True Riverjacks, Blue Riverjacks

Family Platycnemididae Yakobson & Bianchi, 1905

• Genus Mesocnemis Karsch, 1891   True Riverjacks
• Genus Metacnemis Hagen, 1863   Blue Riverjacks

Africa

• Endemic to Africa, five species are described, with one of the closely related genus Metacnemis in South Africa.

Southern Africa

• One species in the genus genus Mesocnemis
• One closely related species in the genus Metacnemis

 Habitat

• Genus Mesocnemis
  • Most species inhabit open rivers and larger streams, often sitting on sunny rocks
• Genus Metacnemis
• • Rocky streams and rivers

General Identification:

• Genus Mesocnemis
  • Fairly large (hindwing 19-27 mm)
  • Robust and pale brownish with limited black markings when teneral
  • Males become blue-eyed and entirely dark, extensively covered with thick whitish pruinosity, which is thinner on abdominal segments 3-7 only.
• Genus Metacnemis
  
  • Male’s brightly blue-and-black  body.
  • Female is equally robust but coloured dramatically differently, appearing almost uniformly orange brown with cream sides of thorax and abdomen

Synopsis

• Where available only males are shown
• Images of different genera shown when available
• A click on the species name will link to the main species description article and image gallery

Click on all images to enlarge.

Distribution

• Genus Mesocnemis
  • The genus is most diverse in the rainforests of western and central Africa
• Genus Metacnemis 
  • localised in the south eastern area of south Africa

 

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