Oxygastra – Orange-spotted Emeralds

Orange-spotted Emerald – Oxygastra curtisii – European Dragonfly photo

The Orange-spotted Emerald ( Oxygastra curtisii ) is now largely restricted to the Western Mediterranean but until the 1950’s, although never widespread, it was found in the U.K. on the River Tamar on the Devon – Cornwall boundary and the West Moors river in Hampshire. It was last seen on this river in the New Forest in 1963 and is now extinct in England. Its preferred breeding habitat is in slow moving and not too shaded streams and rivers. It is the only species in the genus in the world.

KEY I/D FEATURES :

Males have a pale yellow ridge on Segment 10 of the body (as shown in the third photograph) but it is the brilliant green eyes and yellow spotting down the slim, emerald green abdomen which is more noticeable. The abdomen is somewhat club shaped and widest at Segment 8. The metallic green thorax is covered in short hairs.

Females have similar markings to the male but the eyes are somewhat less brilliant green, the abdomen is not clubbed and the wings bases are tinged with yellow.