Conspicuous Malachite

Chlorolestes conspicuus · Order: Odonata · Family: Synlestidae

No source yet on danger. We have no source yet on whether it bites, stings or damages anything.
Conspicuous Malachite
Photo: Nicola van Berkel, CC BY-SA

The conspicuous malachite is the largest species in its genus, reaching 59 to 65 mm in length and a 64 to 72 mm wingspan. Males and females look alike with metallic-green bodies that age to coppery brown, yellow or bronze thorax stripes, and long uniformly coloured pterostigmata. It is found only in south-western South Africa, near rivers and streams in open or wooded valleys.

Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize it

Both sexes have a metallic-green body that turns coppery brown with age, a thorax with yellow or bronze antehumeral stripes, and long uniformly coloured pterostigmata over 2.5 mm.

Source: Wikipedia

More photos

Conspicuous Malachite photo 2
Photo: magriet b, CC BY-SA
Conspicuous Malachite photo 3
Photo: magriet b, CC BY-SA
Conspicuous Malachite photo 4
Photo: Tony Rebelo, CC BY-SA
Conspicuous Malachite photo 5
Photo: Tony Rebelo, CC BY-SA

Same family (Synlestidae)

Bronze NeedleBronze NeedleSynlestes weyersiiForest MalachiteForest MalachiteChlorolestes tessellatusMountain MalachiteMountain MalachiteChlorolestes fasciatusWhite MalachiteWhite MalachiteChlorolestes umbratus

Sources

  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorolestes_conspicuus

Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia

Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.

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