southern skimmer orthetrum brunneum

portraits
southern skimmer
The male is very light blue, with a pale face. It is very similar to the keeled skimmer but can be distinguished from that species by inspecting the cell pattern in the wings as shown below.
southern skimmer
southern skimmer
male
southern skimmer
The centre of the right forewing (as viewed) of the first male shown under 'Portraits', has been magnified and the diagnostic cell pattern has been outlined with red lines. It shows that 8 cells contain a double row. These cells would not be split on a keeled skimmer.
southern skimmer
This shows the magnified cell pattern for the male shown above. 7 cells show a double row. The number of divided cells can be between 4 and 9.
southern skimmer
The female has a small black dot on all segments on each side of the centre line. These are not present on the female keeled skimmer. The diagnostic cell pattern applies to the female as well as the male.