Red-veined darter

Early Darter ( Sympetrum fonscolombii ), male

The Early Darter ( Sympetrum fonscolombii ) is a dragonfly of the family sailing Dragonflies ( Libellulidae ), which is one of the dragonflies ( Anisoptera ).

Features

The thorax of the males as her abdomen red and has lateral light stripes. The best cream to brownish females lacking this page strips. The males have a pronounced red Flügeladerung especially in the area around the wing roots. In the wings of the females can be found at the base of a yellow spot. The pterostigma is compared with other members of the genus is relatively large and is in contrast to those in age yellowish to ocher. The Flügeladerung directly on the pterostigma is black.

Flight time

Imagines the Early Darter can be observed in central Europe from May to October. This compared with other darters very early flight time gave the type its German name. In warm areas of southern Europe or Africa can be found as Imago throughout the year, the Early Darter thanks to several overlapping generations even.

Dissemination

The Early Darter can be found as typical unsteady Wanderart in many parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. In Central Europe, the kind planted in the summer months often proceeded successfully. The question of whether the Early Darter can also overwinter as larvae in Germany or only once each year migrates from the Mediterranean area, is not yet fully understood. At least in some cases, the successful overwintering in Germany, however, is already in use, with the majority of individuals of spring is probably due to migrants.

A spread and population increase in relation to climate change can be observed in some species of dragonflies, including in the Early Darter, which is, however, still mostly listed in the Red List of Germany and the Red Lists of the provinces as " unstable propagation guest".

Habitat

The very thermophile species settled in warm regions such as the Mediterranean and Africa, a wide variety of habitats. This ranges from swamps and ponds with thick vegetation to plant non- ponds, which can even dry out partially. In northern climes, the species is, however, picky and preferred flat, not too overgrown standing waters, which - heat quickly - usually due to intense sunlight.

The larvae tolerate temporarily, at least in the Mediterranean area and light currents. Place it in the chemical composition of the water, the larvae are no special requirements. In particular, their salt tolerance is amazing, which allows them to self- develop in lagoons. For the emergence of the larvae do not select specific structures, but slip purely opportunistic, depending on the larval habitat. The locations for the emergence range from two meters high branches to the stone on the shore. It already exuviae were found up to 50 meters from the waters removed when no suitable structures were present in waters nearby.

Naming

The Early Darter was first described in 1840 by Selys means of a copy from France as Libellula fonscolombii. He named the type after the French entomologists Fonscolombe ( 1772-1853 ). 1878 Beechnut described an animal from Statzersee rhaeticum as Sympetrum.

Some researchers doubt the systematic classification of the Early Darter Sympetrum in and argue for a classification of the species in the genus Tarnetrum. A major reason for this different assessment is the lack of Abdominaldornen in the larvae.