Urothemis venata Dijkstra, Mézière & Kipping, 2015
Red-veined Basker

Type locality: Gola Forest, Vaama, Sierra Leone

Diagnosis

The male recalls U. edwardsii in (a) abdomen being blue pruinose with maturity, rather than bright red. However, (1) the labium is uniformly warm brown and only rarely darkened; (2) the pruinosity is pale and uniform, rather than dark and sparing a broad black middorsal line from the abdomen base to tip; (3) the costa, subcosta and radial vein are bright red with maturity, contrasting with the blackish other veins; and (4) the hamule is only about as long as the genital lobe and distinctly less wide than it. [Adapted from Dijkstra, Kipping & Mézière 2015]

Habitat description

Standing and often temporary waters, mostly in open areas in forest. Usually with emergent and often aquatic vegetation, coarse detritus and a sandy and/or soft (like muddy) bottom. From 100 to 900 m above sea level.

Distribution

Abdominal segment 2 (lateral view)

Map citation: Clausnitzer, V., K.-D.B. Dijkstra, R. Koch, J.-P. Boudot, W.R.T. Darwall, J. Kipping, B. Samraoui, M.J. Samways, J.P. Simaika & F. Suhling, 2012. Focus on African Freshwaters: hotspots of dragonfly diversity and conservation concern. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 10: 129-134.

Barcode specimen(s):

Reference

• Dijkstra, K.-D.B., Mézière, N., and Kipping, J. (2015). Sixty new dragonfly and damselfly species from Africa (Odonata). Odonatologica, 44, 447-678.

Citation: Dijkstra, K.-D.B (editor). African Dragonflies and Damselflies Online. http://addo.adu.org.za/ [2024-10-15].