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SOUTHERN AFRICAN DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES

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The checklist below on the left lists the 159 Odonata species currently known to occur in South Africa. On the right are listed another 78 species recorded further north in southern Africa but not (yet) in South Africa.

In all, 11 families of Odonata are represented in the region, seven damselflies (Zygoptera) and four dragonflies (Anisoptera) and these are arranged in these lists in taxonomic order, damselflies first. Within each family the species are listed in alphabetic order, scientific name first, with feint lines dividing the genera and bolder lines dividing the families.

The species that have been photographed are highlighted, and to see the images of these, click on the species' name. The photographs are intended to supplement the illustrations and text to be found in our “Fieldguide to the dragonflies of South Africa” and “Fieldguide to the damselflies of South Africa”, and to our “Quick-guide to South African dragonflies”.

For trip reports click here

For PDF checklist of South African dragonflies click here


   SOUTH AFRICAN CHECKLIST
   SPECIES IN REST OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
Family CALOPTERYGIDAE Demoiselles Family CALOPTERYGIDAE Demoiselles
Phaon iridipennis GLISTENING DEMOISELLE Umma femina (S Angola) *
Family CHLOROCYPHIDAE Jewels Family CHLOROCYPHIDAE Jewels
Chlorocypha consueta RUBY JEWEL
Platycypha caligata DANCING JEWEL
Platycypha fitzsimonsi FITZSIMON’S JEWEL
Chlorocypha croceus DUSKY JEWEL (S Angola) *
Family COENAGRIONIDAE Sprites
Family COENAGRIONIDAE Sprites
Aciagrion dondoense OPAL SLIM
Aciagrion pinheyi SALMON SLIM
Aciagrion gracile GRACIOUS SLIM (Zimbabwe, Mozambique)
Aciagrion heterostictum LONG SLIM (Caprivi)
Aciagrion steeleae STEELE'S SLIM (Caprivi)
Africallagma elongatum SLENDER BLUET *
Africallagma glaucum SWAMP BLUET
Africallagma sapphirinum SAPPHIRE BLUET
Africallagma sinuatum ARID BLUET
Africallagma angolicum ANGOLA BLUET (S Angola)
Africallagma cuneistigma CHIMANIMANI BLUET (Zimbabwe, Mozambique)
Africallagma subtile PALE BLUET (Caprivi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique)
Agriocnemis exilis LITTLE WHISP
Agriocnemis falcifera WHITE-MASKED WHISP
Agriocnemis gratiosa GRACIOUS WHISP
Agriocnemis pinheyi PINHEY’S WHISP
Agriocnemis ruberrima ORANGE WHISP
Agriocnemis angolensis ANGOLA WHISP (Caprivi, Okavango, S Angola) *
Agriocnemis forcipata FORCEP WHISP (Caprivi)
Agriocnemis victoria VICTORIA WHISP (Okavango)
Azuragrion nigridorsum BLACK-TAILED BLUET
Ceriagrion glabrum COMMON ORANGE
Ceriagrion suave SUAVE ORANGE
Ceriagrion corallinum CORAL-RED CITRIL (Caprivi)
Ceriagrion katamborae KATAMBORA CITRIL (Caprivi, Okavango, Zambezi)
Ceriagrion kordofanicum KORDOFAN CITRIL (Mozambique)
Ceriagrion mourae MOURA'S CITRIL (Mozambique)
Ceriagrion whellani WHELLAN’S CITRIL (Zimbabwe)
Ischnura senegalensis AFRICAN BLUETAIL
Pinheyagrion angolicum (S Angola)
Proischnura polychromatica MAUVE BLUET
Proischnura rotundipennis ROUND-WINGED BLUET
Proischnura subfurcata FORK-TAILED BLUET *
Pseudagrion acaciae ACACIA SPRITE
Pseudagrion assegaii ASSEGAI SPRITE
Pseudagrion caffrum SPRINGWATER SPRITE
Pseudagrion citricola YELLOW-FACED SPRITE *
Pseudagrion coeleste coeleste CATSHEAD SPRITE
Pseudagrion c. umsingaziense UMSINGAZI SPRITE *
Pseudagrion commoniae BLACK SPRITE
Pseudagrion draconis MOUNTAIN SPRITE *
Pseudagrion furcigerum PALMIET SPRITE
Pseudagrion gamblesi GAMBLE’S SPRITE
Pseudagrion hageni hageni HAGEN’S SPRITE
Pseudagrion hageni tropicalis HAGEN’S SPRITE
Pseudagrion hamoni HAMON’S SPRITE
Pseudagrion inopinatum BADPLAAS SPRITE
Pseudagrion kersteni KERSTEN’S SPRITE
Pseudagrion makabusiense MAKABUSI SPRITE
Pseudagrion massaicum MASAI SPRITE
Pseudagrion newtoni NEWTON’S SPRITE
Pseudagrion salisburyense SALISBURY SPRITE
Pseudagrion sjoestedti SJOSTEDT’S SPRITE
Pseudagrion spernatum NATAL SPRITE *
Pseudagrion sublacteum CHERRY-EYE SPRITE *
Pseudagrion sudanicum SUDAN SPRITE
Pseudagrion vaalense VAAL SPRITE
Pseudagrion angolense ANGOLAN SPRITE (S Angola) *
Pseudagrion deningi DENING’S SPRITE (Okavango, Caprivi)
Pseudagrion fisheri FISHER’S SPRITE (Okavango, none recently)
Pseudagrion glaucescens GLAUCOUS SPRITE (Caprivi, Zim, Moz)
Pseudagrion greeni GREEN'S SPRITE (S Angola) *
Pseudagrion helenae HELEN’S SPRITE (Okavango, none recently)
Pseudagrion inconspicuum INCONSPICUOUS SPRITE (S Angola) *
Pseudagrion lindicum LINDICUM SPRITE (Mozambique)
Pseudagrion nubicum NUBIAN SPRITE (Zimbabwe, Botswana)
Pseudagrion rufostigma RUBY SPRITE (Okavango, Caprivi, Zambezi)
Pseudagrion vumbaense VUMBA SPRITE (Zimbabwe)
Family PLATYCNEMIDIDAE Stream-Damsels Family PLATYCNEMIDIDAE Stream-Damsels
Allocnemis leucosticta GOLDTAIL
Metacnemis angusta CERES STREAM-JACK
Metacnemis valida KUBUSI STREAM-JACK
Mesocnemis singularis RIVERJACK
Family PROTONEURIDAE Pinflies Family PROTONEURIDAE Pinflies
Elattoneura frenulata SOOTY THREADTAIL
Elattoneura glauca COMMON THREADTAIL
Elattoneura cellularis TROPICAL THREADTAIL (Caprivi, Moz, Zim)
Elattoneura cf "frenulata" ANGOLA THREADTAIL *
Chlorocnemis marshalli MARSHALL'S PINFLY (Mozambique, Zimbabwe) *
Family LESTIDAE Spreadwings Family LESTIDAE Spreadwings
Lestes dissimulans CRYPTIC SPREADWING
Lestes ictericus TAWNY SPREADWING
Lestes pallidus PALLID SPREADWING
Lestes plagiatus COMMON SPREADWING
Lestes tridens SPOTTED SPREADWING
Lestes uncifer SICKLE SPREADWING
Lestes virgatus SMOKY SPREADWING
Lestes amicus YELLOW-WINGED SPREADWING (Moz, Zim) *
Lestes ochraceus OCHRE SPREADWING (Mozambique)
Lestes pinheyi PINHEY’S SPREADWING (Okavango)
Family SYNLESTIDAE Malachites Family SYNLESTIDAE Malachites
Chlorolestes apricans AMATOLA MALACHITE
Chlorolestes conspicuus CONSPICUOUS MALACHITE *
Chlorolestes draconicus DRAKENSBERG MALACHITE
Chlorolestes elegans ELEGANT MALACHITE
Chlorolestes fasciatus MOUNTAIN MALACHITE
Chlorolestes tessellatus FOREST MALACHITE
Chlorolestes umbratus WHITE MALACHITE
 
Ecchlorolestes nylephtha QUEEN MALACHITE
Ecchlorolestes peringueyi ROCK MALACHITE
Family GOMPHIDAE Clubtails Family GOMPHIDAE Clubtails
Ceratogomphus pictus COMMON THORNTAIL *
Ceratogomphus triceraticus BALINSKY’S THORNTAIL
 
Crenigomphus cornutus HORNED TALONTAIL
Crenigomphus hartmanni HARTMANN’S TALONTAIL
Crenigomphus kavangoensis KAVANGO TALONTAIL (Caprivi)
Gomphidia quarrei QUARRE’S FINGERTAIL
Ictinogomphus ferox COMMON TIGERTAIL Ictinogomphus dundoensis DUNDO TIGERTAIL (Okavango, Caprivi)
Lestinogomphus angustus SPINED FAIRYTAIL Lestinogomphus silkeae SILKE’S FAIRYTAIL (Okavango)
Microgomphus mozambicensis (Mozambique, Zimbabwe)
Microgomphus nyassicus(Mozambique, Zimbabwe)
Neurogomphus zambeziensis ZAMBEZI SIPHONTAIL Neurogomphus cocytius KOKYTOS SIPHONTAIL (Caprivi, Okavango, Zim)
Notogomphus praetorius YELLOWJACK Notogomphus dendrohyrax (Mozambique, Zimbabwe)
Notogomphus zernyi (Zimbabwe)
Onychogomphus supinus CLASPERTAIL
Paragomphus cognatus ROCK HOOKTAIL
Paragomphus elpidius CORKSCREW HOOKTAIL
Paragomphus genei GREEN HOOKTAIL
Paragomphus sabicus SABI HOOKTAIL
Paragomphus acuminatus (Mozambique, Zimbabwe)
Paragomphus cataractae CATARACT HOOKTAIL (Caprivi, Zambezi)
Paragomphus longeiventris (Mozambique, Zimbabwe)
Paragomphus magnus GIANT HOOKTAIL (Mozambique, Zimbabwe)
Paragomphus nyassicus NYASA HOOKTAIL (Zimbabwe)
Paragomphus zambeziensis ZAMBEZI HOOKTAIL (Zambezi)
Phyllogomphus selysi BOLD LEAFTAIL
Family AESHNIDAE Hawkers, Emperors Family AESHNIDAE Hawkers, Emperors
Aeshna ellioti ELIOT’S HAWKER
Aeshna minuscula FRIENDLY HAWKER *
Aeshna subpupillata STREAM HAWKER *
Aeshna rileyi RILEY'S HAWKER (Zimbabwe)
Anaciaeschna triangulifera EVENING HAWKER
Anax ephippiger VAGRANT EMPEROR
Anax imperator BLUE EMPEROR *
Anax speratus ORANGE EMPEROR
Anax tristis BLACK EMPEROR
Anax bangweuluensis SWAMP EMPEROR (Okavango, Caprivi)
Anax chloromelas (Mozambique)
Gynacantha manderica LITTLE DUSK-HAWKER *
Gynacantha usambarica USAMBARA DUSK-HAWKER
Gynacantha villosa HAIRY DUSK-HAWKER
Gynacantha vesiculata (Mozambique)
Family CORDULIIDAE Presbas, Emeralds Family CORDULIIDAE Presbas, Emeralds
Hemicordulia africana AFRICAN EMERALD
Phyllomacromia contumax TWO-BANDED CRUISER
Phyllomacromia monoceros UNICORN CRUISER
Phyllomacromia picta DARTING CRUISER *
Phyllomacromia congolica CONGO CRUISER (Zimbabwe)
Phyllomacromia kimminsi KIMMINS’ CRUISER (Okavango, none recently)
Phyllomacromia overlaeti CLUBBED CRUISER (Caprivi, Zimbabwe)
Phyllomacromia subtropicalis (Zambezi)
Syncordulia gracilis YELLOW PRESBA
Syncordulia legator GILDED PRESBA
Syncordulia serendipator RUSTIC PRESBA
Syncordulia venator CHESTNUT PRESBA
 
Family LIBELLULIDAE Skimmers, etc Family LIBELLULIDAE Skimmers, etc
Acisoma panorpoides PINTAIL
Aethiothemis discrepans PEARL-SPOT (Okavango, Caprivi)
Aethriamanta rezia PYGMY BASKER
Atoconeura biordinata (Mozambique, Zimbabwe)
Brachythemis lacustris RED GROUNDLING
Brachythemis leucosticta BANDED GROUNDLING *
Brachythemis wilsoni WILSON’S GROUNDLING (Okavango)
Bradinopyga cornuta DON-DWALA
Chalcostephia flavifrons INSPECTOR
Crocothemis divisa DIVISA SCARLET
Crocothemis erythraea BROAD SCARLET
Crocothemis sanguinolenta LITTLE SCARLET *
Crocothemis saxicolor ROCK SCARLET (Zimbabwe)
Diplacodes lefebvrii BLACK PERCHER *
Diplacodes luminans BARBET *
Diplacodes pumila DWARF PERCHER
Diplacodes deminuta OKAVANGO PERCHER (Okavango)
Eleuthemis buettikoferi (Zimbabwe)
Eleuthemis quadrigutta (Mozambique, Zimbabwe)
Hadrothemis scabifrons (Mozambique, Zimbabwe)
Hemistigma albipunctum PIED-SPOT
Macrodiplax cora CORA’S PENNANT
Nesciothemis farinosa BLACK-TAILED SKIMMER
Nesciothemis minor (Botswana, none recently)
Notiothemis jonesi FOREST-WATCHER
Olpogastra lugubris SLENDER BOTTLETAIL
Orthetrum abbotti ABBOTT’S SKIMMER *
Orthetrum caffrum TWO-STRIPED SKIMMER *
Orthetrum chrysostigma EPAULET SKIMMER *
Orthetrum guineense GUINEA SKIMMER *
Orthetrum hintzi HINTZ’S SKIMMER *
Orthetrum icteromelas SPECTACLED SKIMMER *
Orthetrum julia capicola JULIA SKIMMER
Orthetrum julia falsum JULIA SKIMMER
Orthetrum machadoi MACHADO’S SKIMMER
Orthetrum robustum ROBUST SKIMMER
Orthetrum rubens RUBY SKIMMER
Orthetrum stemmale STRONG SKIMMER *

Orthetrum trinacria LONG SKIMMER
Orthetrum brachiale RIVER SKIMMER (Moz, Zim, Bots, Namibia) *
Palpopleura deceptor DECEPTIVE WIDOW
Palpopleura jucunda YELLOW-VEINED WIDOW *
Palpopleura lucia LUCIA WIDOW
Palpopleura portia PORTIA WIDOW *
 
Pantala flavescens PANTALA
Parazyxomma flavicans BANDED DUSK-DARTER *
  Porpax asperipes (Zimbabwe)
Porpax risi (Mozambique)
Rhyothemis semihyalina PHANTOM FLUTTERER Rhyothemis fenestrina BLACK-WINGED FLUTTERER (Oka, Cap)
Rhyothemis mariposa BUTTERFLY FLUTTERER (S Angola)
Sympetrum fonscolombii NOMAD *
Sympetrum navasi SWAMP DARTER (Okavango, caprivi)
Tetrathemis polleni BLACK-SPLASH *
Tholymis tillarga TWISTER
Tramea basilare KEYHOLE GLIDER
Tramea continentale FERRUGINOUS GLIDER
 
Trithemis aconita MONKSHOOD DROPWING
Trithemis annulata VIOLET DROPWING
Trithemis arteriosa RED-VEINED DROPWING *

Trithemis donaldsoni DONALDSON’S DROPWING
Trithemis dorsalis DORSAL DROPWING *
Trithemis furva NAVY DROPWING *
Trithemis hecate HECATE DROPWING
Trithemis kirbyi KIRBY’S DROPWING
Trithemis pluvialis RIVER DROPWING
Trithemis stictica JAUNTY DROPWING
Trithemis werneri WERNER’S DROPWING *
Trithemis aequalis DARK DROPWING (Okavango,Caprivi)
Trithemis bifida (Zimbabwe)
Trithemis brydeni BRYDEN’S DROPWING (Okavango, none recently)
Trithemis monardi MONARD'S DROPWING (Okavango, Caprivi, Zimbabwe)
Trithemis morrisoni MORRISON'S DROPWING (Caprivi) *
Trithemis palustris OKAVANGO DROPWING (Okavango)
Urothemis assignata RED BASKER
Urothemis edwardsii BLUE BASKER
Urothemis luciana ST LUCIA BASKER
 
Zygonoides fuelleborni FUELLEBORN’S BOTTLETAIL
Zygonyx natalensis BLUE CASCADER
Zygonyx torridus RINGED CASCADER
 
Zyxomma atlanticum LITTLE DUSK-DARTER
 
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