White-legged damselfly | |
---|---|
Mature male | |
Young female both in Warsaw, Poland | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Odonata |
Suborder: | Zygoptera |
Family: | Platycnemididae |
Genus: | Platycnemis |
Species: | P. pennipes |
Binomial name | |
Platycnemis pennipes (Pallas, 1771) | |
The white-legged damselfly or blue featherleg (Platycnemis pennipes) is a damselfly of slow-flowing, muddy waters. [2] It occurs from the Atlantic to Siberia and is often abundant throughout its range. [3]
Platycnemis pennipes is about 32 millimetres (1.3 in) long. [4] Mature adults differ from most other blue damselflies in having expanded white edges to the tibiae, paired black markings down most of the abdomen, broad pale brown double antehumeral stripes, wider head and a pale brown pterostigmata. [2]
The male has a blue abdomen that is often pale and usually has a greenish thorax. The female is a very pale yellow-green colour with black markings.
This species favours unshaded slow-flowing sections of muddy rivers with abundant floating vegetation. it has been recorded in tidal rivers and the larvae seem well able to tolerate brackish water. It also occurs in muddy streams but is rare in lakes or ponds of any sort. [2] In north-west Europe, it is mostly confined to flowing waters. [3]
Mating is preceded by the male displaying his white legs in a fluttering display flight in front of females. [4] Elongated eggs are laid whilst in tandem, into emergent stems and especially the underside of floating leaves. The larvae live amongst bottom debris and emerge after two years.
After emerging, adults tend to congregate in the shelter of tall vegetation, although some immatures wander away from water and have been found five kilometres away from the nearest breeding site.
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 keeled skimmer is a species of dragonfly belonging to the family Libellulidae.
The banded demoiselle is a species of damselfly belonging to the family Calopterygidae. It is often found along slow-flowing streams and rivers. It is a Eurasian species occurring from the Atlantic coast eastwards to Lake Baikal and northwestern China.
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 arroyo bluet is a damselfly of the family Coenagrionidae, native to the western United States, south to southern Mexico. It is associated with slow-flowing streams or lake margins with emergent vegetation.
Erythemis simplicicollis, the eastern pondhawk, also known as the common pondhawk, is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae, native to the eastern two-thirds of the United States and southern Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is a dragonfly of ponds and still waters. The species is distinguished in that the female is bright green with a banded abdomen and the mature male has a blue abdomen with a green face and green and blue thorax.
The scarlet dragonfly is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. Its common names include broad scarlet, common scarlet-darter, and scarlet darter.
The Norfolk damselfly or dark bluet is a species of blue damselfly of the family Coenagrionidae native to Eurasia.
Elattoneura glauca is a species of damselfly in the family Platycnemididae. It is known also as the common threadtail, the grey threadtail or gewone draadstertjie. It is native to the southern half of the African continent, where it is widespread. It lives in shady areas along rivers and streams.
Orthetrum abbotti is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. Common names include little skimmer and Abbott's skimmer.
Eastern forktail is a member of the damselfly family Coenagrionidae.
Lestes sponsa is a damselfly with a wide Palaearctic distribution. It is known commonly as the emerald damselfly or common spreadwing. Both males and females have a metallic green colour and brown wing spots. It resides near pools with aquatic plants. When resting its wings are usually half opened.
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.
Rhadinosticta simplex is a species of damselfly in the family Isostictidae. It is commonly known as the powdered wiretail. It is located in Australia, where it is fairly common and localised.
Aeshna canadensis, the Canada darner, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. It is common throughout southern Canada and the northern United States.
Platycnemis acutipennis, known as the orange featherleg or the orange white-legged damselfly, is a species of damselfly in the family Platycnemididae.
Acanthagrion quadratum, or Mexican wedgetail, is a pond damselfly of the family Coenagrionidae. It was first described by Edmond de Sélys Longchamps in 1876.