dashes both in centre and at sides of S8-9. Some individuals distinctly more pale orange-brown than
orange-red.
Female: yellowish brown becoming greyish brown with age, with an indistinct, wide, pale greyish diagonal line on side of thorax. A fine black line along abdomen separates yellowish brown above from pale straw below.

Meaning of scientific name
Named in honour of the French entomologist ELJH Boyer de Fonscolombe (1772–1853), who described the species for the first time, but under a name that was occupied by another species.

Distribution
The species is widespread in Africa, Europe and western Asia.


Ecology and behaviour
Sympetrum fonscolombii is a migrant species that Southern Africa during the rainy season. It colonises all types of freshwater habitats. Development from egg to emergence takes less than 50 days and may be completed in as little as 35 days. The larvae are well adapted to dwell in rain pools of short duration. Due to its rapid growth, the species may complete several generations within a year. During egg-laying, the female is usually guarded by the male in tandem. With a dancing flight of the tandem, the female touches the water surface. Usually, the eggs are placed in open-water habitats with sparse vegetation.
The Red-veined Darter is common between September and May but most abundant Oct-Nov and a few individuals may be seen mid-winter.

Links:
http://www.dragonflies-id.co.za/Dragonf ... Nomad.html