List of Odonata species of South Africa
Appearance
The common English names are those used by Tarboton (2015)[1] and Tarboton and Tarboton (2015).[2] Alternative names used by Tarboton and Tarboton (2002),[3] Tarboton and Tarboton (2005),[4] Samways (2008),[5] and Dijkstra and Clausnitzer (2014)[6] are given in brackets.
Zygoptera (damselflies)
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Phaon_iridipennis.jpg/220px-Phaon_iridipennis.jpg)
Calopterygidae
[edit]- Phaon
- Phaon iridipennis, glistening demoiselle
Chlorocyphidae
[edit]- Chlorocypha
- Chlorocypha consueta, ruby jewel
- Platycypha
- Platycypha caligata, dancing jewel
- Platycypha fitzsimonsi, boulder jewel (Fitzsimons's jewel[4])
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Mountain_Malachite_Chlorolestes_fasciatus_2012_04_21.jpg/220px-Mountain_Malachite_Chlorolestes_fasciatus_2012_04_21.jpg)
Synlestidae
[edit]- Chlorolestes
- Chlorolestes apricans, Amatola malachite (basking malachite[5])
- Chlorolestes conspicuus, conspicuous malachite
- Chlorolestes draconicus, Drakensberg malachite
- Chlorolestes elegans, elegant malachite
- Chlorolestes fasciatus, mountain malachite
- Chlorolestes nylephtha, queen malachite
- Chlorolestes peringueyi, rock malachite (marbled malachite[5])
- Chlorolestes tessellatus, forest malachite
- Chlorolestes umbratus, white malachite
Lestidae
[edit]- Lestes
- Lestes dissimulans, cryptic spreadwing
- Lestes ictericus, tawny spreadwing
- Lestes pallidus, pallid spreadwing
- Lestes plagiatus, highland spreadwing (common spreadwing[4])
- Lestes tridens, spotted spreadwing
- Lestes uncifer, sickle spreadwing
- Lestes virgatus, smoky spreadwing
Platycnemididae
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Allocnemis_leucosticta%2C_Goldtail_2013_02_03.jpg/220px-Allocnemis_leucosticta%2C_Goldtail_2013_02_03.jpg)
- Allocnemis
- Allocnemis leucosticta, goldtail
- Elattoneura
- Elattoneura frenulata, sooty threadtail
- Elattoneura glauca, common threadtail
- Mesocnemis
- Mesocnemis singularis, savanna riverjack (riverjack,[5] common riverjack[6])
- Metacnemis
- Metacnemis valida, blue riverjack (Kubusi stream-damsel,[4] Kubusi streamjack[5])
- Spesbona
- Spesbona angusta, spesbona (Ceres stream-damsel,[4] Ceres streamjack[5])
Coenagrionidae
[edit]- Aciagrion
- Aciagrion dondoense, opal slim
- Aciagrion gracile, graceful slim (Aciagrion pinheyi is treated as conspecific with A. gracile)[2]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Africallagma_sapphirinum_Sapphire_Bluet_2013_02_22.jpg/220px-Africallagma_sapphirinum_Sapphire_Bluet_2013_02_22.jpg)
- Africallagma
- Africallagma fractum, slender bluet
- Africallagma glaucum, swamp bluet
- Africallagma sapphirinum, sapphire bluet
- Africallagma sinuatum, arid bluet
- Agriocnemis
- Agriocnemis exilis, little whisp
- Agriocnemis falcifera, white-masked whisp
- Agriocnemis gratiosa, gracious whisp
- Agriocnemis pinheyi, Pinhey's whisp
- Agriocnemis ruberrima, orange whisp
- Azuragrion
- Azuragrion nigridorsum, sailing bluet (black-tailed bluet[4])
- Ceriagrion
- Ceriagrion glabrum, common citril
- Ceriagrion suave, suave citril
- Ischnura
- Ischnura senegalensis, tropical bluetail (African bluetail[4])
Proischnura rotundipennis, a southern African endemic
- Ischnura senegalensis, tropical bluetail (African bluetail[4])
- Proischnura
- Proischnura polychromatica, Cape bluet
- Proischnura rotundipennis, round-winged bluet
- Proischnura subfurcata, fork-tailed bluet
- Pseudagrion
- Pseudagrion acaciae, acacia sprite
Pseudagrion caffrum, a southern African endemic - Pseudagrion assegaii, assegai sprite
- Pseudagrion caffrum, springwater sprite
- Pseudagrion citricola, yellow-faced sprite
- Pseudagrion coeleste, catshead sprite
- Pseudagrion commoniae, black sprite
- Pseudagrion draconis, mountain sprite
- Pseudagrion furcigerum, palmiet sprite
- Pseudagrion gamblesi, great sprite (Gamble's sprite[4])
- Pseudagrion hageni, painted sprite (Hagen's sprite[4])
- Pseudagrion hamoni, swarthy sprite (Hamon's sprite[4])
- Pseudagrion inopinatum, Balinsky's sprite (Badplaas sprite[4])
- Pseudagrion kersteni, powder-faced sprite (Kersten's sprite[4])
- Pseudagrion makabusiense, makabusi sprite
- Pseudagrion massaicum, Masai sprite
- Pseudagrion newtoni, harlequin sprite (Newton's sprite[4])
- Pseudagrion salisburyense, slate sprite (Salisbury sprite[4])
- Pseudagrion sjoestedti, variable sprite (Sjostedt's sprite[4])
- Pseudagrion spernatum, upland sprite (Natal sprite[4])
- Pseudagrion sublacteum, cherry-eye sprite
- Pseudagrion sudanicum, blue-sided sprite (Sudan sprite[4])
- Pseudagrion vaalense, Vaal sprite
- Pseudagrion acaciae, acacia sprite
Anisoptera (dragonflies)
[edit]Gomphidae
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Ceratogomphus_pictus.jpg/220px-Ceratogomphus_pictus.jpg)
- Ceratogomphus
- Ceratogomphus pictus, common thorntail
- Ceratogomphus triceraticus, Cape thorntail
- Crenigomphus
- Crenigomphus cornutus, horned talontail
- Crenigomphus hartmanni, clubbed talontail (Hartmann's talontail[3])
- Gomphidia
- Gomphidia quarrei, southern fingertail (Quarre's fingertail[3])
- Ictinogomphus
- Ictinogomphus ferox, common tigertail
- Lestinogomphus
- Lestinogomphus angustus, spined fairytail
- Microgomphus
- Microgomphus nyassicus, eastern scissortail
- Neurogomphus
- Neurogomphus zambeziensis, Zambezi siphontail
- Notogomphus
- Notogomphus praetorius, yellowjack (yellowjack longleg[6])
- Onychogomphus
- Onychogomphus supinus, lined claspertail (claspertail,[3] gorge claspertail[5])
- Paragomphus
- Paragomphus cognatus, rock hooktail (boulder hooktail[5])
- Paragomphus elpidius, corkscrew hooktail
- Paragomphus genei, common hooktail (green hooktail[3][5])
- Paragomphus magnus, great hooktail
- Paragomphus sabicus, flapper hooktail (Sabi hooktail[3])
- Phyllogomphus
- Phyllogomphus brunneus, bold leaftail
Aeshnidae
[edit]- Anaciaeschna
- Anaciaeschna triangulifera, evening hawker
- Anax
- Anax ephippiger, vagrant emperor
- Anax imperator, blue emperor
- Anax speratus, orange emperor
- Anax tristis, black emperor
- Gynacantha
- Gynacantha manderica, little duskhawker (little dusk-hawker[3])
- Gynacantha usambaricus, Usambara duskhawker (Usambara dusk-hawker[3])
- Gynacantha villosa, hairy duskhawker (hairy cusk-hawker,[3] brown duskhawker[5])
- Pinheyschna
- Pinheyschna subpupillata, stream hawker
- Zosteraeschna
- Zosteraeschna minuscula, friendly hawker
- Zosteraeschna usambarica, forest hawker (Elliot's hawker[3][5])
Synthemistidae
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Syncordulia_gracilis_Yellow_Presba_2013_02_26_a.jpg/220px-Syncordulia_gracilis_Yellow_Presba_2013_02_26_a.jpg)
- Syncordulia
- Syncordulia gracilis, yellow presba
- Syncordulia legator, gilded presba
- Syncordulia serendipator, rustic presba
- Syncordulia venator, chestnut presba (mahogany presba[5])
Macromiidae
[edit]- Phyllomacromia
- Phyllomacromia contumax, two-banded cruiser
- Phyllomacromia monoceros, sable cruiser (black cruiser,[3] unicorn cruiser[5])
- Phyllomacromia picta, darting cruiser
Corduliidae
[edit]- Hemicordulia
- Hemicordulia africana, African emerald
Libellulidae
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Acisoma_variegatum_013255-1.jpg/220px-Acisoma_variegatum_013255-1.jpg)
- Acisoma
- Acisoma inflatum, stout pintail (grizzled pintail[3][5])
- Acisoma variegatum, slender pintail (grizzled pintail[3][5])
- Aethriamanta
- Aethriamanta rezia, pygmy basker
- Brachythemis
- Brachythemis lacustris, red groundling
- Brachythemis leucosticta, banded groundling
- Bradinopyga
- Bradinopyga cornuta, horned rockdweller (don-dwala[3])
- Chalcostephia
- Chalcostephia flavifrons, inspector
- Crocothemis
- Crocothemis divisa, rock scarlet (divisa scarlet[3][5])
- Crocothemis erythraea, broad scarlet
- Crocothemis sanguinolenta, little scarlet
- Diplacodes
- Diplacodes lefebvrii, black percher
- Diplacodes luminans, barbet percher (barbet[3])
- Diplacodes pumila, dwarf percher
- Hemistigma
- Hemistigma albipuncta, African piedspot (pied-spot[3][5])
- Macrodiplax
- Macrodiplax cora, coastal pennant (Cora's pennant[3][5])
- Nesciothemis
- Nesciothemis farinosa, eastern blacktail (black-tailed skimmer[3][5])
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Notiothemis_jonesi_Forest-Watcher_2012_12_28.jpg/220px-Notiothemis_jonesi_Forest-Watcher_2012_12_28.jpg)
- Notiothemis
- Notiothemis jonesi, eastern forestwatcher (forest-watcher,[3] Jones' forestwatcher[5])
- Olpogastra
- Olpogastra lugubris, bottletail (slender bottletail[3][5])
- Orthetrum
- Orthetrum abbotti, little skimmer (Abbott's skimmer[3])
- Orthetrum brachiale, banded skimmer
- Orthetrum caffrum, two-striped skimmer
- Orthetrum chrysostigma, epaulet skimmer
- Orthetrum guineense, Guinea skimmer
- Orthetrum hintzi, dark-shouldered skimmer (Hintz's skimmer[3][5])
- Orthetrum icteromelas, spectacled skimmer
- Orthetrum julia, Julia skimmer
- Orthetrum machadoi, highland skimmer (Machado's skimmer[3][5])
- Orthetrum monardi, woodland skimmer
- Orthetrum robustum, robust skimmer
- Orthetrum rubens, elusive skimmer (ruby skimmer[3])
- Orthetrum stemmale, bold skimmer (strong skimmer[3][5])
- Orthetrum trinacria, long skimmer
- Palpopleura
- Palpopleura deceptor, deceptive widow
- Palpopleura jucunda, yellow-veined widow
- Palpopleura lucia, Lucia widow
- Palpopleura portia, portia widow
- Pantala
- Pantala flavescens, pantala (wandering glider[6])
- Parazyxomma
- Parazyxomma flavicans, banded duskdarter (banded dusk-darter[3])
- Rhyothemis
- Rhyothemis semihyalina, phantom flutterer
- Sympetrum
- Sympetrum fonscolombii, nomad
- Tetrathemis
- Tetrathemis polleni, black-splashed elf (black-splash[3])
- Tholymis
- Tholymis tillarga, twister
- Tramea
- Tramea basilaris, keyhole glider
- Tramea limbata, ferruginous glider (voyaging glider[5])
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Trithemis_werneri%2C_Elegant_Dropwing.jpg/220px-Trithemis_werneri%2C_Elegant_Dropwing.jpg)
- Trithemis
- Trithemis aconita, halfshade dropwing (monkshood dropwing[3][5])
- Trithemis annulata, violet dropwing
- Trithemis arteriosa, red-veined dropwing
- Trithemis donaldsoni, denim dropwing (Donaldson’s dropwing[3])
- Trithemis dorsalis, highland dropwing (dorsal dropwing,[3] round-hook dropwing[5])
- Trithemis furva, navy dropwing
- Trithemis hecate, silhouette dropwing (Hecate dropwing[3])
- Trithemis kirbyi, orange-winged dropwing (Kirby’s dropwing[3][5])
- Trithemis pluvialis, russet dropwing (river dropwing,[3] riffle-and-reed dropwing[5])
- Trithemis stictica, jaunty dropwing
- Trithemis werneri, elegant dropwing (Werner’s dropwing[3])
- Urothemis
- Urothemis assignata, red basker
- Urothemis edwardsii, blue basker
- Urothemis luciana, St Lucia basker
- Zygonoides
- Zygonoides fuelleborni, southern riverking (Fulleborn’s riverking,[3] robust riverking[5])
- Zygonyx
- Zygonyx natalensis, blue cascader (Scuffed Cascader[5])
- Zygonyx torridus, ringed cascader
- Zyxomma
- Zyxomma atlanticum, smoky duskdarter (smoky dusk-darter[3])
References
[edit]- ^ Tarboton, Warwick (May 2015). "Checklist of South African Odonata" (PDF). www.warwicktarboton.co.za. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- ^ a b Tarboton, Warwick; Tarboton, Michèle (2015). A Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of South Africa. Cape Town: Struik Nature. ISBN 9781775841845.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak Tarboton, W.R.; Tarboton, M. (2002). A fieldguide to the dragonflies of South Africa. South Africa: Warwick & Michèle Tarboton. ISBN 0620298871.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Tarboton, W.R.; Tarboton, M. (2005). A fieldguide to the damselflies of South Africa. South Africa: Warwick & Michèle Tarboton. ISBN 0620338784.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae Samways, Michael J. (2008). Dragonflies and damselflies of South Africa (1st ed.). Sofia: Pensoft. ISBN 978-954-642-330-6.
- ^ a b c d Dijkstra, K.-D.B.; Clausnitzer, V. (2014). The dragonflies and damselflies of eastern Africa. Tervuren: Royal Museum for Central Africa. ISBN 978-94-916-1506-1.