Gomphus vulgatissimus

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Cladus: Odonatoptera
Cladus: Holodonata
Ordo: Odonata
Subordo: Epiprocta
Infraordo: Anisoptera
Superfamilia: Aeshnoidea

Familia: Gomphidae
Subfamilia: Gomphinae
Tribus: Gomphini
Genus: Gomphus
Species: Gomphus vulgatissimus
Name

Gomphus vulgatissimus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms

Libellula vulgatissima Linnaeus, 1758

Vernacular names
Deutsch: Gemeine Keiljungfer
español: Libélula vulgar
suomi: Aitojokikorento
français: Gomphe vulgaire
Nederlands: Beekrombout
polski: Gadziogłówka pospolita

Gomphus vulgatissimus, the common clubtail, is a medium-sized (wingspan 6 –7 cm.) species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. It is found in most of Europe, and is present now in the south of France. Its natural habitats are clean, slow moving streaming rivers and creeks with sandy soil. It can be seen from mid-April in the south to August. Once they hatched out of water, they live shortly. As the common name suggests, this medium-sized species has a distinctive club-shaped abdomen. The males are black with extensive yellow markings on the thorax and abdomen which turn green as the insect ages. The females are black with extensive yellow markings. In the British Isles the adult flight period extends from mid May to early July.

References

"Gomphus vulgatissimus". British Dragonfly Society. Retrieved 28 May 2011.