Rustic Presba (Syncordulia serendipator)

View the above photo record (by Corrie du Toit) in OdonataMAP here.

Find the Rustic Presba in the FBIS database (Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) here.

Family Synthemistidae

Syncordulia serendipator – RUSTIC PRESBA

Identification

Medium-large size

Length up to 52mm; Wingspan attains 73mm.

Told apart from other presbas by its overall darker glossy colouration, differently patterned abdomen and, in males by the short, broad claspers. The sexes are similar but females have broader abdomens and a more pronounced amber wash in the wings.

Most resembles the Yellow Presba (Syncordulia gracilis) and Gilded Presba (Syncordulia legator), however, neither of these species are as dark in colour. They also have differently patterned abdomens and, in males, noticeably more elongate claspers.

Click here for more details on identification of the Rustic Presba.

Habitat

Frequents rivers and streams, in mountainous fynbos habitats. Requires clear, flowing water with rocks and boulders. Spends much of its time hunting over the surrounding fynbos.

Behaviour

Much like other Presbas and infrequently found at water. Most often encountered away from the river, hunting over low bushy vegetation. Rests up in dense bushes where it is well camouflaged. Hangs from a branch when perched.

On the wing later in the season than other Syncordulia species. Active from January to late April. See Phenology below.

Status and Conservation

This species is localised, uncommon and endemic to South Africa. It is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Rustic Presba is intolerant towards habitat degradation and is only recorded in undamaged habitats.

Distribution

Endemic to the South-Western Cape, South Africa. So far only recorded at a handful of sites, from Riebeek-Kasteel in the north to Kogelberg Nature Reserve in the South.

Below is a map showing the distribution of records for Rustic Presba 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