Platycnemis latipes
Platycnemis latipes Rambur, 1842
Local names: White featherleg
Species Information
Description
Within range, the males are unique with their porcelain white body and expanded legs with limited black markings. Usually at least S2-S5 are white or cream-coloured without black markings. In both sexes, the hind tibiae are white and very expanded, more so than in P. pennipes and P. acutipennis. The tibiae of the middle legs have at most a black marking at the base. Females white or beige in colour with most of abdomen with no markings, and head, thorax and last abdominal segments often shifting in orange. Both males and females have double antehumeral stripes on top of thorax.
P. subdilatata (North Africa) and P. dealbata (Turkey) are similar but do not overlap in range. Beware of teneral P. pennipes males, which are whitish (not yet blue) and may have less intense black markings.
Male upper appendage with upper tip shorter than lower. Pronotum of female with a pair of short lateral teeth on the hind margin., which are larger and placed more outward in P. acutipennis but mostly absent in P. pennipes.
The extent of black markings on S6-S10 varies greatly.
Size
Habitat
Platycnemis latipes occurs mainly in slow-flowing to moderately fast running waters in lowlands and hilly areas. Reproduction at standing waters is rare.
Distribution
Platychnemis latipes is endemic to the south-west Europe. It is common in most of the Iberian Peninsula and the south-west of France, and often occurs in large populations. Published records north of the rivers Loire and the Rhône are probably erroneous and more likely to be P. pennipes.
Flight Period
From the end of May to September. In southern Spain from May to the end of August.
Conservation Status
Similar Species
Platycnemis pennipes
External Links
Genus: Platychnemis
Platycnemis is a genus of damselfly in the family Platycnemididae. The name comes from the Greek words platos (πλατυς) 'flat' and cnernis (κνημη) 'shin'. They are commonly known as Featherlegs.
Identification
Pale damselflies with noticeably wide heads. The legs are often widened at the tibiae, they have numerous, relatively long bristles and are to a large extent white, making them feather-like in appearance in both sexes, but most especially on the males.
The quadrilateral cell in all wings is almost rectangular, usually separated from the subnode by two cells.
Heads, legs and venation are unique among our damselflies. Details of the markings are also special.
Separation from other genera
Coenagrionid damselflies with similar coloration have stouter heads, and darker, evenly wide legs with less bristles. Only P. pennipes becomes blue, but even so the black markings are very differently configured.
Separation of the species
Identification of our six species is simplified when ranges are regarded. Males are separated by their colour at maturity and details of tibiae and appendages. Females are coloured similarly between species and differ less in tibial features. They should be separated by careful study of the prothorax. See table below.
Behaviour
Males perch on the waterside banks or in nearby vegetation. They search for females along the shoreline or borders of vegetation with a slow zig-zagging flight. Males grasp the female by landing on her thorax, often directly in flight. After mating, the pair continues to oviposit in tandem. Sites with egg-laying pairs attract other pairs, resulting in large groups laying together. In both sexes, the wide legs are not used in courtship, but for threatening behaviour. They are presented to and waved at individuals of the same species in flight.
Family: Platychnemididae
The Platycnemididae are a family of damselflies. They are known commonly as white-legged damselflies. There are over 400 species native to the Old World. The family is divided into several subfamilies:
- Allocnemidinae Dijkstra, 2014,
- Calicnemiinae Fraser, 1957,
- Disparoneurinae Fraser, 1957,
- Idiocnemidinae Dijkstra, 2014,
- Onychargiinae Dijkstra, 2014,
- Platycnemidinae Yakobson & Bianchi, 1905,