The photo above (by Gregg Darling) can be viewed in OdonataMAP here.
Find this species in the FBIS database (Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) here.
Family Libellulidae
Palpopleura deceptor – DECEPTIVE WIDOW
Identification
Small size
Length up to 32mm; Wingspan attains 55mm.
Males could be confused with African Piedspot (Hemistigma albipunctum) or Eastern Blacktails (Nesciothemis farinosa). Deceptive Widow males are much smaller and have a different body shape to the aforementioned species. They are best recognised by their striking, neon white abdomens, streaked forewings and bi-coloured pterostigmas.
Females can be mistaken for other Palpopleura females. They can be recognised by the dark markings on the wings being restricted to the leading edges.
Click here for more details on identification.
Near Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Ryan Tippett
Near Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Ryan Tippett
Habitat
This is a species of hot bushveld country where it occupies pans, ponds, marshes and dams. Inhabits standing water with a rich growth of emergent grass, sedges and other aquatic plants such as waterlilies. Favours clear, shallow water.
Photo by Ryan Tippett
Behaviour
Despite their small size, the males are very conspicuous with their eye-catching neon white abdomens. Males perch prominently on grass and other plant stems over the water. They make short fast flights to catch prey or to chase off rivals, quickly returning to a perch. Females spend most of their time away from the water.
Status and Conservation
An uncommon and localised species. It is listed as of Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Palpopleura deceptor is moderately sensitive to habitat degradation, but does occur at man made sites offering suitable habitat.
Distribution
Palpopleura deceptor is widely, but sparsely distributed throughout most of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Below is a map showing the distribution of records in South Africa for the Deceptive Widow. Taken from the OdonataMAP database as at February 2020.
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.
