Common Bluetail

Fascinating facts about the Common Bluetail

• Androchrome females of the common bluetail are a distinct group that copy the male colouration, making them virtually indistinguishable in appearance from the males. They share the same black-capped bluish-green eyes, black dorsal thorax and the striking azure blue on abdominal segments 8 and 9. The only difference lies in their sexual characteristics, which are not visible externally.
• Gynochrome females display olive-green eyes topped with a vivid orange patch, a colour pattern that sets them apart from the androchrome form. Their thorax sides are mud-coloured when young and gradually pale as they mature, while the abdomen shows orange lateral markings on segments 1-2 and 8-10 that fade over time. These visual traits persist throughout their life, providing a clear identification cue for observers.
• Both male and female common bluetails begin life with a green hue on their thorax and abdomen, a colour that can shift to blue as they age. This transformation is noted in the species description, where the green on thorax and abdomen may turn to blue in both male and female when aged. The change typically becomes apparent in older individuals, giving mature damselflies a more vivid bluish appearance.
• The common bluetail is native to Africa and its distribution continues eastward through the Middle East into southern and eastern Asia, making it a truly widespread damselfly. It belongs to the family Coenagrionidae and is found in a variety of wetland habitats across this range. Breeding takes place in marshes, weedy ponds and other wetland sites, allowing the species to exploit many freshwater environments.
• The abdomen of the common bluetail shows a striking colour pattern, with the eighth and ninth segments coloured a vivid azure blue. The ninth segment is distinguished by a black dorsal stripe that runs along its top surface. Behind these bright segments, the abdomen is black on the dorsum up to segment seven, while the sides of the later segments display khaki-yellow tones.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia

At a glance

About the Common Bluetail

As the sun casts its warm rays upon the tranquil waters, the Common Bluetail dances across the surface, its iridescent blue tail glimmering like a shard of sapphire as it flits from lily pad to lily pad. With a delicate touch, it alights upon a blade of grass, its slender body swaying gently in the breeze as it surveys its surroundings with an unblinking gaze. In this serene and idyllic world, the Common Bluetail is a whirling dervish of color and movement, its very existence a testament to the beauty and wonder that awaits in the hidden corners of our natural world.

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