Ischnura senegalensis
• English name: Marsh Bluetail
• German name: Senegal-Pechlibelle
• French name: N/A
• Dutch name: Senegalees lantaarntje
• Swedish name: N/A
• Norwegian name: N/A
• Finnish name: N/A
• Danish name: N/A
• Italian name: N/A
• Czech name: N/A
• Slovenian name: N/A
• Bulgarian name: N/A
Ischnura senegalensis
Map data based on J.-P. Boudot & V. J. Kalkman (eds.),
Atlas of the European Dragonflies and Damselflies
| General | ➤ a small species, very similar to I. pumilio, which in Europe occurs only on the Canary Islands | |
| Classification | • suborder: Zygoptera (damselflies); family: Coenagrionidae | |
| Conservation status | • IUCN Red List Europe: Not Evaluated | |
| Scientific name | • Ischnura senegalensis (Rambur, 1842) | |
| Name genus | • Ischnura: from Grk. ἰσχνός = thin, slender +; οὐρά = tail ⇒ for the slender abdomen (compared to e.g. Calopteryx species) | |
| Name species | • senegalensis: after the West-African country of Senegal | |
| Distribution | • click or tap the Map button above | |
| Habitat | • any well-vegetated pond or lake | |
| Dimensions | • typical body length: 29-37 mm; hindwing: 14-22 mm | |
| Notes | • over the years there has been much debate about the presence or otherwise of Ischnura senegalensis on the Canary Islands (and therefore in Europe); as recently as 2008 and 2011 photographs of the species taken on Tenerife were initially misidentified as I. saharensis - an understandable mistake, considering I. senegalensis didn't occur on the official checklists whereas I. saharensis did and was in fact considered the only damselfly species present on the island | |
| • in May 2014 we managed to demonstrate that I. senegalensis does occur and reproduce on the Canary Islands | ||
| Male | Thorax | • the lower side of the thorax and the antehumeral stripe are sky blue or (pale) green |
| • compared to I. saharensis the black line on the interpleural suture tends to be much thinner, shorter and less clearly visible | ||
| Abdomen | • the abdomen is black on top, but S8 is sky blue | |
| ➤ the black upper part of S2 is separated from the sky blue or green lower part in a wavy bulge | ||
| • compared to I. saharensis the tubercle on S10 is much smaller and less clearly visible | ||
| Wings | • the pterostigma in the forewing is bicoloured: black on the inside, white on the outside; the pterostigma in the hindwing is uniformly beige/brown | |
| Female | Thorax | • in immature females the side of the thorax is bright orange (a colour form known as aurantiaca); with age this orange colour is gradually replaced by green |
| • in androchrome females (which we have not yet photographed) the side of the thorax is sky blue or (pale) green | ||
| Abdomen | ➤ the abdomen is black on top, without a tail-light on S8 | |
| • the abdomen has a vulvar spine underneath S8 | ||
| Wings | • the pterostigma is uniformly brown in both wings | |
| Photographs | • all of our photos below were made on the Canary Islands in May 2014 and November 2022 |
Ischnura saharensis (left) and I. senegalensis (right); thorax, male
Note: in I. saharensis the black line on the interpleural suture is much thicker and longer than in I. senegalensis.
Ischnura saharensis (left) and I. senegalensis (right); abdomen, male
Note: in I. saharensis the green and black portions of S2 are separated in a straight line, without a bulge.
Ischnura saharensis (left) and I. senegalensis (right); abdomen, male
Note: in I. saharensis the tubercle on S10 is much larger than in I. senegalensis.
Ischnura saharensis (left, centre) and I. senegalensis (right); abdomen, female
Note: in I. saharensis S8 is either blue or brown on top; in the gynochrome form of I. senegalensis it is black.
