Coppery emerald
ExploreSomatochlora georgiana
Type: invertebrate
Status: special_concern
Species Guide
Coppery emerald
Somatochlora georgiana
Species Type: invertebrate
Conservation Status: special_concern
IDENTIFICATION
Approximately 1.9”, the coppery emerald is distinctive among its group since it lacks the usual metallic coloration and green eyes. Its eyes are reddish-brown and the body is a light orange with two pale thoracic side stripes.
Distribution & Habitat
The coppery emerald has been documented in only two Coastal Plain counties, Atlantic and Burlington. They breed in small forest streams on the coastal plain. Its full range is north to Massachusetts and south to Louisiana.
Diet
Nymphs feed on aquatic invertebrates and adults feed on flying insects.
Life Cycle
In New Jersey, only a small number of records exist from early to mid-July. Further survey efforts are needed.
Current Threats, Status, and Conservation
The coppery emerald is considered a species of Special Concern in New Jersey.
References
Text derived from the book, Field Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies of New Jersey. 2009. By Allen E. Barlow and Jim Bangma. Edited and updated by Larissa Smith in 2011.
Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Odonata
- Family: Corduliidae
- Genus: Somatochlora
- Species: S. georgiana