Description

Length: From 45 to 48 mm.
Hindwing spam: From 28 to 48 mm.
Male: 1. Transparent wing base. 2. The rest of the wing is dark blue. 3. Green or blue thorax, depending on the light. 4. Metallic blue abdomen.
Female: 5. White pseudopterostigma is closer to the apex than in the case of Calopteryx virgo. 6. They are brown from S8 to S10 with no metallic shades. 7. Completely transparent wings. 8. Metallic green thorax and abdomen.

Habitat

This species shows where good environmental conditions are.
They normally live in water with enough oxygen in the middle and upper river course that go through forests and groves on the riverbanks. These are mainly oleander and willow groves in shady areas with a lot of plants like blackberries and reeds.
They can live with C. haemorrhoidalis, which is the most frequent and numerous, so the former can be unnoticed.

Way of life

They feed on small insects which can be found resting on plants.
This is why they fly short distances, and often rest for a long time on shore plants, above all reeds, blackberries and lower branches of trees and bushes.

When to see this species

These damselflies fly, above all, in June in Málaga, though they can be seen from May to September.

Where to see this species

This species is rare and it is confined to certain places, like the rivers Verde, Turón and Genal.
It has not been seen along the Great Málaga Path, but it is likely to be found on the stages that go along the river Turón (22, 23), Guadiaro (24, 25) and Genal (27, 28).
It is also possible that they exist on the stages that go across the rivers in the Almijara Mountains.

Similar species

Calopteryx virgo and C. haemorrhoidalis.

Conservation status

This species is considered to be Vulnerable (VU) in the Red List Status of Invertebrates in Andausia ('Libro Rojo de los Invertebrados de Andalucía' 2008), though it is not specially protected by the current environmental laws.