Palpopleura is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae. Five species are native to sub-Saharan Africa, one ranges widely in southern Asia, and one is a widespread endemic to Madagascar.
The genus contains the following species:
| Male | Female | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palpopleura albifrons | Pale-faced widow | Gabon | ||
| Palpopleura deceptor | Deceptive widow[1] | Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and possibly Burundi. | ||
| Palpopleura jucunda | Yellow-veined widow[2] | Angola, Botswana, the DRC, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and possibly Burundi. | ||
| Palpopleura lucia | Lucia widow[3] | Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe | ||
| Palpopleura portia | Portia widow[4] | Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe | ||
| Palpopleura sexmaculata | Asian widow | South, East and Southeast Asia | ||
| Palpopleura vestita | Silver widow | Madagascar | ||