Eastern Blacktail (Nesciothemis farinosa)

Cover photo by Celeste Eastwood.

Find this species in the FBIS database (Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) here.

Family Libellulidae

Identification

Medium sized

Length up to 45mm; Wingspan attains 74mm.

Males are distinctive and easily recognisable with their white-blue bodies and black-tipped abdomens. Females are less distinctive, but the yellowish stripe that runs from behind the head down between the wings is diagnostic.

Males most resemble Palpopleura deceptor, but that species has a darker thorax and is much smaller. In addition Palpopleura deceptor has dark streaking in the fore-wings with bi-coloured pterostigmas.

Female Eastern Blacktails are also readily identified by the diagnostic cream stripe along the top of the thorax and between the wings.

Click here for more details on identification.

Habitat

The Eastern Blacktail inhabits a wide range of freshwater habitats, including both still and running waters. It frequents rivers, streams, pans, dams, and marshes. The Eastern Blacktail usually occupies sites that are fringed by grass, sedge, or reeds.

Behaviour

The Eastern Blacktail is conspicuous, especially the eye-catching males, as they sit in the open on emergent plant stems. The Eastern Blacktail hunts from a perch, and the flight is relatively slow and flapping. Both sexes are found in the same vicinity.

Status and Conservation

Nesciothemis farinosa is common and is listed as of Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Eastern Blacktail is fairly resistant towards habitat degradation and commonly occupies man-made habitats.

Distribution

The Eastern Blacktail is widespread throughout most of Southern, Central, and East Africa. The distribution also extends along the Nile Valley into Egypt and parts of the Middle East. It is widespread in South Africa where it is only absent from much of the Karoo, although it does occur along the Orange River.

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

Below is a map showing the distribution of records for Eastern Blacktail 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 Celeste Eastwood is acknowledged. All other photographs by Ryan Tippett.

Eastern Blacktail Nesciothemis farinosa (Förster, 1898)

Other common names: Black-tailed Skimmer, Black-faced Dancing Skimmer (Alt. English); Swartstertskepper (Afrikaans)

Recommended citation format: Loftie-Eaton M; Navarro R; Tippett RM; Underhill L. 2025. Eastern Blacktail Nesciothemis farinosa. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at https://thebdi.org/2020/06/19/eastern-blacktail-nesciothemis-farinosa/

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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