vážka černořitná (Orthetrum cancellatum)

• English name: Black-Tailed Skimmer
• German name: Grosser Blaupfeil
• French name: Orthétrum réticulé
• Dutch name: Gewone oeverlibel
• Swedish name: Större sjötrollslända
• Norwegian name: Stor blålibelle
• Finnish name: Merisinikorento
• Danish name: Stor blåpil
• Italian name: Frecciazzurra puntanera
• Czech name: vážka černořitná
• Slovenian name: Prodni modrač
• Bulgarian name: Черновърхо синилниче

vážka černořitná
(Orthetrum cancellatum)

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 species which is common throughout Europe except the far north
Classification		• suborder: Anisoptera (dragonflies); family: Libellulidae
Conservation status		• IUCN Red List Europe: Least Concern
Scientific name		• Orthetrum cancellatum (Linnaeus, 1758)
Name genus		• Orthetrum: from Grk. ὀρθός = straight, parallel +; ἦτρον = abdomen ⇒ Newman described Orthetrum species as having the 'abdomen laterally parallel' (as distinct from Sympetrum species, which have the 'abdomen laterally compressed')
Name species		• cancellatum: from Lat. cancellatus, -a, -um = latticed, grated; [cancellus = grid, lattice, grate] ⇒ for the criss-cross pattern of black stripes on the yellow abdomen in females and immature males
Distribution		• click or tap the Map button above
Habitat		• lakes and ponds with bare banks
Dimensions		• typical body length: 44-50 mm; hindwing: 35-41 mm
Notes		• libellulids are 'sitters': males spend a lot of time perched at the water's edge, waiting for females
		• often perches on the ground
		• very similar to O. albistylum but with a broader abdomen and black appendages
Both sexes	Head	• the eyes are green (brown in immature animals)
	Thorax	• in immature animals the thorax is bright yellow with black lines
	Abdomen	• in immature animals the abdomen is bright yellow with black lines
	Wings	• the wings are hyaline, without coloured patches
Male	Thorax	• the thorax is dark brown
	Abdomen	• the abdomen is dark yellow with black lines and is covered by a light-blue pruinescence; the last three or four segments are mostly black
		➤ the upper appendages are black
Female	Thorax	• the thorax is yellow with black lines on the side
	Abdomen	• the abdomen is yellow with black lines laterally
		➤ the appendages are black
Photographs		• nearly all of our photos below were made in Tuscany

LineDrawing: the male's abdomen and the female's abdomen in dorsal view.

Orthetrum cancellatum (left) and O. albistylum (right), appendages, male
Note the white appendages in male albistylum. In cancellatum they are black.

Orthetrum cancellatum (left) and O. albistylum (right), appendages, female
Note the white S10 and appendages in female albistylum. In cancellatum the appendages are black.