Dancing Jewel Male Close-up - 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

Dancing Jewel Male Close-up

Dancing Jewel Platycypha caligata Dansende Juweeltjie

Dancing Jewel Male Close-up images as an identification aid for damselfly Dancing Jewel, Platycypha caligata, Dansende Juweeltjie

More images:

100 052 Platycypha calgata Dancing Jewel Mooinooi NWP RSA MCH 2015r 5

100 002 Platycypha caligata Dancing Jewel Buffelspoort NWP RSA Jan 2016r 2

100 684 Platycypha calgata Dancing Jewel Male Close up Ezemvelo GP RSA Nov 2018r 4

100 672 Platycypha calgata Dancing Jewel Male Close up Ezemvelo GP RSA Nov 2018r 1

102 016 2018 01 31 Ezemvelo klein kop toraks

Distribution:

Distribution Map

Political Map

Topographical Map

Distribution

Political Map

Topographical Map

South Africa

North, east and south eastern parts not found in the dry central parts and the Northern Cape.

South Africa

Endemic to Tropical Africa
Angola; Botswana; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ethiopia; Kenya; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; Republic of South Africa; Rwanda; South Sudan; Swaziland; Tanzania; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe

Further reading:

Websites of interest:

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