Orthetrum angustiventre (Rambur, 1842)
Many-celled Skimmer

Type locality: Senegal, no locality data available.

Diagnosis

Male is similar to O. austeni by (a) great size, Hw 34-50 mm; (b) Fw triangle 3-4 cells, subtriangle of 5-10 cells; (c) Fw discoidal field of 4-5 cell-rows at base; (d) Pt 5 mm or more. However, differs by (1) favouring pools in savanna and woodland; (2) membranule whitish rather than dark; (3) 17-19 Ax in Fw; (4) subcostal Ax pale rather than dark; (5) 3-4 cell-rows in radial planate; (6) Abd under 3 mm wide. [Adapted from Dijkstra & Clausnitzer 2014]

Habitat description

Standing and probably often temporary waters in open landscapes, but sometimes also open areas in forest or possibly shaded by gallery forest. Often with emergent vegetation and a soft (like muddy) bottom. From 0 to 700 m above sea level, but possibly up to 1800.

Distribution

confirmed: Benin; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Gambia; Ghana; Guinee-Bissau; Liberia; Mali; Nigeria; Senegal; Sierra Leone; South Sudan; Togo; Uganda; Zambia; NOT confirmed: Angola; Côte d'Ivoire; Kenya; Republic of Guinea


Male © Wil Leurs


Abdominal segment 2 (lateral view)

Map citation: Clausnitzer, V., K.-D.B. Dijkstra, R. Koch, J.-P. Boudot, W.R.T. Darwall, J. Kipping, B. Samraoui, M.J. Samways, J.P. Simaika & F. Suhling, 2012. Focus on African Freshwaters: hotspots of dragonfly diversity and conservation concern. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 10: 129-134.


Barcode specimen(s):


Male; Democratic Republic of Congo, Katanga, Kundelungu National Park © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.


Female; Sierra Leone, Eastern Province, Gola Forest © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.

References

  • Rambur, P. (1842). Histoire Naturelle des Insectes. Neuroptères. Insectes Neuroptères. Paris: Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret xvii, 534
  • Longfield, C. (1936). Studies on African Odonata, with synonymy and descriptions of new species and subspecies. Transactions Royal Entomological Society London, 85, 467-498. [PDF file]
  • Pinhey, E.C.G. (1962). New or little-known dragonflies (Odonata) of Central and Southern Africa. Occasional Papers National Museum Southern Rhodesia, 26, 892-911. [PDF file]
  • Kirby, W.F. (1900). Report on the Neuroptera Odonata collected by Mr E. E. Austen at Sierra Leone during August and September 1899. Annals Magazine Natural History, 6, 67-79. [PDF file]
  • Schmidt, E. (1951). Libellen aus Portugiesisch Guinea, mit Bemerkungen über andere aethiopische Odonaten. Arquivos Museu Bocage, 20, 125-200. [PDF file]
  • Longfield, C. (1955). The Odonata of N. Angola. Part I. Publicacoes culturais Companhia Diamantes Angola, 27, 11-63. [PDF file]

Citation: Dijkstra, K.-D.B (editor). African Dragonflies and Damselflies Online. http://addo.adu.org.za/ [2024-10-12].