Walking Catalonia

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made the difference. (Robert Frost – The road not taken)

Species list of the dragonflies of Catalonia

English name Latin name Flight period Breeding habitat
ZYGOPTERA
CALOPTERYXIDAE
Beautiful demoiselle Calopteryx virgo meridionalis V-X Clean rivers and streams
Banded demoiselle Calopteryx splendens xanthostoma V-IX Clean rivers and streams
Mediterranean demoiselle Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis VI-X Clean rivers and streams
LESTIDAE
  Sympecma fusca IV-V Pools near woods
Emerald damselfly Lestes sponsa VI-VII Pools at altitude
Scarce emerald damselfly Lestes dryas VI-VII Pools at altitude
  Lestes virens V-VIII Shallow pools in lowlands
  Lestes viridis V-XI Streams and rivers throughout
  Lestes barbarus VI-VIII Shallow pools in lowlands
PLATYCNEMIDIDAE
White-legged damselfly Platycnemis pennipes VI Small rivers
  Platycnemis latipes V-VIII Pools and streams throughout
  Platycnemis acutipennis V-VIII Lowland pools and streams
COENAGRIONIDAE
Large red damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula V-VIII Streams
Small red damselfly Ceriagrion tenellum V-VII Streams
Southern damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale V-VII Clean streams
Northern damselfly Coenagrion hastulatum VII High-altitude lakes
Azure damselfly Coenagrion puella V-IX Pools throughout
  Coenagrion caerulescens V-VII Marshy lagoons
Variable damselfly Coenagrion pulchellum VI Pools
Dainty damselfly Coenagrion scitulum VI-VII Shallow lagoons
Common blue damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum IV-X Pools
  Erythromma lindeni VI-IX Pools and rivers with little current
  Erythromma viridulum VI-X Pools with floating vegetation
Scarce blue-tailed damselfly Ischnura pumilio IV-X Temporary pools
Iberian blue-tailed damselfy Ischnura graellsi IV-VII Marshes, pools
Common blue-tailed damselfly Ischnura elegans IV-X Marshes, pools
ANISOPTERA
AESHNIDAE
  Boyeria irene VI-VIII Streams and rivers
Hairy dragonfly Brachytron pratense* V-VI Marshy rivers and ditches
Common hawker Aeshna juncea VI-VII High-altitude lakes
Migrant hawker Aeshna mixta V-XI Lowland marshes
Southern hawker Aeshna cyanea VI-X Pools
Norfolk hawker Anaciaeshna isosceles V-VI Reedy lakes
Southern migrant hawker Aeshna affinis VI-VII Shallow temporary pools
Emperor dragonfly Anax imperator IV-X Pools, rivers, etc.
Lesser emperor Anax parthenope III-X Pools, rivers, etc.
Vagrant emperor Hemianax ephippiger II-XI Marshes
GOMPHIDAE
  Gomphus pulchellus V-VII Rivers with stones
  Gomphus simillimus V-VII Rivers with stones
  Onychogomphus forcipatus unguiculatus V-VII Rivers with stones
  Onychogomphus uncatus V-VII Rivers with stones
  Onychogomphus costae* V-VII Rivers with stones
CORDULEGASTRIDAE
Golden-ringed dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii V-VII Streams in hills
  Cordulegaster bidentatus* VII High-altitude rivers
CORDULIIDAE
Brilliant emerald Somatochlora metallica* VII High-altitude bogs
Orange-spotted emerald Oxygastra curtisii VI-VII Strams in hills
LIBELLULIDAE
Four-spotted chaser Libellula quadrimaculata VI-VII Pools and marshes at altitude
Scarce chaser Libellula fulva VI-VII Lowland reedy rivers and lakes
Broad-bodied chaser Libellula depressa V-IX Pools
Black-tailed skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum V-IX Muddy banked pools
Keeled skimmer Orthetrum coerulescens V-IX Shallow pools and marshes
  Orthetrum brunneum V-IX Rivers and streams
  Orthetrum chrysostigma V-IX Ebro Delta
  Orthetrum nitidinerve VII Drainage ditches and streams
Common darter Sympetrum striolatum VII-XII Pools, lakes, etc.
  Sympetrum vulgatum VII-IX Ditches, lakes, etc.
Ruddy darter Sympetrum sanguineum V-VII Streams and pools
Banded darter Sympetrum pedemontanum VIII-IX Marshy ditches
Yellow-winged darter Sympetrum flaveolum VII-IX Streams
Red-veined darter Sympetrum fonscolombii III-XI Everywhere
Southern darter Sympetrum meridionale VI-VII Lowland marshes
  Sympetrum sinaiticum VII-IX Coastal freshwater pools
Scarlet dragonfly Crocothemis erythraea V-X Pools, lakes, etc.
  Trithemis annulata V-X Artificial pools, resevoirs, etc.
  Selysiothemis nigra VII Lakes
White-faced darter Leucorrhinia dubia VII High-altitude lakes
  Leucorrhinia pectoralis* VII High-altitude bogs
TOTAL AS OF APRIL 2006 66 SPECIES
Source: catalogue of Catalan dragonflies by Ricard Martín
* = NOT recorded since 1996 by members of OXYGASTRA

PHOTOGRAPHS OF SOME OF THE DRAGONFLIES OF CATALONIA

All photographs are copyright and may not be reproduced without the permission of the author.

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