Ischnura rufovittata
Face: all black. Head above black with squarish bluish green patch with two forward-pointing markings, triangular, light orange
Eyes: black
Prothorax: black with orange patches
Synthorax: above black with a cream to bluish green, central line and spot. Synthorax sides with black, orange and red stripes
Wings: clear but a little smoky at base.
Pterostigmas: black, 2-2.3 mm long
Legs: with femora mostly black, tibiae very flattened, bright red on outside and brilliant white on inside.
Abdomen: wide, triangular, tapering, mostly bright blue. S1-3 deep red with blue and black markings. S4-10 above bright blue with increasingly fine, black rings, below black. Appendages black.
Female: all striped and reticulate yellow to buff with blackish brown markings. Pterostigmas: black with buff centre.
Small, stocky, colourful thorax, orange, red and black, abdomen brilliant blue, legs leaf-like and bright red and white. Swift, rocky, bush-lined streams and rivers E of Drakensberg.
Mostly resting on boulders, twigs or leaf blades in/over the water. Flight short and bee-like. Has an elaborate court ship dance where the male hover in front of the resting female, with legs dangling and waving, with the white very conspicuous.
Platycypha caligata P. fitzsimonsi, Chlorocypha consueta P. caligata's C. consueta P. fitzsimonsi has a blue abdomen, whereas in the abdomen is mostly red and blue, and in all red. pterostigmas are shorter (2-2.3 mm) than those of (2.5-2.8 mm) but not as short as those of (1.8-2 mm).
Common along eastern seaboard and lowveld, with records from ECP and interior, 100-800 m a.s.l. Occasionally to 1500 m a.s.l. To Angola and Ethiopia.
Flight period: Dec-May
Bush-lined or tree-lined, shallow, rocky, permanent streams and rivers. Sometimes river pools and also open streams with tall grass margins.