Brachythemis impartita | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Odonata |
Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
Family: | Libellulidae |
Genus: | Brachythemis |
Species: | B. impartita |
Binomial name | |
Brachythemis impartita (Karsch, 1890) | |
Synonyms | |
Zonothrasys impartitusKarsch, 1890 |
Brachythemis impartita, the Northern banded groundling, is a species of dragonfly, a skimmer from the family Libellulidae from central and northern Africa, its range extending into southern Europe and the Middle East. It was previously considered to be conspecific with B. leucosticta .
Brachythemis impartita has a pale cream pterostigma in both sexes and their eyes appear to be striped. The female has a buffy abdomen and thorax, males are darker and mature males can be dark blue to black on the abdomen and thorax. Males have bands on the outer wings from the node to just short of the pterostigma, this is paler in teneral individuals but darkens as the dragonfly matures. [2] Where they overlap with B. leucosticta the males can be distinguished by the colour of the veins and the genital lobe, as well as by the ventral structure of segment 8. The females cannot yet be told apart. [3] The length of this dragonfly is from 25 to 34 millimetres (0.98 to 1.34 in) and the span of the hindwings is 20 to 26 millimetres (0.79 to 1.02 in). [4]
Brachythemis impartita is found from central Africa as far south as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania north through Africa and to the Mediterranean Sea. [5] Its range also extends into the Middle East where it has been recorded from the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Cyprus and southern Anatolia. [1] It has colonised southern Europe and was first recorded there in Portugal in 1957 but it is now also found in Spain, Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily and by 2015 in mainland Italy. [6]
Brachythemis impartita is generally a lower level species of slow moving rivers, lakes and still waters in rather open landscapes. It prefers waters with softer substrates such as sand and, possibly mud. [5] Both this species and B. leucosticta are well known in Africa for their habit of following and flying around larger animals, including people, to catch insects disturbed by their passage. Where they occur these dragonflies can be the most common species of Odonata. [3]
Brachythemis impartita was formerly considered a synonym of B. leucosticta but workers noted that the adult males came in two morphs and that the ranges of the morphs overlapped in central Africa. Although the females could not be told apart the differences in the males were consistent, especially the colour of the genitalia and the permanent bands on the outer wings. The name Brachythemis impartita was given to specimens collected in at Ngaoundaba Ranch in Cameroon and described as Zonothrasys impartitus by Ferdinand Karsch in 1890. Cameroon lies within the range of B. impartita and so these were designated as neotypes. It may be that where the two species overlap, B. leucosticta breeds on muddy substrates while B. impartita prefers sandier areas. [3]
Odonata is an order of flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies.
The black-tailed skimmer is a dragonfly belonging to the family Libellulidae.
The red-veined darter or nomad is a dragonfly of the genus Sympetrum.
The common darter is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae native to Eurasia. It is one of the most common dragonflies in Europe, occurring in a wide variety of water bodies, though with a preference for breeding in still water such as ponds and lakes. In the south of its range adults are on the wing all year round.
The keeled skimmer is a species of dragonfly belonging to the family Libellulidae.
The large red damselfly is a species of damselflies belonging to the family Coenagrionidae. It is native to the western Palearctic.
The blue-tailed damselfly or common bluetail is a damselfly, belonging to the family Coenagrionidae.
The southern hawker or blue hawker is a species of hawker dragonfly.
The ruddy darter is a species of dragonfly of the family Libellulidae.
Brachythemis is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae. They are commonly known as groundlings.
Brachythemis leucosticta, the banded groundling or Southern banded groundling, is a species of dragonfly belonging to the family Libellulidae. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Sympecma fusca, the common winter damselfly, is a damselfly a member of the Lestidae and related to the emeralds or spreadwings.
The band-winged meadowhawk is a dragonfly of the genus Sympetrum belonging to the family Libellulidae.
The eastern amberwing is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is very small, reaching a total length of no more than 25 millimetres (0.98 in). The males have orange or amber wings. Both sexes have a red pterostigma.
Chalcolestes viridis, formerly Lestes viridis, is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body. Its common name is the willow emerald damselfly, the green emerald damselfly, or the western willow spreadwing. It has an elongated abdomen and pale brown spots on its wings and resides in areas of still water with overhanging trees.
Orthetrum brunneum, the southern skimmer, is a species of 'skimmers' belonging to the family Libellulidae.
Sympetrum meridionale, the southern darter, is a species of dragonfly belonging to the Skimmer family Libellulidae.
Orthetrum serapia, the green skimmer, is a freshwater dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. The serapia species is present in Australia, the Philippines, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. It inhabits a wide range of still and sluggish waters, often shallow. In Australia it ranges from the top end of the Northern Territory to about Mackay in central Queensland.
Brachythemis contaminata, ditch jewel, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is found in many Asian countries.
Bradinopyga geminata is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae known commonly as the granite ghost. It is native to India, Sri Lanka and Thailand, where it is a common and widespread species.