Quebec Emerald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Quebec Emerald |
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The Quebec Emerald (also called Robert's Emerald) is a type of dragonfly. Its scientific name is Somatochlora brevicincta. It belongs to a group of 42 similar dragonflies called Somatochlora, which live in the northern parts of the world. This dragonfly is one of the rarest in Canada and was only recently discovered. A Canadian scientist named Adrien Robert first described this dragonfly in 1954.
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What the Quebec Emerald Looks Like
The Quebec Emerald is a dark dragonfly. It doesn't have many special markings, except for clear rings on its body. These dragonflies are medium-sized and strong. They are usually about 5 centimeters (2 inches) long. Their wingspan is around 6 centimeters (2.4 inches). Females in British Columbia are smaller than those in Eastern North America.
Colors of the Dragonfly
These Emerald dragonflies have interesting colors. Males and females look a bit different, which is called sexual dimorphism. Both sexes have black faces with yellow on the sides. Their main body (abdomen) is black on top.
- Males: Their middle body part (thorax) is shiny green-black. It has a faint yellow spot on the side.
- Females: Their thorax is brown and green. They have reddish hairs on the back of their head.
Both males and females have faint whitish rings on their shiny black abdomen. These rings are between the last few body segments.
Body Parts
The Quebec Emerald has special parts called cerci. These are tiny, tooth-like parts at the base of its body. Their tips curve inward and then upward into a long, thin point. The dragonfly's eyes are metallic brown with bright green.
Larvae (Young Dragonflies)
Young Quebec Emeralds, called larvae, live in water. They have triangle-shaped heads and antennae with seven parts. They have a triangular lower body part called an epiproct. This part is a bit bigger than the cerci. Together, these parts form claspers. The back legs of the larvae are longer than their middle and front legs. Their head, thorax, and abdomen are covered in hairs. The longest hairs are on the sixth to ninth segments of their abdomen.
How It's Different from Similar Dragonflies
The Quebec Emerald has a few features that help scientists tell it apart from other Somatochlora dragonflies.
- Adult males look like the Somatochlora albicincta. However, Quebec Emerald males have a curved hamule (a small hook-like part), not a bent one.
- Adult female Quebec Emeralds have a special plate that is as long as their ninth abdomen segment. It does not have a notch like the S. albicinta female.
- Unlike some other Emerald dragonflies, the Quebec Emerald does not have brown coloring at the base of its wings.
- Its abdominal rings are less clear than those of the Hudsonian and Ringed Emeralds.
Where the Quebec Emerald Lives
The Quebec Emerald is found across North America, in both Canada and the United States. The first one ever found was near Lake Mistassini in Quebec. Before 1995, it was only seen in a few wet, boggy areas in Quebec.
Today, it lives in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland in Canada. It is a subarctic species, meaning it rarely lives south of 45 degrees North latitude. It has been seen as far northwest as Willison Lake, BC, and as far southeast as Piscataquis County, Maine. It likely lives in other scattered places across Canada too. A few breeding groups have been found in the United States, including recently in Minnesota.
Scientists think that because this dragonfly is so rare and spread out, there might be more than one species. However, there isn't strong proof for this idea yet. You can find an interactive map and more information about where they've been seen on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility website.
What Kind of Home It Likes
Dragonflies usually like warm places. So, there are fewer types of dragonflies in colder, higher areas. The Quebec Emerald prefers calm, still water. It likes wet, grassy areas called fens and heaths. These are often found near or inside bogs. They prefer these areas over the open, firm-edged ponds sometimes found in bogs.
Their favorite small homes have water-soaked moss (called sphagnum) and grassy plants growing in the water. This shows they like environments with some minerals in the water. They lay their eggs in small, water-filled dips called flarks. These flarks are home to sedges, rushes, and mosses. The young larvae live in shallow water with fallen leaves and plant bits. This means their homes can be harmed if these leaves and nearby trees are removed.
Reproduction
Since the Quebec Emerald is rarely seen, scientists don't know much about how they mate or have babies. However, other Somatochlora dragonflies are known to mate high up in treetops. They can stay together for a long time, sometimes up to an hour. Most dragonflies mate many times in their lives.
Female Corduliidae dragonflies lay their eggs on plants. Quebec Emeralds lay their eggs on plants like moss, at or above the water's surface. The female lays her eggs alone, without her partner. She skims the water's surface and quickly taps it with the tip of her abdomen to place the eggs.
Senses and Communication
Dragonflies are amazing hunters. They are among the best hunters on Earth. They are very successful because of how their bodies move and how their brains help them catch flying insects.
What the Quebec Emerald Eats
Quebec Emeralds are predators. This means they hunt and eat other creatures. Both the young larvae and the adult dragonflies are hunters.
- Larvae: They eat other insect larvae. They can also eat tadpoles and small fish.
- Adults: They eat any flying insects they can catch. This includes mosquitoes, midges, and even smaller dragonflies.
Predators
Scientists do not know for sure what animals hunt and eat the Quebec Emerald.
Conservation Status
The Quebec Emerald's conservation status varies by location. NatureServe, a group that tracks species, gives it different rankings:
- Vulnerable (S3): In British Columbia and Minnesota.
- Imperiled (S2): In Ontario, Maine, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland.
- Apparently Secured (S4): In Quebec.
- Critically Imperiled (S1): In Nova Scotia.
These rankings are based on how many dragonflies are found, where they live, how big their populations are, and what threats they face. You can learn more about these rankings on the NatureServe Explorer website.
In Maine, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife listed the Quebec Emerald as a "species of special concern" in 2022. In Minnesota, these dragonflies depend completely on special wet, boggy areas called patterned peatlands. These areas are quite rare in Minnesota. There is new interest in mining peat from these lands. This puts the dragonfly in danger, because changing the water in these habitats is very harmful. Protecting these special wet areas is very important for the Quebec Emerald.
How Scientists Classify It
Somatochlora brevicincta is accepted as a real species by scientists who study insects. It meets the standards for being a valid species.
Some museums and collections in Canada have Quebec Emerald specimens. These include the Ouellet-Robert Entomological Collection, the René Martin Insectarium, and the Laval University Entomology Collection. You can find more details on Canadensys.
Genetic Information
Scientists have very little genetic information about the Quebec Emerald. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) GenBank has recorded two gene sequences for this dragonfly. However, there is no complete genetic map (genome) available. There is more information about the whole group of Somatochlora dragonflies. The Quebec Emerald is listed in the Biodiversity of Life Database (BOLD Systems) with a special ID number: 250259. While this website shares some public data, the species still needs more genetic study.
