Smeralda alpina (Somatochlora alpestris)

• English name: Alpine Emerald
• German name: Alpen-Smaragdlibelle
• French name: Cordulie alpestre
• Dutch name: Taigaglanslibel
• Swedish name: Fjälltrollslända
• Norwegian name: Fjell-metalløyenstikker
• Finnish name: Aapakiiltokorento
• Danish name: Alpin smaragdlibel
• Italian name: Smeralda alpina
• Czech name: lesklice horská
• Slovenian name: Alpski lesketnik
• Bulgarian name: N/A

Smeralda alpina
(Somatochlora alpestris)

Not present

Present before 1990

Present after 1990

Present before and after 1990

Present after 2015

Map data based on J.-P. Boudot & V. J. Kalkman (eds.),
Atlas of the European Dragonflies and Damselflies

General		• a very dark, metallic-green species of the far north and north-east; also occurs at altitude in central Europe
Classification		• suborder: Anisoptera (dragonflies); family: Corduliidae
Conservation status		• IUCN Red List Europe: Least Concern
Scientific name		• Somatochlora alpestris (Selys, 1840)
Name genus		• Somatochlora: from Grk. σῶμα (stem: σωματ-) = body +; χλωρός = green
Name species		• alpestris: from Lat. alpestris, -is, -e = of the Alps ⇒ where the specimens described by Selys were taken
Distribution		• click or tap the Map button above
Habitat		• bog pools, puddles and lakes
Dimensions		• typical body length: 45-50 mm; hindwing: 30-34 mm
Notes		➤ smaller and noticeably darker than Somatochlora metallica
		• very similar to S. sahlbergi with which it co-occurs in the far North
		• cordulids are 'fliers': they spend a lot of time on the wing and seldom hang up for a rest
Both sexes	Head	• the eyes are green (brown in immature animals)
	Abdomen	• S3 bears a narrow white ring on either end; the lower ring may be (partly) obscured
		• S4-S10 are uniformly black (or very dark green)
	Wings	➤ there are two cubito-anal crossveins in the forewing (as opposed to the usual single crossvein in all other European Somatochlora species)
		• the pterostigma is relatively dark-coloured
Male	Abdomen	➤ the upper appendages are double-angled
Female	Abdomen	• there are no yellow spots on the abdomen
		• compared to S. arctica the abdomen is short and thickset
		➤ the vulvar scale is triangular in shape
Photographs		• all of our photos below were made in northern Finland

LineDrawing: the male's appendages in dorsal view.

Somatochlora sahlbergi (left) and S. alpestris (right), forewing
In S. alpestris the forewing has two cubito-anal crossveins. In S. sahlbergi (and all other European species of the genus) it has one.

Somatochlora sahlbergi (left) and S. alpestris (right), appendages, male
In S. alpestris the appendages are double-angled. In S. sahlbergi they are single-angled.

Somatochlora sahlbergi (left) and S. alpestris (right), vulvar scale
Note: in S. alpestris the vulvar scale is triangular in shape. In S. sahlbergi it is elongated in shape.