By Colour - Orange, Brown - Dragonflies & Damselflies of southern Africa

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Beautiful Damselflies

Chlorolestes apricans,
Amatola Malachite Male
Endemic to south Africa
Visible in a small area in the Eastern Cape
Endangered

Platycypha fitzsimmonse,
Bouder Jewel, Male
Endemic to South Africa
Prefers Rocky streams at higher altitudes

Proischnura polychromatica,
Mauve Bluet
Endemic to South Africa
Extremely rare and critically endangered

Pseudagrion newtoni,
Harlequin Sprite, Male
Endemic to South Africa
Rare and localised.

Beautiful Dragonflies

1 4020 Aethriamanta rezia Pygmy Basker P Mch 2024r 3

Aethriamanta rezia, Pygmy Basker
Not often seen. Only visible in the warm costal areas of eastern Southern Africa
Prefers Well vegetated pond

Crenigomphus hartmann, Clubbed Talontail,
Seen perching on rocks in fast flowing rivers
Females often seen some distance away from the water.

Nesciothemis farinosa, Eastern Blacktail
Hunts up and down Ponds and fast flowing streams. Often cohabit and confused with skimmers

Beautiful Dragonflies

Tetrathemis polleni,
Black-splashed Elf
Found on shady streams and pools

103 502 Ceratogomphus triceraticus Cape thorntail 6

Ceratogomphus triceraticus,
Cape Thorntail, Male
Endemic to South Africa
Inhabit flowing rock strewn streams

Diplacodes pumila
Dwarf Percher
Female
Endemic to South Africa

Trithemis hecate,
Silhouette Dropwing,
Male
Not often seen in South africa

By Colour - Orange, Brown

Key to image grouping:

Genera

Trithemis -Dropwings
Ortherum - Skimmers
Syncordolia - Presba
Clubtail - various genera

Wings

Wing Patches

Large Defined
No markings

Wings Veins

Well defined colourful veins

Abdomen

Dorsal Abdomen Markings

Long, broad, well defined
Long thin less defined
At tip (Segments 8 -10)
No markings
Black and yellow

Lateral Abdomen Markings

Prominent markings

Synopsis

Only males are shown. To view females follow the link to the main description page
A click on the name or image will link to the respective description page

Trithemis - Dropwings

109 506 Trithemis donaldsoni Denm Dropwing Female Swadini LP RSA Apr 2019 3 Denim Dropwing Trithemis donaldsoni
Female

100 3804 Trithemis wernerii Elegant Dropwing Female1 Close up Ndumu Mch 2018r 3 Elegant DropwingTrithemis wernerii
Female

100 3042 Trithemis aconita Halfshade dropwing Female Close up Songimvelo MP RSA Febr 2019r 2 Halfshade DropwingTrithemis aconita
Female

Highlands Dropwing Trithemis dorsalis Female

100 1532 Trithemis stictica Jaunty Dropwing Female Hertzogberg MP RSA Nov 2017r 9 Trithemis stictica Jaunty Dropwing Female

Recent discovery

Microgomphus nyassicus,
Eastern Scissortail
Male
Photographed by dragonfly photographer Antoinette Snyman or the first time in southern Africa May 2019

Interesting fact

Zygonyx torridus
Ringed Cascader
Male
Hunts over rapid flowing streams close to cascad

Recently Described

Syncordulia venator,
Mahogany Presba.
Rare. Endemic to the Western Cape Region of South Africa

Beautiful

Phyllogomphus selysi.
Bold Leaftail. Male
Male Seldom seen in South Africa.
Note: Peculiar shaped clasper

Recently Revised

Orthetrum hintzi,
Dark-shouldered Skimmer
Prefers Clear water ponds with grassy verges

Recently Revised

Ceratogomphus pictus,
Common Thorntail,
Found near streams and pools

Recently Revised

Pantala flavescens, Pantala
Hunts over open water and pools

Recently Revised

Africallagma glaucum, Swamp Bluet.
Found at the edge of clear water pools