By Features - Size Very Large - Dragonflies & Damselflies of southern Africa

Logo big

Beautiful Damselflies

Chlorolestes apricans,
Amatola Malachite Male
Endemic to south Africa
Visible in a small area in the Eastern Cape
Endangered

Platycypha fitzsimmonse,
Bouder Jewel, Male
Endemic to South Africa
Prefers Rocky streams at higher altitudes

Proischnura polychromatica,
Mauve Bluet
Endemic to South Africa
Extremely rare and critically endangered

Pseudagrion newtoni,
Harlequin Sprite, Male
Endemic to South Africa
Rare and localised.

Beautiful Dragonflies

1 4020 Aethriamanta rezia Pygmy Basker P Mch 2024r 3

Aethriamanta rezia, Pygmy Basker
Not often seen. Only visible in the warm costal areas of eastern Southern Africa
Prefers Well vegetated pond

Crenigomphus hartmann, Clubbed Talontail,
Seen perching on rocks in fast flowing rivers
Females often seen some distance away from the water.

Nesciothemis farinosa, Eastern Blacktail
Hunts up and down Ponds and fast flowing streams. Often cohabit and confused with skimmers

Beautiful Dragonflies

Tetrathemis polleni,
Black-splashed Elf
Found on shady streams and pools

103 502 Ceratogomphus triceraticus Cape thorntail 6

Ceratogomphus triceraticus,
Cape Thorntail, Male
Endemic to South Africa
Inhabit flowing rock strewn streams

Diplacodes pumila
Dwarf Percher
Female
Endemic to South Africa

Trithemis hecate,
Silhouette Dropwing,
Male
Not often seen in South africa

By Features - Size Very Large

Synopsis

This page shows very large species only
Males and females are show.
Some species may be not be show due to the lack of images. A blank placeholder will be inserted to indicate no image available
Please click on the image to open description article and image folders

Key to Large to Very Large Species

Please click HERE follow this link

Very Large

Males

119 046 I5A3196

Black Emperor,
Anax tristis

100 3480 Anax imperator Blue emperor Whiteriver MP RSA Aug 2018r

Blue EmperorAnax imperator

100 1412 Anax speratus Orange Emperor Male Sabie Nov 2016 2016r 5

Orange Emperor
Anax speratus.

119 535 Vagrant emperor male I5A8166

Vagrant Emperor,
Anax Ephippiger

Females

100 519 Anax tristis Black Emperor in flight 2

Black Emperor,
Anax tristis,

102 523 Female Anac imperator Blue emperor Moreleta kloof

Blue emperor,
Anax imperator,

107 526 Orange Emperor Female Port Elizabeth EC RSA Jan 2018 1

Orange Emperor,
Anax speratus,

102 538 jong wyfie vagrant kosii

Vagrant-Emperor,
Anax-Ephippiger,

Recent discovery

Microgomphus nyassicus,
Eastern Scissortail
Male
Photographed by dragonfly photographer Antoinette Snyman or the first time in southern Africa May 2019

Interesting fact

Zygonyx torridus
Ringed Cascader
Male
Hunts over rapid flowing streams close to cascad

Recently Described

Syncordulia venator,
Mahogany Presba.
Rare. Endemic to the Western Cape Region of South Africa

Beautiful

Phyllogomphus selysi.
Bold Leaftail. Male
Male Seldom seen in South Africa.
Note: Peculiar shaped clasper

Recently Revised

Orthetrum hintzi,
Dark-shouldered Skimmer
Prefers Clear water ponds with grassy verges

Recently Revised

Ceratogomphus pictus,
Common Thorntail,
Found near streams and pools

Recently Revised

Pantala flavescens, Pantala
Hunts over open water and pools

Recently Revised

Africallagma glaucum, Swamp Bluet.
Found at the edge of clear water pools