Northern Banded Groundling

Appearance

The species' most distinguishing features include the mature male's all-black body and black wing bands, and the creamy-white pterostigma which gives the species its scientific name of leucosticta (in classical Greek leukos means 'white'). In fact, though, that pterostigma is bi-coloured; its outer edge is dark brown.

Distribution

Brachythemis impartita is a central and northern African species which reaches the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Cyprus, the south of Anatolia and the south of Europe in the Iberian Peninsula, Sardinia and Sicily.

Behavior

The species is one of the more common and widespread species in Africa, found in huge populations (several millions) around natural and man-made lakes with variable level. It is also present in huge numbers in the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Sardinia thanks to numerous man-made lakes. Brachythemis leucosticta is known for accompanying grazing cattle; as the cattle move through the tall grasses and thereby flush out all sorts of small insects, their dragonfly companions find their prey presented on a silver platter.