Trithemis arteriosa (Burmeister, 1839)
Red-veined Dropwing

Synonyms:

  • scientific: T. jacksoni Pinhey, 1970

Type locality: Natal, South Africa

Diagnosis

Male is similar to T. imitata and T. monardi by (a) labrum at least partly pale; (b) at least some basal veins yellow to red; Pt yellow to dark reddish brown; (c) hamule with short, strongly curved hook; (d) Abd slender, S4 over 3x as long as wide. S8-9 largely black, with pale markings concentrated basally and/or dorsally; (e) lateral carinae of S5-7 usually marked with black. However, differs by (1) black lines on thorax usually irregular and thick, curving backwards to near or touch each other; (2) Pt reddish to almost black (rather than yellow to pale brown), contrast with anterior and often posterior black vein usually weak; (3) amber Hw patch often excludes triangle and sometimes even anal loop, its distal border roundly curved towards tornus; (4) S8 dorsal carina all pale (rather than being black at base), at most black trace at base, merging with pale basal spot, or entire dorsum pale. [Adapted from Dijkstra & Clausnitzer 2014; this diagnosis not yet verified by author]

Habitat description

Standing and often temporary waters, rivers, (headwater) streams and possibly large lakes and flowing channels in marshes, mostly in open landscapes, but also open areas in forest. Usually with emergent vegetation. From 0 to 2400 m above sea level, but mostly below 1700.

Distribution

confirmed: Algeria; Angola; Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Côte d'Ivoire; Cameroon; Cape Verde; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo-Brazzaville; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Djibouti; Egypt; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Guinee-Bissau; Kenya; Liberia; Libya; Malawi; Mali; Mauritania; Morocco; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Republic of Guinea; Republic of South Africa; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Socotra (Yemen); Somalia; South Sudan; Sudan; Swaziland; Tanzania; Togo; Tunisia; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe; NOT confirmed: Lesotho; São Tomé & Príncipe


Male © Erland Nielsen


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):


Male; Democratic Republic of Congo, Province Orientale, Kisangani © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.


Male; Democratic Republic of Congo, Province Orientale, Kisangani © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.


Male; Tanzania, Kigoma Region, Lower Malagarasi Basin © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.


Male; Tanzania, Tanga Region, East Usambara Mts © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.


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


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


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


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


Adult, male; South Africa, Western Cape, Kogelberg Nature Reserve © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.


Adult, male; South Africa, Western Cape, Hottentots-Holland Nature Reserve © Dijkstra, K.-D.B.


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

References

  • Burmeister, H. (1839). Handbuch der Entomologie. Zweiter Band, Befondere Entomologie. Zweite Abtheilung. Kauterfe. Gymnognatha. (Zweite hälfte; vulgo Neuroptera). Enslin, Berlin 755-1050. Odonata, 805-862.
  • 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]
  • Longfield, C. (1931). A list of the Odonata of British Somaliland and a description of a new species of the genus Enallagma. Entomologist, 64, 274-278. [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]
  • Barnard, K.H. (1937). Notes on dragon-flies (Odonata) of the S. W. Cape with descriptions of the nymphs and of new species. Annals South African Museum, 32, 169-260. [PDF file]
  • Karsch, F. (1899). Odonaten von Johann-Alrecht-Höhe (Nord- Kamerun), gesammelt von Herrn Leopold Conradt. Entomologische Nachrichten, 25, 161-176. [PDF file]
  • Ris, F. (1931). Odonata aus Süd-Angola. Revue Suisse Zoologie, 38, 97-112. [PDF file]
  • Longfield, C. (1959). The Odonata of N. Angola. Part II. Publicacoes culturais Companhia Diamantes Angola, 45, 13-42. [PDF file]
  • Karsch, F. (1894). Libellen von der Deutschen Forschungs-Station Yáunde im Hinterlande von Kamerun, gesammelt von Herrn G. Zenker. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift, 39, 11-16. [PDF file]
  • Sjöstedt, Y. (1900). Odonaten aus Kamerun, West -Afrika. Beltrage Zur Kenntnis der insektenfauna von Kamerun. Binhang Kongliga Svenka Vetenskaps Akademiens Handlingar, 25, 1-62.
  • Schouteden, H. (1934). Annales Musee Congo belge Zoologie 3 Section 2, 3, 1-84. [PDF file]
  • Pinhey, E.C.G. (1966). Notes on African Odonata, particularly type material. Revue Zoologie Botanique Africaines, 73, 283-308. [PDF file]
  • Lieftinck, M.A. (1969). Odonates Anisoptères - Odonata Anisoptera. Explor. hydrob. Lac Bangweolo and Luapula, 14, 1-64. [PDF file]
  • Pinhey, E.C.G. (1971). Odonata collected in Republique Centre-Africaine by R. Pujol. Arnoldia, 5, 1-16. [PDF file]
  • Schmidt, E. (1951). Libellen aus Portugiesisch Guinea, mit Bemerkungen über andere aethiopische Odonaten. Arquivos Museu Bocage, 20, 125-200. [PDF file]
  • Pinhey, E.C.G. (1970). Monographic study of the genus Trithemis Brauer (Odonata: Libellulidae). Memoirs Entomological Society Southern Africa, 11, 1-159. [PDF file]
  • D' Andrea, M., and Carfi, S. (1997). Nuove raccolte di odonati del Camerun con note su Agriocnemis maclachlani Selys, 1877 edescrizione di Agriocnemis dissimilis sp. nov. e Trithemis osvaldae sp. nov. Atti Societa italiana Scienze naturali, 136, 157-190. [PDF file]
  • Sjöstedt, Y. (1909). Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der schwedischen zoologischen Expedition nach dem Kilimandjaro, dem Meru und den umgebenden Massaisteppen Deutsch-Ostafrikas 1905-1906 unter Leitung von Prof. Dr. Yngve Sjöstedt. 14. Pseudoneuroptera. Odonata, 14, 1-52.

Citation: Dijkstra, K.-D.B (editor). African Dragonflies and Damselflies Online. http://addo.adu.org.za/ [2024-03-29].