Africallagma vaginale (Sjöstedt, 1917)
Forest Bluet

Synonyms:

  • scientific: A. longfieldae (Fraser, 1947)

Type locality: Lake Victoria, Uganda

Diagnosis

Male is similar to A. glaucum by (a) postclypeus black; (b) Fw Pt diamond-shaped, opposite borders roughly parallel and of similar length, pale brown to black; (c) tibiae with prominent black stripes along almost entire length (d) cerci at most slightly longer than paraprocts (e) spine of paraprocts does not reach beyond bulge (at most slightly) or tip of cerci; cerci with dorsal border not or weakly excised; (f) base of paraprocts much swollen, resulting in prominent inferior bulge. However, differs by (1) being restricted to forests from W Kenya and NW Zambia to W Africa; (2) metapleural suture with prominent black stripe, rather than black dot at dorsal end; (3) Abd slender rather than stout, wing tips do not reach further than 3/4 length of S6; (4) S8 usually largely black, S9 broadly black laterally, rather than both entirely blue; (5) ventral process of cerci slender rather than broad, almost continuous with bluntly rectangular apex. [Adapted from Dijkstra & Clausnitzer 2014; this diagnosis not yet verified by author]

Habitat description

Standing and mostly temporary waters shaded by or in open areas in forest. Often with emergent and usually aquatic vegetation. From 0 to 1700 m above sea level.

Distribution

confirmed: Angola; Cameroon; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Gabon; Ghana; Kenya; Rwanda; Tanzania; Uganda; Zambia


Male © Nicolas Meziere


Appendages (dorsal view)

Appendages (lateral view)

Appendages (caudal view)

Penis (lateral view)

Penis (ventral 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):


Adult, male; Angola, Cuanza Norte Province, Quitexe-Camabatela road © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.


Adult, male; Gabon, NGOUNIE, Parc National des monts Birougou © Mézière, Nicolas


Adult, male; Angola, Cuanza Norte Province, Quitexe-Camabatela road © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.


Adult, male; Angola, Uige Province, new campus site and environs © Clausnitzer, V. & Dijkstra, K.-D.B.

References

  • Sjöstedt, Y. (1917). Odonaten aus Abessinien, Ost- und Westafrika. Arkiv Zoologi, 11, 1-27.
  • Pinhey, E.C.G. (1961). Dragonflies (Odonata) of Central Africa. Occasional Papers Rhodes-Livingstone Museum, 14, 1-97. [PDF file]
  • Pinhey, E.C.G. (1962). Some records of Odonata collected in tropical Africa. Journal Entomological Society Southern Africa, 25, 20-50. [PDF file]

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