Rhyothemis semihyalina (Desjardins, 1832)
Phantom Flutterer

Type locality: Mauritius, no locality data available.

Diagnosis

Male is easily identified by (1) Hw with uniformly dark antenodal area and clear postnodal half, Fw at most with dark smear near base; (2) no cell-doublings (rarely up to 4) in radial planate of all wings; count those cells touching Rspl, but not IR3. [Adapted from Dijkstra & Clausnitzer 2014]

Habitat description

Standing and often temporary waters in open landscapes. Usually with emergent and often aquatic vegetation, and a soft (like muddy) bottom. From 0 to 1800 m above sea level, but mostly below 1500.

Distribution

confirmed: Algeria; Angola; Benin; Botswana; Côte d'Ivoire; Cameroon; Chad; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ethiopia; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Guinee-Bissau; Kenya; Liberia; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; Nigeria; Republic of South Africa; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Socotra (Yemen); Somalia; South Sudan; Tanzania; Togo; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe; NOT confirmed: Eritrea; Swaziland


Male © Allan Brandon


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):


Female; Democratic Republic of Congo, Katanga, © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.


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


Adult, male; Zimbabwe, Manicaland, Vumba Mts © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.


Adult, male; Zimbabwe, Manicaland, Vumba Mts © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.


Adult, female; Zimbabwe, Manicaland, Vumba Mts © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.

References

  • Desjardins, J.F. (1835). Extraits du troisième rapport lu à la première séance annuelle de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de l'île Maurice. Annales Societe Entomologique France, 4, 2-10.
  • Ris, F. (1921). The Odonata or Dragonflies of South Africa. Annals South African Museum, XVIII, 245-452. [PDF file]
  • Balinsky, B.I. (1961). Observations on the dragonfly fauna of the coastal region of Zululand, with descriptions of three new species (Odonata). Journal Entomological Society Southern Africa, 24, 72-91. [PDF file]
  • Pinhey, E.C.G. (1961). Dragonflies (Odonata) of Central Africa. Occasional Papers Rhodes-Livingstone Museum, 14, 1-97. [PDF file]
  • Pinhey, E.C.G. (1966). Check-list of dragonflies (Odonata) from Malawi, with description of a new Teinobasis Kirby. Arnoldia, 2, 1-24. [PDF file]
  • Martin, R. (1896). Odonates des îles Seychelles. Memoires Societe Zoologique France, 9, 101-112. [PDF file]
  • Schouteden, H. (1934). Annales Musee Congo belge Zoologie 3 Section 2, 3, 1-84. [PDF file]
  • Schmidt, E. (1951). Libellen aus Portugiesisch Guinea, mit Bemerkungen über andere aethiopische Odonaten. Arquivos Museu Bocage, 20, 125-200. [PDF file]

Citation: Dijkstra, K.-D.B (editor). African Dragonflies and Damselflies Online. http://addo.adu.org.za/ [2024-03-28].