Hine's emerald dragonfly
Somatochlora hineana
Somatochlora hineana is a representative of the family of dragonflies Falk ( Corduliidae ), which is one of the dragonflies ( Anisoptera ). Named after the collector is the type of the holotype James S. Hine. She is considered one of the most endangered species of the United States.
Features
Males of Somatochlora hineana measure 58-59 millimeters; Females are slightly larger and can reach 60 to 63 millimeters. Of the males account for 38.5 to 41 millimeters on the abdomen (abdomen); the females are 41 to 45 millimeters. The abdomen shining greenish- black from the fourth segment. The second and third segments are dark brown and the first is greyish - brown in color. The basic coloring is still a drawing, which is composed of the following parts: In the second segment is located at the Auriculas a larger bright yellow spot. The genital lobes are pale yellow to their edges. There is also a bright yellow ring at the edge, which is interrupted on the top. The third segment begins with two lateral spots that touch on the top and extend almost to the rear so that they appear almost triangular. In addition, the entire abdomen - but especially on segments five to eight - covered with small hairs.
The abdomen attachments are almost as long as the ninth and tenth segment together with about three and a half millimeters in males. In females they reach four millimeters, and have for about one and a half times the length of the Vulvar lamina. The upper attachments of the males are at the base almost cylindrical and parallel. Approximately in the middle they begin to sharpen and then walk slowly towards each other.
The front segment of the thorax, the so-called pro-thorax is brown and has bright yellow front edges. The rest of the thorax is brown primed and shimmering green or blue. On the sides are pale yellow stripes. From front to back they are slightly wider. So the first is still one millimeter wide, the last already 1.3 millimeters. Furthermore, the regions between the wings are bright yellow. Towards the bottom of the chest is more brightly colored and then passes into the light brown insect legs.
The wings are transparent. While the Analdreieck is yellowish, the Membranula smoky brown and the edge of Costalregion is brownish. The venation is black and the three millimeters long Flügelmal ( pterostigma ) is dark brown. Here, the rear pair of wings is wide in males from 41 to 41.5 mm long and 11.5 to 12.5 millimeters. The wings of the females reach 40.5 to 41.5 mm in length and a width of 13 millimeters.
The approximately nine millimeters wide head of Somatochlora hineana is bright yellow in the area of the labium and the upper lip ( labrum ). At the labrum also is the center slightly darker or has a small spot on. In females, this pattern is black. The sides of the clypeus, the lower part of the frons and occiput are ocher. The upper part of frons is dark metallic green. The adjoining vertex is brownish and sometimes has on both sides yellowish points. The back of the head is black.
Life and habitat
Somatochlora hineana flies from June to July in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, and Wisconsin .. They settled mainly marshland, whose waters have pH values of about 7.7 to 8.3. To put hunting males and females approximately ten to 25 meters back and fly it in about one to three meters in height. In defense of their territory, however, males usually fly only up to four meters and heights not exceed two meters. In 45 -second mating dragonflies flying in Paarungsrad to low brush. The eggs are then deposited by the females in shallow water.