Western Clubtail (Gomphus pulchellus)
• English name: Western Clubtail
• German name: Westliche Keiljungfer
• French name: Gomphe joli
• Dutch name: Plasrombout
• Swedish name: Smal klubbtrollslända
• Norwegian name: N/A
• Finnish name: N/A
• Danish name: Vestlig flodguldsmed
• Italian name: Gonfo d'Oltralpe
• Czech name: klínatka západní
• Slovenian name: Zahodni porečnik
• Bulgarian name: N/A
Western Clubtail (Gomphus pulchellus)
Not present
Present before 1990
Present after 1990
Present before and after 1990
Present after 2015
Map data based on J.-P. Boudot & V. J. Kalkman (eds.),
Atlas of the European Dragonflies and Damselflies
| General | • a medium-sized black-and yellow species which occurs mainly in (south-)western Europe | |
| Classification | • suborder: Anisoptera (dragonflies); family: Gomphidae | |
| Conservation status | • IUCN Red List Europe: Least Concern, Endemic | |
| Scientific name | • Gomphus pulchellus Selys, 1840 | |
| Distribution | • click or tap the Map button above | |
| Habitat | • (riverine) ponds, lakes, gravel pits and reservoirs | |
| Dimensions | • typical body length: 47-50 mm; hindwing: 27-31 mm | |
| Notes | • gomphids are 'sitters': they spend a lot of time perched on rocks and vegetation | |
| ➤ the yellow colouration is often less vibrant in this species than in its congeners | ||
| Both sexes | Head | ➤ like in all other gomphids, the eyes are widely separated |
| Thorax | ➤ the four black lines on the side of the thorax are thin but complete, including the one on the mesometapleural suture; no other European Gomphus species has all four lines complete | |
| • the antehumeral stripe is very wide | ||
| Legs | • the legs are black with extensive yellow lines on the tibiae and femura | |
| Male | Abdomen | • compared to its congeners the abdomen is not very club-shaped |
| Photographs | • most of our photos below were made in Spain |
LineDrawing: the male's abdomen in dorsal view.
