A first for the Cape Peninsula

Black Percher (Diplacodes lefebrvii):  

An exciting discovery for the Cape Flats Nature Reserve!

Black Percher (Diplacodes lefebrvirii) female

In the first week of March 2014, we discovered the tiniest dragonfly we've ever seen at the Cape Flats Nature Reserve.  The size confused me and I started investigating if they have similar growth deficiencies like some butterflies I've seen.  If butterflies do not get enough food in their caterpillar stage, it affects the size of the adult butterfly.  I wondered if this was the case with dragonflies in their nymph stage.  My theory was squashed when I heard that this does not happen with dragonflies.  

After a long search to identify this tiny dragonfly, I decided that it looks like a female Black Percher (Diplacodes lefebrvii), but this was impossible.  The distribution was all wrong;  they do not occur in Cape Town. After consulting with dragonfly experts, Prof. Michael Samways from Stellenbosch University and Prof. Klaas-Douwe B. Dijkstra from Leiden University, it was confirmed.  Can you imagine our excitement!  This dragonfly, considered to be rare in the Western Cape, is now on the Cape Flats! Not even at high altitudes as described in the ID guide.  

Distribution map

The few records for this species in the Western Cape range from Citrusdal to East London.  No records for the Cape Peninsula have been recorded as yet.  For this species to be officially confirmed as a first for the Cape Peninsula, a male had to be found.  The dragonfly hunt was on!  

A male was found at a different locality within the reserve along with another female on 13 March 2014.  This marked the exciting moment of a new species record for the reserve and an official record for the Cape Peninsula!

Black Percher (Diplacodes lefebrvirii) male

We are currently looking for a mature male specimen as there is a similar looking species that is rarer.  Usually the Black Percher is unmistakable, being the only smallish black perching dragonfly in South Africa.  The much rarer Diplacodes pumila can also be blackish in old age but is much smaller (21-22mm) than D. lefebvrii (27-33mm).