<< Previous Next >>

Vagrant Darter


Vagrant Darter
Photo Information
Copyright: Nicolas Moulin (nimou) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 148 W: 1 N: 687] (3169)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-11
Categories: Insects
Camera: Kodak DX6490, Raynox DCR250
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-11-30 9:18
Viewed: 719
Points: 20
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Rčgne Animalia
Embranchement Arthropoda
Sous-embr. Hexapoda
Classe Insecta
Sous-classe Pterygota
Infra-classe Palaeoptera
Ordre Odonata
Sous-ordre Anisoptera
Famille Libellulidae
Genre Sympetrum
Nom binomial Sympetrum vulgatum

The Vagrant Darter, Sympetrum vulgatum, is a European dragonfly.
Adults. Adult body about 33–36–39 mm long. Average wingspan 60 mm; hindwings 26–28 mm long.

The eyes dorsally narrowly apposed to dorsally broadly contiguous; brown, or red (or reddish brown). The narrow black band at the base of the frons conspicuously continued for some distance down the inner sides of the eyes.

Thoracic antehumeral stripes present to absent (if detectable, less conspicuous than in some other dragonflies); brown (somewhat paler against the brown thorax). The wings spread more or less horizontally in repose; dissimilar in shape and venation; sessile; very briefly suffused with colour at their bases only. The tinting amber (or saffron). The inner wing venation (reddish-) brown. Discoidal cell divided longitudinally into a conspicuous triangle and supra-triangle. Antenodal veins in the forewings 6–8 (fewer in the hindwings). Pterostigma reddish brown, or red (ruddy, and black edged).

Abdomen linear from a conspicuously swollen base, or swollen both basally and distally and markedly constricted in between; 24–28 mm long; predominantly crimson red (in the male), or green, or yellow (olive-yellow, in the female); plain, or predominantly transversely banded, or complexly patterned (apart from median black dashes on segments 8 and 9 of both sexes, which are characteristic of the genus, males have lateral yellow spots on segments 2 and 3, and narrow yellow bands between the segments); without mid-dorsal spots. The male abdomen without auricles on segment 2; with a single inferior anal appendage.

Nymphs. The nymphs stout, the body expanded in the middle; when mature, 17–18 mm long.

The head in dorsal view markedly narrowing from immediately behind the eyes. The postocular lobes curving smoothly to the back of the head from immediately behind the eyes. The antennae 7 segmented. The mask having the prementum hollowed dorsally. The prementum bearing 28–30 major setae (14+14 to 15+15). The body of the labial palps bearing (10–)11(–12) major setae. Legs longer than the abdomen.

The abdomen terminating in five short spine-like appendages. The cerci no more than hald the length of the paraprocts. The abdomen with mid-dorsal spines (?); gizzard with 4–8 folds.

Adults on the wing early July to early September.

Classification. Anisoptera; family Libellulidae.

General comments. A very rare species, readily distinguishable from S. striolatum by the narrow black band at the base of the frons being continued down the inner sides of the eyes.
Lycaon, marjan, SkyF, blakitan has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To blakitan: backgroundnimou 1 12-01 02:12
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Very spectacular action shot. You might want a bit more sharpness on the head, but who am I to complain. I wish I had shots like this.

Well done!

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2173 W: 219 N: 4384] (14904)
  • [2006-11-30 10:29]

Hi Nicolas

Fantstic in-flight macro shot you have here!
The details and the pose of this sueprb dragonfly are amazing and the details here are very nice and sharp.
Also the composition achieved with the positioning of the subject in the frame and the "X" shape of the wings is magnificent!
Very well done!

Bravo and TFS
Horia

Great action shot!
Very sharp and excellent background

TFS Greetz Kristy

hi nicolas,
lovely capture,
the dark bg adds to the look of the shot,
the light falling on the wings lloks nice,
nice pov,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Gran captura Nicolás. Es fantástico lo logrado en esta imagen. Grandes colores y preciosa nitidez. Un fondo idóneo, todo junto hace esta foto una belleza.
Gracias por compartirla. JL.

  • Great 
  • marjan Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 474 W: 14 N: 360] (2641)
  • [2006-11-30 12:55]

hi njcolas, excelent , dinamic shot. Good job, TFs
Marjan

  • Great 
  • pvb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 376 W: 16 N: 495] (1861)
  • [2006-11-30 13:20]

Hi Nicolas,
The BG is a wondeful contrast to the dragonfly and shows it off very well.
I agree with Hans (lycaon) about sharpness.
Nice framing and you had graat timing and pov. I also like the wings.
paula

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
  • [2006-11-30 15:06]

Very dynamic shot. Great dark BG and lovely light on the wings. Beautiful

TFS

Karan

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2006-11-30 22:14]

Hello Nicholas,
wonderful inflight shot, the sharpness and details are excellent. Very nice dark bg that shows off this flying beauty perfectly.
TFS..Sky

Hola Nicolas,
Great capture! Should be taken at high shutter speed, I guess. Dark BG is nice. Is it due to high shutter speed or natural light condition?
Great shot.

Ben Lakitan

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF