Erythromma lindenii
Erythromma lindenii (Selys, 1840)
Local names: Goblet-marked damselfly, Pokaljungfer, Saphirauge, Kanaaljuffer, Naïade aux yeux bleus, Agrion de Vander Linden, Agrion à longs cercoïdes, Pokalflickslända
Species Information
Description
Closely related to E. najas and E. viridulum but does not resemble them much, apart from in behaviours. Very similar to Enallagma cyathigerum and has the same wide antehumeral stripes, however it has the, typically for Coenagrions, black marking along the interpleural suture on the side of the thorax and this combination is diagnostic.
This species can also be distinguished from the rest of the Coenagrionidae thanks to the light-coloured post-ocular spots that are linear instead of round, often connected together, forming a line across the back of the head. The males have blue eyes in contrast to a black head. Eyes darker shade of blue than the rest of the body. The abdomen is blue with black markings. The second segment, S2, has a characteristic marking in the shape of a 'goblet' or the 'hilt of a sword'. S3-S6 have distinctive markings, in the shape of 'spear-heads'. S7 and particularly S8 are black instead of light blue. The last two segments, S9-S10, are light blue.
Females are tricoloured, with background colour from yellowish brown to greenish, middle part of the abdomen blue. The anal appendages are light in colour. The abdomen is crossed dorsally by a black longitudinal line.
Teneral individuals resemble the other Erythromma sp., who are also coloured in yellow, black and blue; especially E. viridulum. E. lindenii however, has wider antehumeral stripes than E. viridulum and E. najas usually lack them altogether. Also E. najas and E. viridulum lack post-ocular spots.
Size
Habitat
Erythromma lindenii is found in running waters including large streams, connected oxboxs, rivers, canals and larger standing waters such as lakes, (fish)ponds, gravel pits. Breeding habitats are generally large, largely unshaded with clear oxygenated water. The species is less common on fast-flowing waters, and in streams and rivers with a strong current it is often confined to areas where the flow is the weakest. In most cases there is a rich submerged aquatic vegetation with helophyte belts poorly developed or even absent. In fish-free waters, the presence of aquatic vegetation is of less importance, suggesting that the latter is mainly important in providing shelter against predation. Standing waters where the species occurs are often influenced by wind, which generates waves, or are fed by seepage, both which help to oxygenate the water and break down stratification. This produces conditions resembling to those found in running waters. Throughout its range, the species is confined to lower altitudes and most of the records are from below 500 m.
Distribution
Erythromma lindenii is widespread and common on the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, France and parts of Germany. Further north it, becomes scarcer, having its northern limit in the Netherlands and northern Germany. The species had for a long time an isolated occurence in mid-eastern Germany, western Poland and northern parts of the Czech Republic. Due to its recent expansion in Germany the gap between the central European enclave and other European populations is growing smaller and might completely disappear in the near future.
The species is largely confined to lower elevations and to the Mediterranean fringes, extending along the Black Sea coast as far as the Crimean Peninsula and reaching the south of European Russia. Northwards, the species has increased its range with nearly 200 km from the 1990s onwards. This expansion has been noted in Belgium, the Netherlands and northern Germany ad was most likely caused by increasing temperatures during recent decades. It is unclear if the increase in records from south-east Europe also represents an expansion or is the result of changes in the available habitats or increased fieldwork.
Flight Period
May to October
Behavior
Behaves a lot like Enallagma cyathigerum and likes to perch on floating vegetation like waterlilies and pondweeds.
Conservation Status
Similar Species
Enallagma cyathigerum, Coenagrion puella, Erythromma najas, Erythromma viridulum
External Links
Genus: Erythromma
Erythromma is a genus of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae.
Identification
Males of Erythromma species all have bright eyes, some conspicuosly red, some blue. None are capped with black and the top of the eyes contrasts with the black upperside of the head. The postocular spots are reduced to narrow stripes, or are absent. The male black markings on S2 extends all along the segment. No Erythromma males have blue on the upperside of S8, but S9-10 are mostly or completely blue. The blue 'tail-light' is therefore shorter and nearer the tip of the abdomen. The males have much longer upper appendages than lower, they are about as long as S10. The wing tips are usually densely veined, due to numerous cells having been subdivided. This especially in the hindwing. The pterostigma are rather long.
Separation from other genera
Females of Erythromma have no vulvar spine, unlike Enallagma and Ischnura. They have dark eyes, no postocular spots and the entire abdomen upperside is dark.
The blue-bodied E. lindenii was formerly placed in the genus Cercion, but recent studies of DNA, behaviour, and larval and adult morphology places it with Erythromma.
Erythromma males are the only damselflies combining red eyes with blue markings on the body and an all-dark back of head. Males of other blue-tailed damselflies, like Coenagrion, Enallagma, Ischnura, have no red eyes and usually have postocular spots. Most other damselflies with red eyes, like Ceriagrion, Pyrrhosoma, combine this with red bodies. The red-faced male of Pseudagrion sublacteum is likely to be found only in Africa and the Near East.
The combination of characters in Erythromma females may also be found in all-dark forms of Ceriagrion and Pyrrhosoma. These will often have traces of red and have differently configured black markings on the thorax. The legs of Ceriagrion have no black.
If seen well, the males of the two red-eyed species can be identified in the field by details of the blue pattern on the abdomen.
Behaviour
Unlike most other damselflies, males of Erythromma tend to stay away from the water's edge, rather they prefer to perch on floating and emergent structures. Their flight is direct and linear, quickly skimming low over the water's surface.
Family: Coenagrionidae
The insect family Coenagrionidae is placed in the order Odonata and the suborder Zygoptera. The Zygoptera are the damselflies, which although less known than the dragonflies, are no less common. More than 1,300 species are in this family, making it the largest damselfly family. The family Coenagrionidae has six subfamilies: Agriocnemidinae, Argiinae, Coenagrioninae, Ischnurinae, Leptobasinae, and Pseudagrioninae.
This family is referred to as the narrow-winged damselflies or the pond damselflies. The Coenagrionidae enjoy a worldwide distribution, and are among the most common of damselfly families. This family has the smallest of damselfly species. More than 110 genera of the family Coenagrionidae are currently accepted.
The family was named by William Forsell Kirby in 1890. The name may be derived from Greek coen meaning shared or common and agrio meaning fields or wild.