Gynacantha (B) victoriae (Pinhey, 1961)
Victoria's Duskhawker

Type locality: Entebbe, Lake Victoria, Uganda

Diagnosis

Male is similar to the widely co-occurring G. bullata by (a) small size, Hw 35.0-44.0 mm; (b) pale legs with dark rings around the joints; (c) the absence of denticles in the posterior portion of the genital fossa border; and (d) the ventral carinae of S6-8 lacking denticles. However, has (1) the antennal sockets on the frons usually not blackened and thus contrasting with the black vertex; (2) broad blackish smears over the humeral sutures; (3) blue markings with maturity on the plate between Hw bases, dorsally on apex of S2 and laterally on base of S3; and (4) shorter cerci, 5.0-5.5 mm and less than 3x as long as the epiproct, distinctly shorter than S8-10 combined. [Adapted from Dijkstra, Kipping & Mézière 2015]

Habitat description

Standing and mostly temporary waters shaded by forest. Usually with coarse detritus and mostly a soft (like muddy) bottom. From 200 to 600 m above sea level, but possibly up to 1200.

Distribution

confirmed: Cameroon; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Gabon; Sierra Leone; Uganda


Male © Nicolas Meziere


Appendages (dorsal view)

Frons (dorsal view)

Map citation: Clausnitzer, V., K.-D.B. Dijkstra, R. Koch, J.-P. Boudot, W.R.T. Darwall, J. Kipping, B. Samraoui, M.J. Samways, J.P. Simaika & F. Suhling, 2012. Focus on African Freshwaters: hotspots of dragonfly diversity and conservation concern. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 10: 129-134.


Barcode specimen(s):


Male; Gabon, Haut-Ogoué, route de Bakoumba © Mézière, Nicolas


Male; Gabon, Haut-Ogoué, piste à droite avant africa n°1 (direction franceville) © Mézière, Nicolas


Male; Sierra Leone, Eastern Province, Gola Forest © Dijkstra, K.-D.B. & A. Dayeker


Female; Cameroon, Southwest Province, Mt Kupe © Dijkstra, K.-D.B., & K. Schuette

Citation: Dijkstra, K.-D.B (editor). African Dragonflies and Damselflies Online. http://addo.adu.org.za/ [2024-03-28].