Bottletail, Olpogastra lugubris, Lenige Bottelstert.  

100 1718 Mabusa Nature Reserve MP RSA Dec 2017r 26Male
100 1720 Reserve MP RSA Dec 2017r 12Female
119 042 Bottletail I5A3297Male
Short description:

Bottletail, Olpogastra lugubris, Lenige Bottelstert is large in size with very elongated abdomen with extremely swollen abdomen (bulbous) base.

Family Libellulidae Leach, 1815

Also known as Slender Bottletail

More images:
100 1716 Olpogastra lugubris Bottletail Male Mabusa Nature Reserve MP RSA Dec 2017r 8Image Gallery
100 1705 Olpogastra lugubris Bottletail Male Mabusa Nature Reserve MP RSA Dec 2017r 1Male
River Reed Rapid Leselo Lodge LP RSA Oct 2020r 2Habitat
 
 
 

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Key identification features:

Male:

  • Face dark brown, dull yellow and brownish metallic bluish green. Labrum dark brown. Anteclypeus dull yellow. Postclypeus dull yellow with dark brown arch. Frons lower margin dull yellow, rest of frons dark brown with metallic bluish green, dimpled shine. Vertex brownish metallic bluish green or indistinct dull yellowish spot in front100 1711 Olpogastra lugubris Bottletail Male Mabusa Nature Reserve MP RSA Dec 2017r 17
  • Thorax dark brown with metallic green shine with about 10 yellow regular shaped spots on thorax. 100 1707 Olpogastra lugubris Bottletail Male Mabusa Nature Reserve MP RSA Dec 2017r 14   100 1708 Olpogastra lugubris Bottletail Male Mabusa Nature Reserve MP RSA Dec 2017r 9
  • Wings have black veins and a large, central amber suffusion, especially on hind wing. Pterostigmas are brown and long.
  • Base of the abdomen is very bulbous (segment 1-2) contracting to a very narrow s 3 -10, widening slightly towards the hind margin. Base of abdomen with large, dull yellow stripes and spots. Small yellow spots at base and sides of s 5-7, longest on s 7. S 8- 10 black.100 1714 Olpogastra lugubris Bottletail Male Mabusa Nature Reserve MP RSA Dec 2017r 31  

Female:

  •  Similar to males but with more distinct amber markings in the wing
Habitat:
  • Frequents large perennial open rivers even with strong (including swift flowing) currents. Sometimes in streams and lakes with (dense) sedge or reeds.
  • From 0 to 1500 m above sea level, but mostly below 1200.
Behaviour:
  • Perches conspicuously along open rivers. Very aggressive towards other dragonflies.
Compared with other species:
  • Unmistakable behaviour and coloration in the described habitat.
Distribution:
Olpogastra lugubris Bottletail Distribution Map Mch 2021Distribution Map
South Africa
Political Map South africa Political Map
Topographical Map South Africa Topographical Map
Olpogastra lugubris Bottletail Distribution Map Mch 2021
Political Map AfricaPolitical Map
Topographical Map AfricaTopographical Map

South Africa:

  • Bottletail, Olpogastra lugubris, Lenige Bottelstert is monotypic and endemic to tropical Africa. In South Africa it occurs in the hot north eastern Lowveld areas of LP and MP (recently found north east of Pretoria) and the far northern edge of KZN

Male:

  •  Angola; Benin; Botswana; Côte d'Ivoire; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo-Brazzaville; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Equatorial Guinea; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Kenya; Liberia; Malawi; Mali; Mozambique; Namibia; Nigeria; Republic of Guinea; Republic of South Africa; Sierra Leone; Somalia; Sudan; Tanzania; Togo; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Further reading:

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