Grenade eyes

Grenade eyes
	Lesser Grenade Eye ( Erythromma viridulum ), male
Systematics
Order :	Dragonflies (Odonata)
Subordination :	Dragonfly (Zygoptera)
Superfamily :	Coenagrionoidea
Family :	Dragonfly (Coenagrionidae)
Subfamily :	Coenagrioninae
Genre :	Grenade eyes
Scientific name
	Erythromma
	Charpentier , 1840

The garnet eyes ( Erythromma ) are a genus from the family of the slender dragonflies . In Central Europe, three species of the genus are represented with different distribution focuses.

features

A still immature female Great Garnet Eye ( Erythromma najas ). The females of the great shell-eye are well camouflaged due to their dark color in the vegetation.

The species of the genus are very slender and reach a maximum length of 36 millimeters. The males of two species have red eyes , which gave the genus its German name. The males of the cup maid ( Erythromma lindenii ), however, have striking blue eyes. The spots on the head (postocular spots) are greatly reduced or streaked. The second abdominal segment is always provided with a continuous black mark on the top. The upper abdominal appendages of the males are significantly longer than the lower ones. In contrast to the blue-black males, the females are mostly green in color and less blue in color. In contrast to many other female dragonflies, they do not have an ovipositor .

Systematics

The following species belong to the genus of garnet eyes:

Cup maiden - Erythromma lindenii (Selys, 1840)
Large shell eye - Erythromma najas (Hansemann, 1823)
Small Grenade Eye - Erythromma viridulum Charpentier, 1840

The cup maiden ( Erythromma lindenii ) has only been assigned to the genus Erythromma after recent molecular biological studies . In older literature, the species is therefore often referred to as Cercion lindenii . The commonly used trivial name Pokal-Azurjungfer should no longer be used if possible, as it suggests an incorrect association with the Azurjungfer ( Coenagrion ).

swell

Individual evidence

^ Martin Schorr, Martin Lindeboom, Dennis Paulson: World Odonata List. Update from February 5, 2013 ( download )

literature

Heiko Bellmann : Der Kosmos Dragonfly Guide , Franckh-Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-440-10616-7
Klaas-Douwe B. Dijkstra: Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Britain and Europe , British Wildlife Publishing, 2006, ISBN 978-0953139941

[1] Martin Schorr, Martin Lindeboom, Dennis Paulson: World Odonata List. Update from February 5, 2013 ( download )