Ruddy or Common Darter?

[slimrbp]

Hello everyone,

I am after a bit of assistance please. These photographs were taken this weekend in the RSPB reserve at Blean Wood near Canterbury.

I have looked in my books and I am leaning strongly to them being Ruddy Darters. However I am often wrong and would appreciate a second opinion.

Number one:



The following two are of the same fella:





Thanks in advance.

[aeshna5]

Concur immature male Ruddy Darter. It has all black legs + has more extensive black line by frons on face.

[slimrbp]

Thanks very much for the confirmation, much appreciated.

[Bellow]

Hiya Richard,
I,ve been looking at these photo,s and I,m not sure that they are immo males, but females. On picture 2 when looking closely at the tip of the abdomen the claspers are very short and the vulvar scale is just visible.On the male the claspers are longer and of course don,t possess a vulvar scale.
I,m by no means an expert and may be wrong,but this has been driving me potty.Am I seeing something that isn,t there.?
Roly.

[wint]

Hi Roly - I agree with you that it's a female. The abdomen looks too thick for a male and you should be able to see the male accessory genitalia under S2 from the angle pics 1 and 2 were taken.

[slimrbp]

Thanks for the update, really appreciate you taking the time.

[Bellow]

Thanks Paul,
for the confirmation.Thank god I,m not going mad,slightly potty maybe,but "hey"this is what you have to be sometimes to get to the right result.!!!!!!
Roly.