Boulder Jewel, Platycypha fitzsimonsi, Klipjuweeltjie

Boulder Jewel, Platycypha fitzsimonsi is small sized, stocky, bright red, blue and black stocky, bright red, blue and black damselfly.

Habitat

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Small sized, stocky, bright red, blue and black stocky, bright red, blue and black damselfly.

Male:

Face all black.
Head with central almost square, light orange spot with two forward pointing brown markings and two light orange spots just behind black eyes from above. Neck red with black markings
Thorax deep red with black stripes, some orange on sides.
Upper legs black, lower legs slightly flattened with red on outside and white on inside
Wings clear with very dark veins, slight smokiness at wing bases. Pterostigmas black with brown center
First four segments of abdomen mostly bright red, fifth segment mostly red above and black below,sixth segment all black. Note: Segment 6 has been recorded as blue above Regarded as an aberration. Segments 7–10 bright light blue above and black below. Appendages black. Superior appendages long, flattened on inside of tip. Inferior appendages hook-like

Female:

All blackish brown with yellow marks
Thorax mostly dark all brown above and light brown at sides.
Abdomen patchy dark greyish brown and light brown.A pale yellow line along lateral segments with the line on s 5 and 6 discontinuous (aberrations possible) 8-9 with distinct yellow spots.S

Prefers mostly streams, but also rivers, in open landscapes, but sometimes shaded by gallery forest. Often with rocks and probably submerged roots, dead trunks or branches and/or coarse detritus Southern Cape, East coast, KZN and MP with tall grasses on their banks.
Inferred to occur from 0 to 2100 m above sea level.

Usually rests on exposed boulders.
Short flights, often perches on boulders midstream, or on twigs, reeds or grasses over hanging the water.

The unmistakable colouring of Boulder Jewel, Platycypha fitzsimonsi is diagnostic but the abdomen marks differs to Platycypha caligata (Dancing Jewel)
P. caligata has an all blue abdomen. P. fitzsimonsi red & blue with light brown and blue when young.
P. fitzsimonsi prefers higher altitude boulder streams. P. caligata prefers mostly rivers, but also streams and large lakes, in open landscapes or often shaded by gallery forest. Usually with dead trunks or branches, often emergent vegetation

South Africa

Africa