Banded Duskdarter (Parazyxomma flavicans)

Cover photo by Rob Dickinson.

Find the Banded Duskdarter in the FBIS database (Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) here.

Family Libellulidae

Identification

Small size

Length attains 40mm; Wingspan up to 68mm.

The Banded Duskdarter is most similar to the female and immature Southern Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta). Parazyxomma flavicans differs by having intricately patterned greenish-brown eyes and paler brown, washed out wing bands. In addition, the two species demonstrate very different behaviour and habitat requirements.

Click here for more details on identification of the Banded Duskdarter.

Habitat

The Banded Duskdarter inhabits forested areas, particularly riverine forest and swamp forests surrounding rivers and lakes. It is restricted to swamp forests in South Africa, but occurs in riverine forests further north, for example in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. The Banded Duskdarter favours deeply shaded habitats, often with ferns and similar undergrowth.

Behaviour

The Banded Duskdarter is a crepuscular, shade loving species that spends much of its time hidden in dense undergrowth. It usually perches fairly high up on bare twigs in full shade. The Banded Duskdarter becomes active at dusk when it hunts in clearings and along river fringes. This species flies from September to January in South Africa.

Status and Conservation

The Banded Duskdarter is uncommon and very localised in South Africa. It is listed locally as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Globally, it is considered of Least Concern. The Banded Duskdarter is not recorded from man-made habitats.

Distribution

Parazyxomma flavicans is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. It occurs across West and Central Africa to Uganda and Rwanda in East Africa. The range extends down to Zambia, northern Namibia and Botswana. The population in north-eastern South Africa and adjacent Southern Mozambique appears to be isolated from other populations.

Below is a map showing the distribution of records for Banded Duskdarter in the OdonataMAP database as at February 2020.

Below is a map showing the distribution of records for Banded Duskdarter 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 Rob Dickinson is acknowledged. Other photographs by Ryan Tippett.

Banded Duskdarter Parazyxomma flavicans (Martin, 1908)

Other common names: Twilight Groundling (Alt. English); Gebande Skemerwerper (Afrikaans)

Recommended citation format: Loftie-Eaton M; Navarro R; Tippett RM; Underhill L. 2025. Banded Duskdarter Parazyxomma flavicans. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at https://thebdi.org/2020/05/25/southern-banded-groundling-brachythemis-leucosticta/

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.

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