Photograph courtesy of the Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry

The Libellulid Dragonflies (Odonata: Libellulidae) of South Africa

Compiled by Tanza Crouch and Tessa Hedge

Department of Entomology & Arachnology, Durban Natural Science Museum, P O Box 4085, Durban, 4000 South Africa
Tel: +27 [0]31-311 2243       Fax: +27 [0]31-311 2242

© Copyright of this page belongs to the author.
Yours is the access since 1st January 2000

CONTENTS

Introduction
Libellulidae
References

Photograph courtesy of Hamish Robertson, South African Museum

Family: LIBELLULIDAE Tillyard

  1. Genus: TETRATHEMIS Brauer 1868: 182
    1. T. polleni (Selys)
      Neophlebia polleni Selys 1869: Recherches faune Madagascar. Insecta: 18, 20
      = Tetrathemis carpenteri Fraser 1941: Proc. r. Ent. Soc. Londi 10(8): 140
      Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, to equatorial Africa; October to January and June


  2. Genus: NOTIOTHEMIS Ris 1919: 1053
    1. N. jonesi jonesi Ris
      Notiothemis jonesi Ris 1919: Coll. Selys Longchamps 16(2): 1054, f. 613
      Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, to Kenya and Zaire; December, February and May


  3. Genus: ORTHETRUM Newman 1833: 511
    1. O. abotti abotti Calvert
      Orthetrum abbotti Calvert 1892: Trans. amer. ent. Soc. 19: 162
      Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; October to April

    2. O. brachiale (Palisot de Beauvois)
      Libellula brachiale Palisot de Beauvois 1817: Ins. Afr. Amer. **: 171, pl. 2, f. 3
      Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, to equatorial Africa; December to March and May

    3. O. caffrum caffrum (Burmeister)
      Libellula caffrum Burmeister 1839: Handb. Ent. 2(II)(2): 856
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Lesotho, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; October to June

    4. O. chrysostigma chrysostigma (Burmeister)
      Libellula chrysostigma Burmeister 1839: Handb. Ent. 2(II)(2): 857
      Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Northern Province, to Mediterranean; October to May

    5. O. guineense Ris
      Orthetrum guineense Ris 1910: Coll. Selys Longchamps 10: 207 f. 143
      Northern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Northwestern Province and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; October to April

    6. O. hintzi Schmidt
      Orthetrum hintzi Schmidt 1951: Archos. Mus. Bocage 20: 178
      KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northwestern Province and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; November to January

    7. O. icteromelas cinctifrons Pinhey 1970
      Orthetrum icteromelas cinctifrons Pinhey 1970: Occ. Pap. natn. Mus. Sth. Rhod. (B)4: 302
      KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Northwestern Province and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; November to March

    8. O. jullia falsum Longfield
      Orthetrum julia falsum Longfield 1955: Publcoes. cult. Co. Diam. Angola 27: 26
      Eastern Cape, Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northwestern Province and NorthernProvince, to Ethiopia; November to May, July

    9. O. julia capicola Kimmins
      = O. capense (Calvert, nec Linnaeus) Proc. U. S. natn. Mus. 16(951): 584 f. 3
      Orthetrum julia capicola Kimmins 1957: nom nov. Entomologist 90: 95
      Western Cape; October to April

    10. O. machadoi Longfield
      Orthetrum machadoi Longfield 1955: Publcoes. cult. Co. Diam. Angola 27: 35 f. 5a, e, j
      KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Northern Province, to Zimbabwe and Botswana; September to March

    11. O. robustum Balinsky
      Orthetrum robustum Balinsky 1965: Novos Taxa ent. (39): 3
      KwaZulu-Natal, to Botswana and Zambia; December

    12. O. rubens Barnard
      Orthetrum rubens Barnard 1937: Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 32: 246
      Western Cape; October to January

    13. O. trinacria trinacria (Selys)
      Libellula trinacria Selys 1841: Revue Zool. 4: 244
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Northern Province, to the Mediterranean; November to March, July


  4. Genus: NESCIOTHEMIS Longfield 1955: 59
    1. N. farinosa (Förster)
      Orthetrum farinosa Förster 1898: Ent. Nachr. 24: 169
      Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; October to April


  5. Genus: PALPOPLEURA Rambur 1842: 26
    1. P. deceptor (Calvert)
      Hemistigmoides deceptor Calvert 1899: ** 241
      Swaziland and Northwestern Province, to equatorial Africa; January to March

    2. P. jucunda jucunda Rambur
      Palpopleura jucunda Rambur 1842: Ins. Neur: **: 134
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northwestern Province and Northern Province, to Ethiopia and equatorial Africa; October to June

    3. P. lucia (Drury)
      Libellula lucia Drury 1773: Ill. nat. Hist. 2: 82, pl. 45 f. 1
      Libellula portia Drury 1773: Ill. nat. Hist. 2: 86 pl. 47 f. 3
      Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; October to June


  6. Genus: CHALCOSTEPHIA Kirby 1889: 258, 293
    1. C. flavifrons Kirby
      Chalcostephia flavifrons Kirby 1889: Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. 12: 337
      KwaZulu-Natal, to equatorial Africa; December and February


  7. Genus: HEMISTIGMA Kirby 1889: 263, 295
    1. H. albipuncta (Rambur)
      Libellula albipuncta Rambur 1842: Ins. Neur. **: 93
      KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Northern Province, to Namibia and equatorial Africa; October to April


  8. Genus: ACISOMA Rambur 1842: 28
    1. A. panorpoides ascalaphoides Rambur
      Acisoma panorpoides ascalaphoides Rambur 1842: Ins. Neur. : 29 pl. 2, f. 3c
      KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Northern Province, to the Mediterranean; November, December, May and June


  9. Genus: DIPLACODES Kirby 1889: 263, 307
    1. D. deminuta Lieftinck
      Diplacodes deminuta Lieftinck 1969: Resuly. Scient. Expl. hydrobiol. 14(4): 32 f. 5ažd
      KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Province, to Zambia; December and March

    2. D. lefebvrii lefebvrii (Rambur)
      Libellula lefebvrii Rambur 1842: Ins. Neur. **.
      KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Northwestern Province, Northern Province and Northern Cape, to North Africa; October to May


  10. Genus: CROCOTHEMIS Brauer 1868: 367, 736
    1. [ C. divisa Karsch
      Crocothemis divisa Karsch 1898: Ent. Nachr. **: 342
      Zimbabwe ]

    2. C. erythraea (Brullé)
      Libellula erythraea Brullé 1832: Expl. Moree. 2(1): pl. 32, f. 4
      Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Northwestern Province and Northern Province, to north Africa and western Asia; October to June

    3. C. sanguinolenta sanguinolenta (Burmeister)
      Libellula sanguinolenta Burmeister 1839: Handb. Ent. 2(II)(2): 859
      Northern Province, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northwestern Province and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; October to May


  11. Genus: BRADINOPYGA Kirby 1893: 553
    1. B. cornuta Ris
      Bradinopyga cornuta Ris 1911: Coll. Selys Longchamps 13: 547 f. 327
      KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, to Kenya; October to May


  12. Genus: BRACHYTHEMIS Brauer 1868: 367, 736
    1. B. lacustris (Kirby)
      Trithemis lacustris Kirby 1889: Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. 12: 329
      Western Cape and Northern Province, to Ethiopia and Senegal; November to March

    2. B. leucosticta (Burmeister)
      Libellula leucosticta Burmeister 1839: Handb. Ent. 2(II)(2): 849
      Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; November to May


  13. Genus: SYMPETRUM Newman 1833: 511
    1. S. fonscolombii (Selys)
      Libellula fonscolombii Selys 1840: Mon. Lib. Eur. 29, 49, 208
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northern Province, to the Mediterranean; **


  14. Genus: PHILONOMON Förster 1906: (10, sep)
    1. P. luminans (Karsch)
      Sympetrum luminans Karsch 1893: Berl. Ent. Z. 38: 22
      = Philonomon erlangeri F&oummml;rster 1906: Jber. Ver. Naturk. Mannheim 71ž72: 10, sep.
      KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, to equatorial Africa; November to March


  15. Genus: TRITHEMIS Brauer 1868: 176, 366, 735
    1. T. aconita Lieftinck
      Trithemis aconita Lieftinck 1969: Resut. Scient. Expl. Hydrobiol. 14(4): 40 f. 7c
      KwaZulu-Natal, to equatorial Africa; November to January

    2. T. annulata annulata (Palisot de Beauvois)
      Libellula annulata Palisot de Beauvois 1807: Ins. Afr5. Amer. : 69 pl. 3, f. 3
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Northern Province to the Mediterranean coast; November to May

    3. T. arteriosa arteriosa (Burmeister)
      Libellula arteriosa Burmeister 1839: Handb. Ent. 2(II)(2): 850
      Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Northern Province, to the Mediterranean; November to May

    4. T. donaldsoni donaldsoni (Calvert)
      Pseudomacromia donaldsoni Calvert 1899: Proc. Acad. nat. Sci. Philad. 51: 235 pl. 10 f. 5
      Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; December to March

    5. T. dorsalis (Rambur)
      Libellula dorsalis (Rambur 1842): Ins. Neur. **: 89
      = Stoechia distanti Kirby 1898: Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (7)2: 236
      = Misthotus marshalli Kirby 1905: Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (7)15: 192
      = Misthotus ambiguus Kirby 1905: Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (7)15: 192
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Gauteng andNorthern Province, to Kenya and Zaire; October to April

    6. T. furva Karsch
      Trithemis furva Karsch 1899: Ent. Nachr. 25: 370
      Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northwestern Province and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; December to May

    7. T. hecate Ris
      Trithemis hecate Ris 1912: Coll. Selys Longchamps 14: 787
      Northern Province, to Tanzania and Zaire; December

    8. T. kirbyi ardens Gersaecker
      Libellula ardens Gerstaecker 1891: Jb. hamb. wiss. Aust. 9: 187
      Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northwestern Province and Northern Province; October toApril, June

    9. T. pluvialis Förster
      Trithemis pluvialis Förster 1906: Jb. ver. Naturk. Mannheim 71ž72: 30
      Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Northern Province, to Kenya and Ghana; December, February, April and August

    10. T. sticata (Burmeister)
      Libellula sticata Burmeister 1839: Handb. Ent. 2(II)(2): 850
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northwestern Province and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; October to April

    11. T. werneri Ris
      Trithemis werneri Ris 1912: Coll. Selys Longchamps 14: 765 f. 436
      Northern Province; **


  16. Genus: ZYGONYX Hagen 1867: 62
    1. Z. natalensis natalensis (Martin)
      Pseudomacromia natalensis Martin 1900: Bull. Mus. Hist. nat. Paris 6: 105
      KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa;

    2. Z. torridus torridus (Kirby)
      Pseudomacromia torrida Kirby 1889: Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. 12: 299, 340
      KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga and Northern Province, to the Mediterranean and Asia; November to May


  17. Genus: OPLOGASTA Karsch 1895: 201
    1. O. fuelleborni Grünberg
      Oplogasta fuelleborni Grünberg 1902: Sber. Ges. naturf. Freunde Berl. 9: 235
      Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, to Sudan and Nigeria; November to March

    2. O. lugubris Karsch
      Libellula lugubris Karsch 1895: Ent. nachr. 21: 199, 201
      Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; December and March


  18. Genus: RHYOTHEMIS Hagen 1867: 232
    1. R. semihyalina semihyalina (Desjardins)
      Libellula semihyalina Desjardins 1832: Rapport Soc. Maurice Isl: 1
      Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; October to December


  19. Genus: ZYXOMMA Rambur 1842: 26, 30
    1. Z. atlanticum Selys
      Zyxomma atlanticum Selys 1889: Annali. Mus. civi. Stor. nat. Genova 27: 449
      KwaZulu-Natal, to equatorial Africa; December and January


  20. Genus: PARAZYXOMMA Pinhey 1961: 176
    1. P. flavicans (Martin)
      Zyxomma flavicans Martin 1908: Annali. Mus. civ. Stor. nat. Genova 43: 657
      KwaZulu-Natal, to equatorial Africa; December


  21. Genus: THOLYMIS Hagen 1867: 221
    1. T. tillarga (Fabricius)
      Libellula tillarga Fabricius 1798: Ent. Syst. Suppl. **: 285
      KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; December to April


  22. Genus: PANTALA Hagen 1861: 141
    1. P. flavescens (Fabricius)
      Libellula flavescens Fabricius 1798: Ent. Syst. Suppl. **: 285
      Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Nothwestern Province, Northern Cape and Northern Province, through Africa to Asia, theAmericas and Australia; October to March


  23. Genus: TRAPEZOSTIGMA Hagen 1849: Steltin. Ent. Ztg. 10: 174
    = TRAMEA Hagen syn: Neurop. N. Amer. : 114, 143
    1. T. basilare burmeisteri Kirby 1889
      Tramea burmeisteri Kirby 1889: Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. 12: 316
      Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Northern Province, to equatorial Africa; November to April

    2. T. continentale Selys
      Tramea continentalis Selys 1878: itt. K. Zool. Mus. Dresden 3: 299
      Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northwestern Province, to Somalia and Senegal; November to February, June


  24. Genus: UROTHEMIS Brauer 1868: 175, 366, 737
    1. U. assignata (Selys)
      Libellula assignata Selys 1872: Revue Zool. (2)23: 176
      Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Province, to Somalia and Senegal; November toMarch

    2. U. edwardsii edwardsii (Selys)
      Libellula edwardsii Selys 1849: Lucas: Explor. Algerie 3: 124 pl. 2, f. 5, 5a
      KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Province, to Somalia and Senegal; December to March

    3. U. luciana Balinsky
      Urothemis luciana Balinsky 1961: J. Ent. Soc. sth. Afr. 24: 86 f. 13, 15
      KwaZulu-Natal (endemic); November and December


  25. Genus: AETHRIAMANTA Kirby 1889: 262, 283
    1. A. rezia Kirby
      Aethriamanta rezia Kirby 1889: Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1889: 298
      KwaZulu-Natal, to Kenya and Senegal; November and December


  26. Genus: MACRODIPLAX Brauer 1868: 366, 737
    1. M. cora (Kaup)
      Diplax cora Kaup 1867, in Brauer: Verh. Zool. žbot. Ges. Wien 17: 20, 289
      KwaZulu-Natal, Somalia, to Mauritius, Asaia and Australia; **

REFERENCES

Hedge, T.A. & Crouch, T.E. 1999.
Clarification of the names Orthetrum julia falsum Longfield, 1955 and O. julia capicola Kimmins, 1957 (Odonata: Anisoptera: Libellulidae). African Entomology 7: 302-304.

This part of A Catalogue of South African Insects revised: