Ischnura ramburi  -  Rambur's forktail

Order

Odonata

Suborder

Zygoptera

Family

Coenagrionidae

Genus/species

Ischnura ramburi

Italian name

--

English name

Rambur's forktail

In tropical countries, practically all year.

Ponds, lakes, swamps and slow streams with lots of sun exposed vegetation, including brackish and marine waters.

The species is reported in Florida, West Maine, Mexico, and the west coast of South America to Chile.

Dimensions: body 27-36 mm;
                   wings 15-19 mm,

Male :

- dark head with small green post-ocular spots.

- green thorax with wide black mid-dorsal stripes.

Abdomen: dorsal black and laterally yellowish, with the abdominal segments 8 and 9 completely blue, the tenth has the black dorsal part.

The cerci are short and blunt.

Female: there are three types of coloring:

- 1) adromorph (similar to the male),

- 2) red-orange, where the thorax and abdominal segments 1-2 are completely red-orange except a black stripe on the dorsal half of the second segment, with the rest of the abdomen similar to the male, except for the segments 8,9,10, which are black with an orange-colored side stripe.

- 3) with the green thorax and other features similar to the "red-orange".

Juvenile males have a color that goes from green to orange.