Wisps

Family Coenagrionidae Kirby, 1890

• Genus Agriocnemis Selys, 1877

Worldwide

• Genus occurs from Africa to Australia and the Pacific with over 40 species, almost half of them African.

Africa

• 18 Species in Africa

Southern Africa

Five species in South Africa, with three species classified as very rare in South Africa

• A. gratiosa, Gracious Wisp
• A. exilis, Little Wisp
• A. ruberrima, Orange Wisp
• A. pinheyi, Pinhey's Wisp
• A. falcifera, White-Masked Wisp

General:

• They are very small (hindwing 8-16 mm), including the tiniest African odonates.
• Most species live among dense slender vegetation standing in water, such as grass growing in temporary pools or along calm rivers.
• Because of their size and habitat they are easily overlooked: sweeping a net through stands of sedges and grasses is the best way to find them.
• A. bumhilli, A. canuango and A. toto were discovered very recently, the latter two within only half a kilometre of each other in bogs in northern Angola
• A. exilis can be found at almost any grassy wet patch in tropical Africa

Habitat

• Favour puddles, pools and marshy patches, often in or near forest, and can be erratic in occurrence. Males may sit on exposed perches such as loose grass far from the edge of rain pools

General Identification:

• Small to fairly large (hindwing 12-25 mm), very sleek damselflies
• Easily confused with genus Africallagma, Bluets
  
• Most species have very slender abdomen and few dark markings, being pale brownish when young and mostly blue (and sometimes green) with maturity.
• Males of most species have a diagnostic reddish tail-end (typically abdominal segments 8-10 and part of 7) and are otherwise largely black with green (sometimes blue) markings.
• Fresh ones, however, may have all-red abdomen and blue-marked head and thorax.
• Some old males blacken entirely and develop white pruinosity on head, thorax and/or abdomen

Synopsis

Where available only males are shown
A click on the species name will link to the main species description article and image gallery
Click on all images to enlarge.

South African Species

Distribution

Genus and South Africa

• Bogs, almost any grassy wet patch in tropical Africa, but many species require larger marsh habitats, In extensive areas of suitable habitat, such as at the Okavango, up to five species occur together. Four species are largely tied to pools and swamps in or near forest. Some in more exposed areas and some in more shaded spots. Also found in flooded forests where it perches rather openly on twigs over shaded water