Cover photo by Alan Manson.
Find the Clubbed Talontail in the FBIS database (Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) here.
Family Gomphidae
Identification
Mkuze River, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Ryan Tippett
Medium-large size
Length up to 54mm; Wingspan attains 72mm.
Male Clubbed Talontails are very similar to the rare Horned Talontail (Crenigomphus cornutus). The Clubbed Talontail is best identified by the small but distinct foliations on segments 8 and 9 of the abdomen. Crenigomphus cornutus lacks these.
The Clubbed Talontail may also be mistaken for Ceratogomphus pictus (Common Thorntail) at first glance, but the two species have very different clasper structures (males). Females of the two are closer in appearance, but those of Crenigomphus hartmanni have brown markings on the last few abdominal segments.
The Lined Claspertail (Onychogomphus supinus) is also similar. Both species are roughly the same size and share the same colouration. The males differ by their very different clasper structures.
Click here for more details on identification of the Clubbed Talontail.
Habitat
The Clubbed Talontail inhabits flowing rocky rivers and streams in savanna regions. It prefers shallow, swift-flowing sections with pebbles or gravelly substrate. The Clubbed Talontail is often found in relatively open areas with tall clumps of grass and bushes.
Photo by Rowan Poortier
Behaviour
The Clubbed Talontail often perches prominently on the tops of bushes or grass and reed stems. It frequently also sits on rocks close to the water. The Clubbed Talontail hunts from a perch. It flies low and fast over the water or vegetation and quickly returns to settle again. Non-breeding individuals are regularly found on grass or bushes far from water, especially late in the season. Females occur in the same vicinity as the males.
The Clubbed Talontail is most active from October to April (see Phenology below).
Mkuze River, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Ryan Tippett
Status and Conservation
The Clubbed Talontail is fairly common but localised in South Africa. It is listed as of Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Clubbed Talontail is only found in undisturbed habitats.
Orange River near Prieska, Northern Cape
Photo by Ryan Tippett
Distribution
The Clubbed Talontail occurs in East and southern Africa, from Kenya and Uganda in the north to South Africa. In South Africa it is largely restricted to the eastern interior, but is also found sparsely along the Orange River and at scattered locations in the Eastern and Western Cape.
Below is a map showing the distribution of records for Clubbed Talontail in the OdonataMAP database as at February 2020.
Below is a map showing the distribution of records for Clubbed Talontail 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.
Phenology
Mkuze River, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Ryan Tippett
Further Resources
The use of photographs by Alan Manson and Rowan Poortier is acknowledged. All other photographs by Ryan Tippett.
Clubbed Talontail Crenigomphus hartmanni (Förster, 1898)
Other Common Names: Hartmann’s Talontail (Alt. English); Knoppiekloustert (Afrikaans).
Recommended citation format: Loftie-Eaton M; Navarro R; Tippett RM; Underhill L. 2025. Clubbed Talontail Crenigomphus hartmanni. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at https://thebdi.org/2020/05/15/clubbed-talontail-crenigomphus-hartmanni/
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.
