Selysiothemis nigra

Selysiothemis nigra, females

The devil ( Selysiothemis nigra) is the only representative of the genus Selysiothemis dragonflies of the family sailing dragonflies. It is spread from Central Asia to the Mediterranean countries.

Features

The around 20 millimeters long abdomen (abdomen) is black at negotiated colored males and is on the bottom white frosting. Juvenile males and females, however, are pale gray-yellow with a black drawing. This is composed of a dorsal stripe along on the second and third segments, as well as on the transverse edges of these segments. The dorsal stripe continues but four interrupted on segments with seven at the transition to the next segment. Also it narrows to these segments in the center of the segment. On the eighth with tenth segment, he becomes wider again. The upper abdomen attachments are shorter than the ninth segment and seen from the side almost semicircular curved. The broad and blunt lower abdomen attachments are only slightly shorter than the upper.

The adult male of the chest (thorax ) is also black and whitish on the ventral side. They are joined by white hairs. The females, however, are golden brown and whitish down. The legs are black and hips ( coxa ) and on the inside of the leg ( femur) yellowish white. The approximately 25 millimeters measured hind wings are like the fore wings translucent and have a white Flügelmal ( pterostigma ). The Flügeladerung is white.

While the lower lip ( labium ) in adult male is whitish, it goes in the juvenile males, and in females from yellowish white. The upper lip ( labrum ) is cloudy orange. The face and the subsequent forehead ( frons ) are grayish olive color towards the center obscured in adult males and greenish white in females and not yet fully colored males. In addition, the latter is found in a sharp demarcating Stirnbasallinie. The vertex (vertex ) is also dark olive color.

Evidence

• Henrik Steinmann - World Catalogue of Odonata ( Anisoptera Volume II ) [p 551 ], de Gruyter, 1997, ISBN 3-110-14934-6
• Friedrich Ris: Libellulinen edited monographs. Libellulinen 8 ( pdf) In: Collections zoologiques du Baron Edm. de Selys Longchamps. Catalogue systématique et descriptif. 3, 16 ( 1), 1913. Accessed on May 15, 2010.