View the above photo record (by Gregg Darling) in OdonataMAP here.
Find the Lined Claspertail in the FBIS database (Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) here.
Family Gomphidae
Onychogomphus supinus – LINED CLASPERTAIL
Identification
Medium sized
Length up to 48mm; Wingspan reaches 63mm.
Superficially similar to Crenigomphus hartmanni (Clubbed Talontail) in both size and general colouration. Onychogomphus supinus however, has very differently shaped claspers and the fine, diagonal lines on the thorax sides are a further aid in identification.
Additionally Onychogomphus supinus has unique wing venation, having a 2-celled anal loop in the hind wings.
Click here for more details on identification of the Lined Claspertail.
Ithala Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Alan Manson
Habitat
Onychogomphus supinus inhabits clear, fast flowing rivers and streams. Prefers shallow stretches with an abundance of large rocks and with wooded or grassy banks. Typically found in hilly, mid-altitude areas.
Photo by Andries De Vries
Behaviour
Prefers to perch on rocks close to the water, usually in or near the mid stream. Flies low and fast over the water or vegetation when hunting or if disturbed. Hunts from a perch and quickly returns to settle again. Sometimes found on grass or bushes along the river bank. Females are seldom encountered.
Most Active from November to April. See Phenology below.
Status and Conservation
An uncommon and localised species. Listed as of Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Reliant on high quality riverine habitat, and as such does not make use of degraded or man-made habitats.
Distribution
Onychogomphus supinus occurs in a narrow band along the escarpment of South Africa, from southern KwaZulu-Natal through Mpumalanga to Limpopo. Also occurs locally in the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe and neighboring Mozambique.
Below is a map showing the distribution of records for Lined Claspertail in 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.
Phenology
