Springwater Sprite. Pseudagrion caffrum, Fonteingesie.   Endemic to South Africa

100 3753 Pseudagrion caffrum Springwater Sprite Male Belfast MPDec 2022r 1
100 3756 Pseudagrion caffrum Springwater Sprite Male Belfast MPDec 2022r 12
100 3759 Pseudagrion caffrum Springwater Sprite Male Belfast MPDec 2022r 14
Short Description:

Small,with a deep blue body and bright rusty red pterostigmas,no postocular spots and a yellow face.

Family Coenagrionidae Kirby, 1890

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100 3759 Pseudagrion caffrum Springwater Sprite Male Belfast MPDec 2022r 14Image gallery
100 3761 Pseudagrion caffrum Springwater Sprite Male Close up Belfast MP RSA Dec 2022r 1Male
100 10087 Pseudagrion caffrum Springwater Sprite Female Belfast MP SA Dec 2022rFemale
 
 
 
Key identification features:

Male

  • Face sunflower yellow to light orange, with side of face yellow to the lower head forming hornlike markings.Base of antennae yellow against the black head giving the horn-like face markings a distinct black split line  This split line is diagnostic.  Postclypeus black. Head black from above, no postocular spots but faint roundish markings sometimes present on young males. Postclypeus black
  • Eyes black above, brownish yellow band becoming light greenish yellow below.
  • Neck and thorax shiny deep blue with pale pruinescent sides.
  • Wings clear. Wing roots distinctly yellow (diagnostic) when Pterostigma noticeably bright rusty reddish brown.
  • Abdomen dark blue above, yellowish green below, can become light grey pruinescent with age. Upper claspers black  with lower clasper white and black.

Female

  • More robust than male.
  • Straw brown to rusty red and black head and thorax, and dorsally blackish brown
  • Abdomen, with pale mauvish blue markings on S9-10
Habitat:

Prefer shallow rocky feeder streams with riffles, streams, mostly headwater streams, mostly in open landscapes. Usually with  dense grasses and sedge along soggy banks also with emergent vegetation.
From 700 to 1500 m above sea level, but possibly up to 2200.

Behaviour:
  • Perch cryptically among grass and sedge stems. When perching over water  it rest close to the water. Reluctant to fly. Females often with males
Compared with other species:
  • Pseudagrion citricola,  Yellow-faced Sprite has postocular spots. Upper side of s 7 -9  violet blue to grey when pruinosed.
  • P. citricola antenna base not yellow but black therefore not showing the black split line next to the antennae as in P. caffrum 
  • P. citricola also occurs on sluggish or still reaches of streams and rivers, not with riffles as in P. caffrum
  • Pseudagrion gamblesi, Great Sprite, are large, with very striped thorax, yellow face, large light blue postocular spots, bright blue or pruinescent whitish segments 8 - 9 and long appendages 
Distribution

Endemic to South Africa. From Amatola–Winterberg of the Eastern Cape through to the KZN and MP Drakensberg

Pseudagrion caffrum Springwater Sprite Distribution Map July 2020 MapDistribution Map,
South Africa

Political Map South africa Political Map
Topographical Map South Africa Topographical Map
 
 
 
Learn more about Sprite A-group
100 062 Pseudagrion inopinatum Balinsky s Sprite Male Badplaas MP RSA Febr 2019r 12Balinsky's Sprite.
Pseudagrion inopinatum.
100 846 Pseudagrion gamblesi Great Sprite Male Swadini LP RSA May 2021r 2Great Sprite.
Pseudagrion gamblesi.
100 458 Pseudagrion newtoni Harlequin Sprite Male Mac Mac Falls Sabi MP RSA Febr 2020r 1Harlequin Sprite,
Pseudagrion newtoni.
100 218 Pseudagrion makabusience Makabusi Sprite Male Welgevonden RSA Dec 2017r 5Makabusi Sprite
Pseudagrion makabusience
100 576 Male Enuokeni KZN RSA Feb 2020r 3Mountain Sprite,
Pseudagrion draconis.
100 418 Pseudagrion hageni Painted Sprite Male Moreletta GP RSA Jan 2017r 1Painted SpritePseudagrion hageni
108 023 Pseudagrion furcigerrum Palmiet Sprite Male Kogelberg Western Cape 19 10 2016Palmiet Sprite
Pseudagrion furcigerrum
100 252 Pseudagrio Kersteni Powder faced Sprite Male Tzaneen LP RSA Mch 2016r 1Powder-faced Sprite,
Pseudagrio Kersteni,

100 107 Pseudagrion salisbryense Slate Sprite Male WSBG GP RSA Dec 2014r 1Slate Sprite
Pseudagrion salisbryense
100 3754 Pseudagrion caffrum Springwater Sprite Male Belfast MPDec 2022r 2Springwater Sprite
Pseudagrion caffrum
100 481 Pseudagrion spernatum Upland Sprite Male Sabi LP RSA Dec 2015r 1Upland Sprite
Pseudagrion spernatum
100 437 Pseudagrion citricola Yellow faced Sprite Old Male Bronkhorstspruit GP RSA Sept 2015r 6Yellow-faced Sprite
Pseudagrion citricola
Further reading:

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