Sympetrum sinaiticum
• English name: Desert Darter
• German name: Wüsten-Heidelibelle
• French name: N/A
• Dutch name: Woestijnheidelibel
• Swedish name: N/A
• Norwegian name: N/A
• Finnish name: N/A
• Danish name: N/A
• Italian name: Cardinale del deserto
• Czech name: N/A
• Slovenian name: N/A
• Bulgarian name: N/A
Sympetrum sinaiticum
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 small species which in Europe occurs only in eastern and southern Spain and on Sicily | |
| Classification | • suborder: Anisoptera (dragonflies); family: Libellulidae | |
| Conservation status | • IUCN Red List Europe: Least Concern | |
| Scientific name | • Sympetrum sinaiticum Dumont, 1977 | |
| Name genus | • Sympetrum: from Grk. συμπιέζω = to squeeze together +; ἦτρον = abdomen ⇒ Newman described Sympetrum species as having the 'abdomen laterally compressed' (as distinct from Orthetrum species, which have the 'abdomen laterally parallel') | |
| Name species | • sinaiticum: after Mount Sinai / the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, from where two females used in Dumont's description were taken | |
| Distribution | • click or tap the Map button above | |
| Habitat | • ponds and pools, but also streams and ditches (e.g. in desert oases) | |
| Dimensions | • typical body length: 34-37 mm; hindwing: 24-29 mm | |
| Notes | • libellulids are 'sitters': males spend a lot of time perched at the water's edge, waiting for females | |
| • all European Sympetrum species oviposit in tandem | ||
| • this species aestivates during the hottest, driest summer months | ||
| Both sexes | Head | • the underside of the eye tends to be blue-grey in the subspecies tarraconense, which occurs in Spain (see e.g. Dr1264 and Dr1289 below) |
| Abdomen | ➤ the abdomen bears three black bars laterally on S1-S3 | |
| Legs | • the legs are yellow with a black stripe on the tibia and femur | |
| Male | Thorax | • the thorax is brown-red (yellow in immature males) with, on the side, very thin black lines |
| Abdomen | • the abdomen is red (yellow in immature males) with black spots laterally on S8 and S9, and a thin black line along the bottom edge; the two black spots dorsally on S8 and S9 are very small | |
| • the abdomen is not club-shaped | ||
| Female | Thorax | • the thorax is yellow with, on the side, very thin black lines |
| Abdomen | • the top of the abdomen is yellow with black spots laterally (and dorsally on S8 and S9); the side of the abdomen bears a thin black line along the bottom edge | |
| Photographs | • our photos below were made in Tunisia, Andalusia and, more recently, Valencia |
LineDrawing: the male's head, thorax and abdomen in lateral view.
