Red-veined dropwing  (Trithemis arteriosa)

The red-veined dropwing is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (1).

One of Africa’s most common and widely distributed dragonflies, the male red-veined dropwing (Trithemis arteriosa) has a slender red abdomen and is named after the bright red veins running across its wings (2).

The female and immature red-veined dropwing, have a yellowish-russet abdomen with a pale streak between the wings (2). As with other dropwing species, the wings are held downwards and forwards when at rest (3) (4).

Both the male and female red-veined dropwing have orange flecks at the base of the wings and large crimson eyes. The distinctive lower mouthparts are yellow with a central bronze stripe. Black splashes run along the sides of the abdomen, increasing in size up to the tip, which is entirely black (2). The oval larvae or ‘nymphs’ of the red-veined dropwing are hairless with a spiny abdomen covered in dark brown speckles (3).

Widespread and common in Africa, the red-veined dropwing is particularly abundant in southern Africa (2) (5) and can also be found across southern Europe and parts of the Middle East (1).

The red-veined dropwing can be found in most aquatic habitats including swamps, marshes, reedy pools, streams, slow-moving rivers and, in arid regions, salt pans (2) (3) (5). Breeding is known to take place in temporary pools where aquatic larvae have been found buried up to 30 centimetres in the water bed (6).

Red-veined dropwing nymphs are ferocious predators (7), feeding on small invertebrates (8). Dragonfly nymphs are aquatic and after completing a number of developmental stages, they emerge from the water and moult into an adult dragonfly. The newly emerged dragonfly matures and gains its unique colouring before breeding (2).

The flight period for adult red-veined dropwings is throughout the year, although they are more commonly seen during the summer months, perched prominently on vegetation at the waters edge (2). Perching is thought to help the red-veined dropwing locate and catch prey and allows the male red-veined dropwing to lookout for female mates and intruders (3) (9).

Male red-veined dropwings are very territorial, and can battle with other males of the same species for around 20 minutes. The defender often flies tightly around the intruder, known as ‘spinning’, and attempts to force the intruder to fly upwards. These conflicts often cause severe wing damage and wing condition deteriorates with age (9).

The red-veined dropwing is currently an abundant and widespread species and is not considered to be under threat (1).

As a common and widespread species, there are no conservation measures in place for the red-veined dropwing (1). However, the red-veined dropwing is sensitive to changes in water quality and can be used as an indicator species for permanent water sources (5).

Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi is a principal sponsor of ARKive. EAD is working to protect and conserve the environment as well as promoting sustainable development in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

Find out more about how South African dragonflies can be used as indicator species:

• Simaica, J.P. (2008) Conservation biogeography of South African dragonflies (Odonata). Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University. Available at:
  http://scholar.sun.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10019.1/1710/Simaika,%20J.pdf

More information on dragonfly and damselfly conservation:

• Moore, N.W. (1997) Dragonflies: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN/SSC Odonata Specialist Group, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. Available at:
  http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/1997-042.pdf