''Phaon iridipennis'', commonly known as the glistening demoiselle or glinsterjuffertjie, is a species of
damselfly
Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies (which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Epiprocta) but are usually smaller and have slimmer bodies. Most species fold the win ...
in the family
Calopterygidae
Calopterygidae is a Family (biology), family of damselfly, damselflies, in the suborder Zygoptera.
They are commonly known as the broad-winged damselflies, demoiselles, or jewelwings. These rather large damselflies have wingspans of 50–80 ...
.
Description
This is a large (length: up to , wingspan: up to ) damselfly with long legs. The common name comes from its
iridescent
Iridescence (also known as goniochromism) is the phenomenon of certain surfaces that appear gradually to change colour as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes. Iridescence is caused by wave interference of light in microstruc ...
wings, which sparkle with purple-blue flecks in the sunlight. The wings become more smoky with age.
pterostigma
The pterostigma (plural: pterostigmata) is a group of specialized cells in the outer wings of insects, which are often thickened or coloured, and thus stand out from other cells. It is particularly noticeable in dragonflies, but present also in ...
ta may or may not be present, although it is unclear what drives this difference. When present, they start off as light brown in colour and become darker with age.
The thorax and abdomen are a coppery green in both sexes, although females are duller and browner than the males.
Distribution and Habitat
This species is common and widespread. It is found in most countries in
sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lie south of the Sahara. These include Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the list of sovereign states and ...
; from South Africa to Ethiopia and Senegal, particularly in more tropical areas.
It also occurs on Madagascar.
It is most common along rivers and streams with
gallery forest
A gallery forest is one formed as a corridor along rivers or wetlands, projecting into landscapes that are otherwise only sparsely treed such as savannas, grasslands, or deserts. The gallery forest maintains a more temperate microclimate above th ...
, but also occurs in
coastal
A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...
, dune and
swamp
A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...
forests, as well as the forested edges of pans and
marshes
In ecology, a marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants rather than by woody plants.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p More in general ...
.
It is highly dependent on shade, and is rarely seen out in open sunlight.
It does, however, sometimes occur in more open areas within forests.
Ecology
It has been recorded all year round in the warmer regions, but is most active from October to March with a peak during late November.
When at rest, the wings are held at a 45° angle and the abdomen is slightly raised. It is very cryptic when perched, but conspicuous in flight due to its iridescent wings and large size. When around water it perches low down on rocks and overhanging sticks. It is, however, frequently found far from water in forest
undergrowth
In forestry and ecology, understory (American English), or understorey (Commonwealth English), also known as underbrush or undergrowth, includes plant life growing beneath the forest canopy without penetrating it to any great extent, but above ...
, particularly late in the season. They are normally found perched in dense, shady undergrowth, where they frequently perch on sticks and logs among the leaf litter. They usually occur within of the ground.
Conservation
This species is listed as being of
least concern
A least-concern species is a species that has been evaluated and categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as not being a focus of wildlife conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wil ...
by the
IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status ...
. It is fairly resilient to habitat change, including changing water turbidity. It can also tolerate at least some alien vegetation.
References
External links
*
*
'' Phaon iridipennis''Text for glistening demoiselle from South African Dragonfly Atlas
'' Phaon iridipennis''o
African Dragonflies and Damselflies Online
Calopterygidae
Odonata of Africa
Insects described in 1839
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
{{Calopterygoidea-stub