Genus Tragogomphus Sjöstedt, 1900
true horntails

Type species: Tragogomphus aurivillii Sjöstedt, 1900

Introduction

Although up to eight African species, all recorded rarely at rainforest streams, were known as Tragogomphus, all but three are now relegated to Libyogomphus and Onychogomphus. True Tragogomphus species are very similar and fairly large (hindwing 31-33 mm), recognized by the combination of the centrally depressed vertex,

denticulate occipital ridge, and distinctive appendages. They favour shaded seeps in eastern Sierra Leone and Liberia (T. grogonfla) and south-eastern Nigeria to Gabon (T. aurivillii and T. ellioti). [Adapted from Dijkstra & Clausnitzer 2014]

Map citation: Clausnitzer, V., K.-D.B. Dijkstra, R. Koch, J.-P. Boudot, W.R.T. Darwall, J. Kipping, B. Samraoui, M.J. Samways, J.P. Simaika & F. Suhling, 2012. Focus on African Freshwaters: hotspots of dragonfly diversity and conservation concern. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 10: 129-134.

References

• Pinhey, E. (1961). Dragonflies collected on an expedition from Rhodesia to Nigeria in 1958. Part 2. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine, 96, 256-271. [PDF file]
• Legrand, J. (2002). Un nouveau Tragogomphus d’Afrique équatoriale: T. ellioti spec. nov. (Anisoptera: Gomphidae). Odonatologica, 31, 193–197. [PDF file]
• Legrand, J. (2003). Les Odonates du Nimba et de sa région. In: Lamotte, M., and Roy, R. (Editors), Le peuplement animal du mont Nimba (Guinée, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia). Mémoires du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, 190, 231-310. [PDF file]
• Dijkstra, K.-D.B. (2007). The name-bearing types of Odonata held in the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, with systematic notes on Afrotropical taxa. Part 1: introduction and Anisoptera. International Journal of Odonatology, 10, 137-170. [PDF file]
• Pinhey, E.C.G. (1961). Dragonflies (Odonata) of Central Africa. Occasional Papers Rhodes-Livingstone Museum, 14, 1-97. [PDF file]
• Sjöstedt, Y. (1900). Odonaten aus Kamerun, West -Afrika. Beltrage Zur Kenntnis der insektenfauna von Kamerun. Binhang Kongliga Svenka VetenskapsAkademiens Handlingar, 25, 1-62.
• Schouteden, H. (1934). Annales Musee Congo belge Zoologie 3 Section 2, 3, 1-84. [PDF file]

Citation: Dijkstra, K.-D.B (editor). African Dragonflies and Damselflies Online. http://addo.adu.org.za/ [2024-10-30].