Cover photo by Mark Liptrot.
Find the Dark-shouldered Skimmer in the FBIS database (Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) here.
Family Libellulidae
Identification
Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Diana Russel
Small size
Length up to 43mm; Wingspan reaches 64mm.
The colouration of male Dark-shouldered Skimmers varies with age. Young (teneral) males resemble the females and have brown eyes and thick black/brown edging along the abdomen. Slightly older immature males begin to develop blue pruinosity that begins to obscure the body patterns. The pruinosity first develops on the abdomen before spreading to the thorax. Mature males are entirely pruinose blue and are best identified by the shape of the secondary genitalia.
Fully pruinose males are very similar to Orthetrum abbotti (Little Skimmer) and the two are best identified by the shape of the males secondary genitalia.
Near Kosi Bay, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Ryan Tippett
Females and immature males are identified by the dark humeral (shoulder) stripes, unmarked thorax sides, and the thick black/brown edging along the abdomen.
Click here for more details on identification of the Dark-shouldered Skimmer.
Bokpoort, Limpopo
Photo by Gregg Darling
Habitat
The Dark-shouldered Skimmer frequents Bogs, seeps, and the marshy fringes of rivers, streams, and pans. It prefers habitats that are rich in grasses. The Dark-shouldered Skimmer is mostly found in savanna regions and is found up to 800m above sea level..
Photo by Ryan Tippett
Behaviour
The Dark-shouldered Skimmer perches low to the ground on grass or sedge stems. It seldom sits over open water, preferring boggy ground. The flight is slow and erratic. The Dark-shouldered Skimmer hunts from a perch, often returning to the same grass stem after forays. They are fairly tame and confiding and do not normally fly far once disturbed. Both sexes are found in the same area.
Status and Conservation
The Dark-shouldered Skimmer is locally common and listed as of Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is predominantly found in natural habitats and is not tolerant of habitat degradation.
Distribution
Orthetrum hintzi is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, occurring in West, Central, East and Southern Africa. It is mostly absent from the arid parts of north-east Africa and southern Africa.
Below is a map showing the distribution of records for Dark-shouldered Skimmer in the OdonataMAP database as at February 2020.
Below is a map showing the distribution of records for Dark-shouldered Skimmer in the OdonataMAP database as of December 2024.
The next map below is an imputed map, produced by an interpolation algorithm, which attempts to generate a full distribution map from the partial information in the map above. This map will be improved by the submission of records to the OdonataMAP section of the Virtual Museum.
Ultimately, we will produce a series of maps for all the odonata species in the region. The current algorithm is a new algorithm. The objective is mainly to produce “smoothed” maps that could go into a field guide for odonata. This basic version of the algorithm (as mapped above) does not make use of “explanatory variables” (e.g. altitude, terrain roughness, presence of freshwater — we will be producing maps that take these variables into account soon). Currently, it only makes use of the OdonataMAP records for the species being mapped, as well as all the other records of all other species. The basic maps are “optimistic” and will generally show ranges to be larger than what they probably are.
These maps use the data in the OdonataMAP section of the Virtual Museum, and also the database assembled by the previous JRS funded project, which was led by Professor Michael Samways and Dr KD Dijkstra.
Further Resources
The use of photographs by Diana Russel, Gregg Darling, and Mark Liptrot is acknowledged. All other photographs by Ryan Tippett.
Dark-shouldered Skimmer Orthetrum hintzi Schmidt, 1951
Other common names: Hintz’s Skimmer (Alt. English); Donkerskofskepper (Afrikaans)
Recommended citation format: Loftie-Eaton M; Navarro R; Tippett RM; Underhill L. 2025. Dark-shouldered Skimmer Orthetrum hintzi. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at https://thebdi.org/2020/05/21/dark-shouldered-skimmer-orthetrum-hintzi/
References: Tarboton, M; Tarboton, W. (2019). A Guide to the Dragonflies & Damselflies of South Africa. Struik Nature.
Samways, MJ. (2008). Dragonflies and Damselflies of South Africa. Pensoft
Samways, MJ. (2016). Manual of Freshwater Assessment for South Africa: Dragonfly Biotic Index. Suricata 2. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria
Martens, A; Suhling, F. (2007). Dragonflies and Damselflies of Namibia. Gamsberg Macmillan.
