Peak Bluet, Africallagma sinuatum, Spitsbloutjie

109 000  Monks Cowl KZN RSA Jan 2020 3

1 1322 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet F Mch 2024r 11

109 001 Africallagma sinautum Peak Bluet Monks Cowl KZN RSA Jan 2020 1

Short Description:

Peak Bluet, Africallagma sinuatum, Spitsbloutjie is small, slender,small, slender,light pale blue with fine black lines.

Family Coenagrionidae Kirby, 1890

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Key identification features:

Male1 1334 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Male Monks Dec 2023r 2  1 1324 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet F Mch 2024r 2

  • Face pale blue. 1 1353 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Male Close Monks Jan 2020r 24Labrum light blue with indistinct central blackish dot. Anteclypeus grayish blue with brownish lower margin. Postclypeus and frons grayish blue.1 1352 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Male Close Monks Jan 2020r 22 Top of head light blue with strong black band running from eye to eye but not touching the bases of antennae, 1 1364 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Male Close Monks Jan 2020r 27back of head grayish to brownish light blue with no black.
  • Eyes dark brown with blackish cap. 1 1353 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Male Close Monks Jan 2020r 24Neck pale blue with fine black dash.1 1364 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Male Close Monks Jan 2020r 27
  • Thorax light blue, 1 1348 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Male Close Monks Jan 2020r 8narrow straight black lines on either side of midline from above, narrow black lines of varying width from sides (lines almost absent in KwaZulu-Natal individuals). Dorsal thorax antihumetal stripe greenish blue. 1 1364 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Male Close Monks Jan 2020r 27Light brown and brown when young. 1 1324 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet F Mch 2024r 2Wings clear. Pterostigmas black with faint light border and smooth bow like hind margin.
  • Abdomen very slender and long, light blue, becoming bright blue towards tip. 1 1369 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Male Close Monks Jan 2020r 39Segment 2 with short spear-shaped black marking. 1 1350 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Male Close Monks Jan 2020r 13 Segments 3 to 7 with black lines of varying widths,above, gradually increasing backwards until s 7,1 1369 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Male Close Monks Jan 2020r 39 which is almost entirely black. S 8 and 9 bright blue. 1 1370 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Male Close Monks Jan 2020r 41S 10 with short horns,blue with black above. Superior appendages in shape of an eagle’s head in side view.

Female

  • 1 1331 Africallagma sinuatum Peak Bluet Female Monks Dec 2023rSimilar in patterning, less extensive patterning on head and thorax, reddish brown rather than grayish blue, abdomen black along top with line broken slightly towards end, stopping at segment 9.
Habitat:
  • Occurs at the edge of small, open clear, grass-fringed streams, seeps and well grassed open pools with muddy base. Often boggy and with emergent and usually aquatic vegetation, in high rocky montane areas.
  • From 1100 to 2000 m above sea level, but possibly down to 400.
Behaviour:
  • It perches on tall grass stems over running water and occasionally on boulders.
Compared with other species:
  • Larger than other Africallagma, Bluet, species in genus, appearing like an Aciagrion. Slims, species and particularly a slender Pseudagrion, Sprite, species, with a narrow black band across top of head, combined with no heavy black on face, nor on back of head, characterising this species. Larger than other Africallagma, Bluet, species in genus, appearing like an Aciagrion. Slims, species and particularly a slender Pseudagrion, Sprite, species, with a narrow black band across top of head, combined with no heavy black on face, nor on back of head, characterising this species. 
  • Distinguished from other Africallagma species by its longer body, thorax side with very fine black line (or virtually no line), and distinctive appendages, specially superior appendages, when carefully opened out
 Distribution:
Africallagma sinuatum Distribution MapDistribution Map

 

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Topographical Map, South AfricaPolitical Map
Africallagma sinuatum Distribution MapDistribution Map
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South Africa

  • Highly localised in Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal montane areas.

Africa

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo; Malawi; Mozambique; Republic of South Africa; Tanzania; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Further information 

Websites of interest

Credit: Michael J. Samways & John P. Simaika, Manual of Freshwater Assessment for South Africa:Dragonfly Biotic Index.