Diastatomma tricolor (Palisot de Beauvois, 1807)
Great Hoetail
Type locality: Cameroon or Nigeria, no locality data available.
Diagnosis
The male is easily identified by the distinctive appendages and thoracic markings, with (1) postdorsal stripes merged with collar and (partly) with pale area along middorsal carina, forming single triangular mark; (2) lobes of Hagen’s tubercle on underside of S1 forked and pointed; (3) posterior hamule strongly falcate; (4) inner branches almost placed on apex of cerci, barely leaving tip to them, and bent towards end like hockey stick; (5) branches of epiproct long and slender, well visible in dorsal view. Also, the female occiput has an erect posterior ridge that is about as high as unraised part is deep.
Habitat description
Streams shaded by forest. Often with a gravelly, sandy and/or soft (like muddy) bottom and probably coarse detritus. From 0 to 800 m above sea level, but mostly between 300 and 600.
Distribution
© Jens Kipping
 Appendages (dorsal view) |
 Posterior hamule (lateral view) |
 Tubercle (frontal view) |
 Tubercle (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):
Adult, male; Gabon, Haut-Ogoué, route d'Onguila © Mézière, Nicolas
Male; Gabon, Haut-Ogoué, piste à droite avant africa n°1 (direction franceville) © Mézière, Nicolas
Male; Gabon, Haut-Ogooué, Moupia © Dijkstra, K.-D.B., Nicolas Mézière & Cédric Vanappelghem
Male; Gabon, Haut-Ogooué, Franceville-Kessala Road © Dijkstra, K.-D.B., Nicolas Mézière & Cédric Vanappelghem
References
- de Palisot de Beauvois, A.M.F.J. (1805). Insectes recueillis en Afrique et en Amérique dans les royaumes d'Oware et de Benin, à Saint-Domingue et dans les États-Unis, pendant les années 1786-1797. Fain et Compagnies, Paris, 1-276.
- Karsch, F. (1899). Odonaten von Johann-Alrecht-Höhe (Nord- Kamerun), gesammelt von Herrn Leopold Conradt. Entomologische Nachrichten, 25, 161-176. [PDF file]
- Sjöstedt, Y. (1900). Odonaten aus Kamerun, West -afrika. Beltrage Zur Kenntnis der insektenfauna von Kamerun. Binhang Kongliga Svenka VetenskapsAkademiens Handlingar, 25, 1-62.
- Pinhey, E.C.G. (1962). Some records of Odonata collected in tropical Africa. Journal Entomological Society Southern Africa, 25, 20-50. [PDF file]
Citation: Dijkstra, K.-D.B (editor). African Dragonflies and Damselflies Online. http://addo.adu.org.za/ [2024-10-05].
