''Platycnemis acutipennis'', known as the Orange Featherleg or the Orange White-legged Damselfly, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
damselfly in the family
Platycnemididae.
Description
''Platycnemis acutipennis'' is the only European damselfly which combines an orange-red abdomen and blue eyes.
The male has moderately wide hind tibias (wider in both ''
P. pennipes'' and ''
P. latipes''; and the males of both those species have blue abdomens).
The thorax is buff-coloured with black stripes. There is an orange spot near the tip of each wing. The sexes are similar.
Behaviour
''Platycnemis acutipennis'' lives in fresh water, either still or up to moderately fast-flowing.
Distribution
''Platycnemis acutipennis'' is common and widely distributed across the southwest of Europe including Portugal, Spain, and France; it is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to that area.
There are however some recent records from Germany.
References
External links
Aesnature: Platycnemis acutipennis(images showing mating and egg-laying behaviour)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2091336
Platycnemididae
Damselflies of Europe
Insects described in 1841