The Black Percher (Diplacodes lefebvrii) is a small, widespread dragonfly belonging to the family Libellulidae. It is celebrated for its highly adaptable nature, living across most of Africa and into southern Eurasia, including parts of the Iberian Peninsula and the Greek islands.
Physical Traits
Size: Compact, measuring 27–32 mm long with a wingspan of 46–54 mm.
Mature Males: Strike a striking, all-black coloration (melanistic) with glossy black frons, dark purplish eyes, and clear wings that sometimes develop dark basal patches.
Females & Sub-adults: Noticeably different; they display yellowish-green to brownish tones with dark stripes on the thorax and abdomen.
Wings: Characterized by clear wings with distinctively large, pale-to-brown pterostigmas (the colored cells on the wings).
Habitat & Distribution
Range: Found natively across nearly all of Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Southern Eurasia (stretching as far as India).
Environment: Thrives in still or slow-moving freshwater habitats. They are commonly seen near marshes, swamps, floodplains, and temporary, seasonally-flooded grassy pans.
