Swamp darter
| Swamp darter | ||||||||||||
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Sympetrum depressiusculum , adult male |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Sympetrum depressiusculum | ||||||||||||
| ( Selys , 1841) |
The swamp darter ( Sympetrum depressiusculum ) is a type of dragonfly from the family of the sail dragonflies (Libellulidae). These belong to the large dragonflies (Anisoptera).
features
Swamp darter have a wingspan of five to six centimeters. The veining of the wing is very dense, especially at the rear edge of the wing. The males have a red, flattened abdomen, which has three to eight small, black wedge-shaped spots on the sides of the segments with the point forward. However, these partially disappear in mature animals. Furthermore, young males have a narrow yellow stripe on the side. The legs are - like the blood-red darter - completely black. The laying flap of the females lies against the body, so it does not stick out from the body as is the case with the great darter and the common darter . The abdomen reaches a length of 20 to 23 millimeters.
Occurrence and way of life
The species, which is considered to be endangered in Central Europe, lives in warm, shallow boggy waters. It flies from July to September.
The pairing takes place as a copulation wheel . The eggs are laid on algae . Since the animals need a lot of warmth, they are only out around lunchtime.
The larvae do not hatch until spring after they have been overwintered with eggs. They complete their development in the same summer.
literature
- Jurzitza, G. (2000): Der Kosmos-Libellenführer , Franckh-Kosmos Verlags GmbH & Co., Stuttgart, ISBN 3-440-08402-7
- Sternberg, K. & B. Schmidt (2000): Sympetrum depressiuculum (Sélys, 1841) - Swamp darter. Pp. 534-548. In: Sternberg, K. & R. Buchwald (eds.): Die Libellen Baden-Württemberg. Volume 2: Dragonflies (Anisoptera). Ulmer, Stuttgart, ISBN 3-8001-3514-0
- Lehmann, Arne: Libellen , publisher: German Youth Association for Nature Observation, ISBN 3-923376-15-4
