White feather dragonfly
| White feather dragonfly | ||||||||||||
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White feather dragonfly ( Platycnemis latipes ), male |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Platycnemis latipes | ||||||||||||
| Rambur , 1842 |
The white feather dragonfly ( Platycnemis latipes ) is a dragonfly from the family of feather dragonflies (Platycnemididae). She inhabits southwest Europe and prefers the Mediterranean area there .
features
The maximum body length of the white feather dragonfly is 35 and the wingspan is 55 millimeters. Both sexes have a whitish and porcelain-like basic color. In young animals, the thorax is light beige and the eyes are milky brown. Sexually mature males also show pale light blue color components and also have a greenish and yellow colored thorax and sky blue eyes. The mature female receives gray parts, while the rest of the color remains unchanged. The male has dark longitudinal stripes from the sixth to the tenth and the female from the second to the seventh abdomen segment, which are quite narrow in the female. The strongly broadened leg braces (tibia) of the second and third pair of legs are striking . The tibiae of both sexes are pink in color.
Similar species
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Due to its color, the white feather dragonfly can easily be confused with juveniles of other feather dragonflies, especially with those of the closely related blue feather dragonfly ( Platycnemis pennipes ). Distinguishing features are the less extensive longitudinal stripes in the white feather dragonfly and the more widened tibiae, which the sister species lacks. Like all feather dragonflies, the white feather dragonfly is vaguely reminiscent of slender dragonflies ( Coenagrionidae ).
Occurrence
The white feather dragonfly is mainly found in the western Mediterranean region in France , Spain and Portugal . Preferred habitats are heavily overgrown and sunny bank zones of slowly flowing waters of various types and widths. In addition, the edges of ponds and lakes also serve as habitats. In 1967, the white feather dragonfly was also spotted in Alsace on the Hardt Canal, an irrigation canal leading south from Neuf-Brisach , near the Müllheim - Mulhouse road . The site is only 4 kilometers from the German border. However, no finds were reported from Germany, for example from the area around Lörrach near the border . The finds from Alsace were exclusively specimens that were not yet sexually mature, so the information could also be attributed to confusion with the blue feather dragonfly (see chapter on similar species ). As a result, this report is no longer mentioned in recent literature and distribution statistics.
Threat and protection
The white feather dragonfly is mostly to be found in their habitat and is therefore classified as "not endangered" by the IUCN . However, like all dragonfly species, it is strictly protected.
Way of life
The way of life of the white feather dragonfly is similar to that of the blue feather dragonfly. Like all dragonflies, this species feeds in a predatory manner. The adult dragonflies do not form any territories and, due to their comparatively poor flight ability, prefer to stay in lower vegetation. If several males meet, they threaten each other with raised tibiae, but there is no attack.
Reproduction
The flight time of the white feather dragonfly usually takes place between June and August, and in good weather conditions between the end of April and September. A male waits for the opportunity to catch a flying female in flight and then tries to do so. If the female is not yet sexually mature or unwilling to mate, it drops to the ground and is therefore no longer visible to the male. The attempt to form a pairing wheel with two dragonflies of different sex ready to pair can sometimes appear very laborious and take several attempts. Inappropriate weather, such as gusts , can make their formation completely impossible. The female behaves very passively when mating, should she succeed. Pairing can take anywhere from seven to over 70 minutes. Then the couple turns to laying their eggs, which is also done here in tandem. Often the egg-laying takes place in colonies of several pairs, which provides protection from possible predators. The larva is similar to that of the blue feather dragonfly, but has wider gill leaves. The newly hatched dragonflies then remain near their hatching site until they reach sexual maturity. This takes 11 to 25 days. The mature adults then live for another 20 days.
Systematics and taxonomy
The feather dragonflies were formerly part of the family of the slender dragonflies (Coenagrionidae). What they have in common with this closely related group is their slim exterior shape. The markings on the wings of the two groups, which are only a little longer than wide and only stand over one to one and a half cells of the wing vein, are very similar. Distinguishing features, however, are the double black longitudinal lines on the thorax and the tibia on the second and third pair of legs, which are covered with long hairs and thus have a feather-like appearance. This feature has led to the common German name Federlibellen.
gallery
Top view of a male
Lateral view of a male
Rear view of a male
Detail of a male
Top view of a female
Frontal view of a female
Lateral view of a female
Detail of a female
Top view of a pairing wheel
Lateral view of a pairing wheel
Larger group of several couples at the egg position
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Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Species description of the white feather dragonfly on Waldschrat-online.de ( Link )
- ↑ a b c d e f Heiko Bellmann: Der Kosmos Libellenführer Kosmos Naturführer, Kosmos (Franckh-Kosmos), 3rd edition, 2013, p. 150, ISBN 978-3-440-13516-7 .
- ↑ Armin Heymer: About an occurrence of Platycnemis latipes RAMBUR, 1842 in Upper Alsace (Odonata: Zygoptera). - Contributions to natural history research in Southwest Germany, 27, pp. 35-36, 1968
- ↑ Endangerment status of the white feather dragonfly from the IUCN ( Link )
- ^ Slender dragonflies (Coenagrionidae) . Libellenwissen.de, accessed on November 11, 2019
- ↑ Spring dragonflies (Platycnemididae) . Libellenwissen.de, accessed on November 11, 2019
