Broad-bodied Chaser
Encyclopedia
The Broad-bodied Chaser, Libellula depressa, is one of the most common dragonflies in Europe
and central Asia
. It is very distinctive with a very broad flattened abdomen, four wing patches and, in the male, the abdomen becomes pruinose
blue.
, Sardinia
, Sicily
and Menorca. Its range does not extend beyond southern Europe into Africa.
L. depressa is seen near still-water lakes and ponds, feeding on many types of small insects. They occur in both bare and sunny locations, where it is often the first dragonfly to colonise new habitats such as newly created ponds, and well vegetated ponds. L. depressa are often seen away from water as the adults are very mobile and undergo a period of maturation away from water after emergence. The adults are also migratory.
The eggs hatch in 4 or 5 weeks and the larvae take one to two years to develop. The larvae live amongst the aquatic vegetation at the bottom of the pond but not buried in mud like some other species of dragonfly. After emergence the adults move away from water and undergo a period of maturation which lasts 10 to 14 days.
but there is some evidence, based on RNA and DNA analysis, that this species should be placed within the genus Ladona (Artiss et al, 2001). This change is not yet generally accepted and books and field guides list this species as Libellula
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and central Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. It is very distinctive with a very broad flattened abdomen, four wing patches and, in the male, the abdomen becomes pruinose
Pruinescence
Pruinescence, or pruinosity, is a "bloom" caused by pigment on top of an insect's cuticle that covers up the underlying coloration, giving a dusty or frosted appearance. The pruinescence is commonly white to pale blue in color, but can also be gray, pink, purple, or red; these colors may be...
blue.
Identification
The male and female have a broad, flattened abdomen which is brown with yellow patches down the sides. In the male the abdomen develops a blue pruinosity which covers the brown colour. Both fore and hind wings have a dark patch at the base. Both the male and female have broad antehumeral stripes. The average wingspan is approximately 70mm. L. depressa is very distinctive and should not be confused with any other dragonflies in the region.Distribution and habitat
L. depressa is found in central and southern Europe, central Asia and the Middle East. It range extends northwards to southern Scotland, southern Sweden and southern Finland and it occurs on some Mediterranean islands including CorsicaCorsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and Menorca. Its range does not extend beyond southern Europe into Africa.
L. depressa is seen near still-water lakes and ponds, feeding on many types of small insects. They occur in both bare and sunny locations, where it is often the first dragonfly to colonise new habitats such as newly created ponds, and well vegetated ponds. L. depressa are often seen away from water as the adults are very mobile and undergo a period of maturation away from water after emergence. The adults are also migratory.
Behaviour
The flight period is from April to September but are mostly seen in May and June. Their flight is very fast as they dart and dive above the water. They are very territorial and will fight with rival males and any other dragonflies they happen to encounter. They characteristically return to a favoured perch, in the sun. When a female enters a male's territory the male will fly up and grab the female. Mating occurs on the wing and the pair are in tandem for only a brief period, often less than a minute. The pair separate and the female will find a suitable location for ovipositing, usually a stretch of open water with submerged vegetation. The female oviposits in flight, hovering above the water and dipping the tip of her abdomen in.The eggs hatch in 4 or 5 weeks and the larvae take one to two years to develop. The larvae live amongst the aquatic vegetation at the bottom of the pond but not buried in mud like some other species of dragonfly. After emergence the adults move away from water and undergo a period of maturation which lasts 10 to 14 days.
Systematics
This species is usually placed in the genus LibellulaLibellula
Libellula is a genus of dragonflies, commonly called Skimmers, in the family Libellulidae, distributed throughout the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species are found in the United States, where they are the best-known large dragonflies, often seen flying over freshwater ponds in...
but there is some evidence, based on RNA and DNA analysis, that this species should be placed within the genus Ladona (Artiss et al, 2001). This change is not yet generally accepted and books and field guides list this species as Libellula
Libellula
Libellula is a genus of dragonflies, commonly called Skimmers, in the family Libellulidae, distributed throughout the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species are found in the United States, where they are the best-known large dragonflies, often seen flying over freshwater ponds in...
See also
- LibellulaLibellulaLibellula is a genus of dragonflies, commonly called Skimmers, in the family Libellulidae, distributed throughout the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species are found in the United States, where they are the best-known large dragonflies, often seen flying over freshwater ponds in...
- LibellulidaeLibellulidaeThe skimmers or perchers and their relatives form the Libellulidae, the largest dragonfly family in the world. It is sometimes considered to contain the Corduliidae as the subfamily Corduliinae and the Macromiidae as the subfamily Macromiinae. Even if these are excluded , there still remains a...
- Four-spotted ChaserFour-spotted ChaserThe Four-spotted Chaser , known in North America as the Four-spotted Skimmer, is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae found frequently throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....
(L. quadrimaculata) - List of British dragonflies