Species of the genus are distributed mainly in the pre-Arctic zone of North America , Europe and Asia , but also some of their species can be found in southern India ( S. daviesi ), Taiwan ( S. dido ) and Japan . Some of them belong to the most “northern” species of dragonflies that live in permafrost zones and therefore their lifestyle, development and physiology (including the protection of larvae from freezing) correspond to the harsh conditions of the North.
43 species of dragonflies of this genus have been described, of which 17 live in Canada . 7 species of Somatochlora live in Europe, including 3 in the eastern part of Russia. 7 species also live in Japan, however, only Somatochlora clavata is endemic to this country, the rest found in other countries of East Asia.
Dragonflies of the Corduliidae family have been proven to exist for at least 65 million years - thanks to the discovered remains of Molecordulia karinae in the Paleocene of Denmark. Also, Somatochlora alpestris , belonging to the genus Somatochlora, was found in the Miocene rocks of Bulgaria from 5 to 24 million years old.
Two species from the genus Somatochlora ( S. margarita and S. borisi ) are listed in the international Red Book as “at risk” (“vulnerable”). The first of them lives in a small territory located in two states of the USA, the second was only recently discovered (in 2001) in the region at the junction of the borders of Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria.
Dragonflies of the genus Somatochlora have a size from 39 to 68 millimeters. The body is dark in color and cast with a metallic sheen. On the chest they are covered with thick hairs. Sexual differences are not pronounced; externally, they are noticeable only in that the back of the body of females with ovaries filled with eggs has a slightly different cylindrical shape than that of males.
The eyes of the larva are initially red-brown; over time, they take on a luminous emerald color - thanks to him Somatochlora and got their name. The legs of dragonflies are black or black-gray. Middle legs in males are almost completely absent. The wings are usually colorless and transparent, only in newly hatched females they are yellowish or gray. The base of the wings are amber.
Like other dragonflies, Somatochlora live near water bodies, however, during the mating season they can move away from their native places for considerable distances. At the same time, given the variety of natural and climatic zones in which various species of these insects live, it is difficult to identify any other general rules of their behavior.
During mating, males in certain species “protect” their territory from other males, as well as from representatives of other species of dragonflies. Females lay their testicles in shallow, usually with high acidity, ponds or directly next to them. The acidity of the water protects the hatched larvae from various enemies, primarily from fish. Larvae also often become prey for other species of dragonflies. The main natural enemy of adults are birds.
