Sympetrum vulgatum
Sympetrum vulgatum (Linnaeus, 1758)
Local names: Vagrant darter, Gemeine Heidelibelle, Steenrode heidelibel, Sympétrum commun, Tegelröd ängstrollslända
Species Information
Description
Most often mistaken for S. striolatum, although generally more common than that species in the north of its range. Both sexes can be identified by their "dropping moustache" but there is some variation in this characteristic and in some angles it can be tricky (beware photographers). The moustache does not apply to pale subspecies occurring in Spain and Turkey and generally it is best to combine with other characteristics.
Mature males have a very similar jizz to mature S. striolatum but have more uniformly brown thorax (yellowish bands less distinct) and a deeper brick-red abdomen, which is more distinctly clubbed because S6-S8 are clearly wider than S3-S5. It is never as clubbed as in S. sanguineum though. The legs are black with light coloured stripe. The femura of the front legs have the same amount of lightly coloured stripe as they have black, as opposed to S. striolatum which only has a thin, or absent, light stripe on the femura. When still in doubt the stouter hook of the hamule of the male separates it from s. striloatum.
Immature individuals are mainly yellow and black as well as the females. Females can also be identified by the almost perpendicular vulvar scale, which is often visible by the naked eye or through binoculars.
The Turkish subspecies S. v. decoloratum is one of the palest darters and appears to lack all black and most red. Perhaps slightly smaller than the typical S. vulgatum. It is even paler than S. meridionale:
- Black at the base of frons hardly visible.
- No dark bars at the back of the head.
- No more than a hint of black in the fossae (pits near wing bases) of the thorax sutures, not broader on metastigma.
- Of the legs, only tarsi somewhat darkened.
- Even mature males have little more than a red blush on the abdomen.
Ssp decoloratum may be found with similar S. arenicolor, from which it is only distinguishable in hand. The paucity of black recalls the tiny S. haritonovi.
Size
Habitat
Sympetrum vulgatum is found in a wide range of sunny standing waters, including ponds, lakes, marshes, gravel pits and canals. In the south of its range, its distribution is restricted to higher elevations with breeding recorde up to 1 400 m in the Alps and 2 100 m in the Pyrenees. Subspecies S. v. ibericum has been found at well vegetated marshlands, mountain lakes and gravel pits and probably inhibits a range of habitats similar to that of the nominotypical subspecies.
Distribution
Sympetrum vulgatum ranges from western Europe to the Russian Far East and Sakhalin. Subspecies S. v. ibericum is restricted to the south-west of the species range whereas subspecies S. v. decoloratum extends from Turkey to Central Asia. The species is common and widespread in eastern , central and continental western Europe. The species is largely absent from the westernmost regions and southern third of Europe, where reproductive populations are mainly confined to higher elevations (although influxes to the lowlands are known). It is the rarest of the Sympetrum species in Spain, central and southern Italy and the Balkan Peninsula. Old records from the Mediterranean islands are probably not correct. Only vagrants are known from the British Isles, which is remarkable as it is one of the commonest species int the adjacent continental lowlands. In western and central Europe S. vulgatum overlaps with S. striolatum and over large parts of their range both species are common. Sympetrum strilatum has however, a more southernly distribution, occurring extensively in the Mediterranean where S. vulgatum is rare or absent. S. vulgatum seems to outnumber S. striolatum in northern latitudes where they overlap. In the south-west, the nominotypical subspecies reaches the French Pyrenees. It is replaced by subspecies S. v. ibericum in the northern Spain and the east of the French Pyrenees. The latter subspecies seems to be scarce and confined to hilly or mountainous regions.
Flight Period
June to November
Behavior
Males of Sympetrum vulgatum does not patroll out over open water and does not perch on vanguard points in or over water as much as S. striolatum. Instead you find it on stones, jettys, footbridges or such in or adjacent to water.
Both males and females sit in sunny areas such as directly on the ground, on roads or on rocks. High densities are not uncommon and hundreds of individuals can be seen perching near each other and can be mating or ovipositing side by side. Ovipositing is done in tandem. Eggs are laid in vegetation above water or in aquatic vegetation, where they will remain during winter to be hatched in the early spring. Larval development is one year. Exuviae are found low in sedges, reeds or similar out in water or along the shoreline.
Conservation Status
Similar Species
Sympetrum striolatum
External Links
Genus: Sympetrum
Sympetrum is a genus of small to medium-sized skimmer dragonflies, known as darters in the UK and as meadowhawks in North America. The more than 50 species predominantly live in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Most Sympetrum fly in late summer and autumn, breeding in ponds and foraging over meadows.
Identification
Rather small libellulids. Mature males, with the exception of a black species, have an abdomen which is a shade of red. Black markings are variable, but usually at least present as traces on the thorax sutures, legs and abdomen. Hindwing base is clear or marked with yellow or amber.
Separation from other genera
The only smaller libellulids without a dark hindwing patch and often a red abdomen in much of our range. Crocothemis legs lack any black and the abdomen is broader (only some Turkish Sympetrum have almost no black on their legs). Red Trithemis are similar in stature but mature males have a much brighter appearance. Brachythemis has a plump, cylindrical abdomen.
Separation of the species
A large and often common genus. Many species can cause identification problems, especially when observing with binoculars only. In most areas, the difficulty will focus on the pair S. striolatum - S. vulgatum, but along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts in particular up to four similar species may overlap. These vary in the extent of the black markings, and this has led to taxonomic problems.
Behaviour
All darters behave similarly. They spend most of their time on a prominent perch, from which short dashes are undertaken to chase prey or rivals. Males often attain high densities along the water's edge, defending a small 'private space' around themselves rather than a territory. Oviposition always commences in tandem, but species differ somewhat in their mode of flight and choice of oviposition site.
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.