Leucorrhinia rubicunda
Leucorrhinia rubicunda Brittinger, 1850
Local names: Ruby whiteface, Nordische Moosjungfer, Noordse witsnuitlibel, Nordisk kärrtrollslända
Species Information
Description
In its distribution area it can be confused with the cogener Leucorrhinia dubia, especially the males are very similar. It is slightly more robust and larger in size, though variation occur and without comparison these characteristics can be hard to make use of in field. Like all other whitefaces, it has a white face and dark patches on the base of the wings, larger on the hind than on the fore wings. The patches are smaller, compared to those of L. dubia, especially on the fore wings (unfortunately another hard characteristic to use in field).
Both sexes have larger red and yellow spots on the abdomen, on S2-S7 and a more yellow costa compared to that of L. dubia. The spot on S7 on the male gradually becomes more visible and is often vividly redder than the other ones. The red on the last spot on S7 often reaches all the way down to the edge to S8, at least more than half way, while on L. dubia it often only reaches half way over S7.
The male has red to reddish brown pterostigma, those of the females are dark, almost black. The secondary sexual organs of the male is bent like a hook, rather than being straight and pointed as on L. dubia.
Immature and female individuals are most like those of L. pectoralis. The females are slightly smaller than those of L. pectoralis. The yellow spot on S2 are surrounded by black and often form an isolated spot. Here L. pectoralis is more yellow an S" is often all yellow. Variation is large and the characteristic should be seen as advisory rather than excluding.
More rarely, females are seen with red colouration, like on the males and even their pterostigma can be dark red. Look out for age and variation and let the colour of the pterostigma be a guiding rather than excluding characteristic. Teneral individuals also have lighter coloured pterostigmas.
Size
Habitat
In the core of its range, Leucorrhinia rubicunda is common in peat bogs and fenlands, where it often co-occurs with L. dubia and, in some areas with L. pectoralis. In these conditions the majority of its habitats are acidic and oligotrophic with a vegetation of Sphagnum moss, sedges and rushes. It can also be found l in lakes and ponds, being less sensitive to fish predation and therefore less strongly confined to acidic fish-free waters. Habitats are largely unshaded but often situated in forest areas. Small, mostly short-lived populations occur in more nutrient-rich habitats, such as dune lakes and quarries.
Distribution
Leucorrhinia rubicuna has together with L. dubia the most northernward distribution of all the European whitefaces. The core of its range runs from northern Belgium, central Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland northwards almost to North Cape. It is among the most widespread and common species in Fennoscandia, although it becomes more scattered in the upland parts of Norway and Sweden. It is probably more widely distributed in Belarus, northern Ukraine and European Russia than currently known. It is rare south of its core European range and the southernmost localities are found in the northern parts of the Alps with less than twenty small, isolated populations in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and, formerly, Switzerland. The species no longer breeds in eastern France, Switzerland and Luxembourg where it is considered extinct. In contrast to L. dubia it has no isolated occurrences in mountains further south. Records outside its permanent range in France, Luxembourg and Switzerland are likely to refer to vagrants.
Flight Period
From mid-April to the beginning of August, peaking from mid-May to mid-June.
Behavior
One of the first to emerge in spring in its distribution area, warm springs they can fly already in the last weeks of April. In July already, it is scarce and later reports often are mixups with L. dubia. The species behaves much like L. dubia and L. pectoralis. Males perch on lookouts that he will return to after short tours in the air. It sits low, near or directly on the ground where it basks in the sun on exposed places. Immature individuals are found a bit away from water, along forest roads, in sunny glades, on clearings or other open, warm areas.
Females oviposit in flight. Larvae are mostly found among floating vegetation and in or among dense submerged vegetation. They are vulnerable for predation from fish but tolerate moderate amounts of fish better than those of L. dubia. Larvae development are normally two years. Exuviae are usually found in direct connection to water on straws one or a few decimetres up.
Conservation Status
Similar Species
Leucorrhinia dubia, Leucorrhinia pectoralis
External Links
Genus: Leucorrhinia
Leucorrhinia is a genus of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. They are commonly called whitefaces because of their distinctive pale frons.
Identification
Easily distinguished, even from afar, by their bright white face that is contrasting with their largely black body. This feature is combined with unique wings, having dark spots at the hindwing bases, only 7-8 (rarely 9) forewing antenodal cross-veins and notably short, rectangular pterostigmas. The abdomen is predominantly black, with a single series of pale dorsal spots that either turn deep red in mature males or disappear whilst the abdomen becomes grey pruinose at its base.
Separation from other genera
Other libellulids have coloured faces, although this may be poorly developed in young individuals, and in most of those genera pale colours predominate on the abdomen. Males developing pruinosity (e.g. Orthetrum, Libellula) tend to have this on more than half the abdomen, but the distinction may be difficult in old and worn pruinose Leucorrhinia males. The only largely black libellulid occurring widely with Leucorrhinia species is Sympetrum danae. The smallest species, L. dubia in particular, may be confused with it when viewed from a distance; S. danae has a yellow to black face, and at most a yellow hindwing base. Finally, the white-faced North American vagrant Pachydiplax longipennis may recall a Leucorrhinia species, but it is only likely to appear on the Atlantic seaboard.
Separation of the species
Five species occur in our area. All increase in abundance towards the north-east, ranging deeply into Siberia. Another seven inhabit North America. Our species can easily be separated into two groups. Two species have white appendages and males that become dark, with grey pruinosity at the abdomen base. Three others have dark appendages and develop deep red markings but no pruinosity. Note that the species in these groups often occur together. The white appendages are easily seen from a distance. To identify species, especially the red-spotted ones, examination in the hand might be helpful. The male's hamule and female's vulvar scale rule out all confusion. Young individuals of all species are black with yellowish spots, and can only be separated safely by close examination, and by also referring to the pattern of spots.
| Group | species | |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | L. albifrons, L. caudalis | has white appendages |
| Group 2 | L. pectoralis, L. dubia, L. rubicunda | has dark appendages |
Behaviour
All species have an erratic flight, especially the smaller red-marked species, which can often be seen dancing over bogs and fens. The larger, pruinose species fly more slowly, often over open water or even among the trees surrounding a breeding site. Females of all species may oviposit alone, or are guarded by the male flying or perching nearby.
Family: Libellulidae
The skimmers or perchers and their relatives form the Libellulidae, the largest dragonfly family in the world. It is sometimes considered to contain the Corduliidae as the subfamily Corduliinae and the Macromiidae as the subfamily Macromiinae. Even if these are excluded, there still remains a family of over 1000 species. With nearly worldwide distribution, these are almost certainly the most often seen of all dragonflies.
The genus Libellula is mostly New World, but also has one of the few endangered odonates from Japan: Libellula angelina. Many of the members of this genus are brightly colored or have banded wings. The related genus Plathemis includes the whitetails. The genus Celithemis contains several brightly marked species in the southern United States. Members of the genus Sympetrum are called darters (or meadowhawks in North America) and are found throughout most of the world, except Australia. Several Southern Hemisphere species in the genera Trithemis and Zenithoptera are especially beautiful. Other common genera include Tramea and Pantala.
The libellulids have stout-bodied larvae with the lower lip or labium developed into a mask over the lower part of the face.
The family name may have been derived from the Latin libella which means booklet.