Brachythemis is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae. They are commonly known as groundlings.
Species The genus contains the following species: Male Female Scientific name Common name Distribution Brachythemis contaminata ditch jewel Asia Brachythemis fuscopalliata dark-winged groundling Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, and Turkey. Brachythemis impartita northern banded groundling southern Europe and the Middle East. Brachythemis lacustris red groundling Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and possibly Burundi. Brachythemis leucosticta banded groundling Eastern and central Africa and Madagascar. Brachythemis wilsoni Wilson's groundling Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, possibly Botswana, and possibly Kenya
Taxonomy The banded groundling is one of Africa's most familiar and abundant dragonflies. It has only recently been identified as being two separate species, B. leucosticta and the new taxon B. impartita.
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