Red Basker 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

Red Basker Urothemis assignata Rooisonvangertjie

Images and articles to assist with the identification of damselfly species, Red Basker, Urothemis assignata, Rooisonvangertjie

Click on all images to enlarge

Learn more about Baskers

Baskers

Pygmy Basker

Other African Species

Urothemis assignata Red Basker Male Kozibay KZN RSA MCH 2018

Red Basker
Urothemis assignata

Urothemis edwardsii Blue Basker Marlothpark April 2015

Blue Basker
Urothemis edwardsii

107 581 St Lucia Basker Dec Richardsbay KZN RSA 2019r 3

St Lucia Basker
Urothemis luciana

Aethriamanta rezia, Pygmy Basker.

Pygmy Basker
Aethriamanta rezia

Urothemis thomasi Desert Basker C Huv Roberts

Desert Basker
Urothemis thomasi
© Huv Roberts

Red-veined Urothemis veneta Basker KD Dijkstra

Red-veined Basker
Urothemis veneta
© KD Dijkstra

Distribution:

Distribution Map
South Africa

Political map
South Africa

Topographical
Map South Africa

Distribution Map Africa

Political Map
Africa

Topographical Map
Africa

South Africa:

Widespread and common in the eastern coastal regions and the warm northern parts of South Africa.

Africa:

Angola; Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Côte d'Ivoire; Cameroon; Congo-Brazzaville; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ethiopia; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Guinee-Bissau; Kenya; Liberia; Malawi; Mali; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Republic of Guinea; Republic of South Africa; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Somalia; South Sudan; Tanzania; Togo; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe

Further reading:

Websites:

The IUSN Red list of Threatened Species (Least Concern)
A Visual Guide to the Damselflies and Dragonflies of South Africa

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