Epaulet Skimmer, Orthetrum chrysostigma, Epouletskepper

100 1174 Male Kimiad Pretoria GP RSA Jan 2016r 1Male
100 1183 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Young Male Badplaas MP RSA Nov 2016r 2Male
100 2637 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Groblersdal MP RSA Febr 2018r 4Female
Short description:

Epaulet Skimmer, Orthetrum chrysostigma, Epouletskepper is medium-sized to fairly large, brownish and pale blue, with a light, single stripe on side of thorax

 Family Libellulidae Leach, 1815
More images:
100 1362 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Close up Rustenburg LP RSA Sept 2017r 2Male
vc Kozi bay KZN RSA Mch 2019Male Mature
Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Close up Vaalwater LP RSA June 2014r 1Male Old
100 1352Male Close up Bobejaan Aug 2017r 1Male Young
1 4139 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Marloth MP RSA Apr 2023r 2Male
1 4130 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Kozi bay KZN RSA Mch 2019r 8Male
100 1178 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Teneral Female Vaalwater LP RSA Apr 2017r 4Image Gallery
Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Oldf Female Close up Vaalwater LP RSA June 2014r 9Female Old
100 1172 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Female Old Bobejaan Aug 2017f 9 Mature Female
 
 
 

Click on all images to enlarge or view more

Key identification features:

Males:

  • Size: Length 39 - 42 - 46mm, wingspan 59 - 65 - 69mm. pterostigmas 2.5 - 3mm
  • Face varies from light brownish grey to all grey.Male Kozi bay KZN RSA Mch 2019 Labium, labrum, anteclypeus and postclypeus light grey.r Male Kozi bay KZN RSA Mch 2019 Frons pencil grey, squarely spectacled in light grey 100 2959 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Kozi bay KZN RSA Mch 2019r 33  100 1355 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Close up Bobejaan Aug 2017r 7  Head shiny black above, dimpled, with prominent peaks.100 1355 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Close up Bobejaan Aug 2017r 7
  • Eyes dull turquoise.  100 2959 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Kozi bay KZN RSA Mch 2019r 33
  • Thorax dull dark brown with large side stripe becoming indistinct and can become obscured with pruinescence in old individuals.100 2954 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Kozi bay KZN RSA Mch 2019r 8 100 1353 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Close up Bobejaan Aug 2017r 2  Pruinescent light greyish stripe present, running along top of thorax between wings. 
  • Wings clear Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Kozi bay KZN RSA Mch 2019may become slightly smoky with age.100 1352 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Close up Bobejaan Aug 2017r 1  Pterostigmas yellowish brown
  • Abdomen pruinescent pale blue. Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Kozi bay KZN RSA Mch 2019  100 2961 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Kozi bay KZN RSA Mch 2019r 36

Females

  • Light brown with a pale brown face.
  • Eyes dull turquoise. Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Female Close up Bobejaan Aug 2017
  • Thorax greenish to yellowish dark brown with strong light creamish stripe finely edged in black, Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Female Close up Bobejaan Aug 2017pale shoulder stripe edged below in black also present.
  • Abdomen yellowish brown, darker brown on sides, 100 1171 Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Female Close up Bobejaan Aug 2017r 11   Thin black line on side of abdomen that broadens at the end before the next segment, A very thin line on the side of abdomen above the primary side line. It has a thin black dorsal line that broadens on s 8 to broader on s-9, with a cross line. S 8 to 9 becoming darker brown above. Dorsal side of s 10 is yellow with black edges. Minute black foliations present on s 8. 
Habitat:

Mostly streams, but possibly also seeps, springs, headwaters, rivers and often temporary standing waters, in open (often rather dry) landscapes, but sometimes in open areas in forest. Probably found on calmer sections (like pools) with a soft (like muddy) bottom. From 0 to 2300 m above sea level, but possibly higher up.

Behaviour:
  • Perches on stems, boulders or ground darts swiftly over water or grassy areas, frequently returning to the same perch, which may be a stem, a boulder or the ground.
Compared with other species:
  • Epaulet Skimmer, Orthetrum chrysostigma, Epouletskepper Orthetrum chrysostigna Epaulet Skimmer Male Close up Rustenburg LP RSA Sept 2017 is recognised in the field by the single, pale stripe on the side of the thorax (which may be obscured with age). O. julia capicola, Cape Skimmer, which is only found in the WCP, has two side stripes.
  • O. caffrum Orthetrum caffrum Two stripped Skimmer Female WSBG GP RSA DEC 2014 is recognisable by a whitish stripe between its wings and two stripes on the side of the thorax with another white shoulder stripe.
  • Final confirmation however of males, must preferably be done by examination of secondary genitalia and measurements
Distribution:
Orthetrum chrysostigma Epaulet Skimmer Distribution Map June 2020 MapSouth Africa
Distribution Map
South africa political map South Africa
Political Map
South Africa Topographical MapSouth Africa
Topographical Map
Africa Distribution Map July 2020Africa
Distribution Map
Africa PoliticalAfrica
Political Map
Arica PhysicalAfrica
Physical Map

 South Africa:

  • Common and widespread in South Africa 

Africa

  • Algeria; Angola; Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Côte d'Ivoire; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo-Brazzaville; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Egypt; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Gambia; Ghana; Guinee-Bissau; Kenya; Liberia; Libya; Malawi; Mali; Mauritania; Morocco; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Republic of South Africa; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Socotra (Yemen); Somalia; South Sudan; Sudan; Swaziland; Tanzania; Togo; Tunisia; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Further reading for Epaulet Skimmer, Orthetrum chrysostigma, Epouletskepper:

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