biology

Somatochlora incurvata

Somatochlora incurvata is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Somatochlora incurvata rather than just read about it. In short: The incurvate emerald (Somatochlora incurvata) is a species of dragonfly in the family Corduliidae. It is found in Canada and the United States.

Key takeaways

Somatochlora incurvata belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Somatochlora incurvata to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Somatochlora incurvata from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The incurvate emerald (Somatochlora incurvata) is a species of dragonfly in the family Corduliidae. It is found in Canada and the United States. Its natural habitat is fens.

Taxonomy The incurvate emerald was first described in 1918 by Canadian entomologist Edmund Murton Walker, based on specimens from Whitefish Point, Michigan. At the time, he thought it possible that it was only a "local race" of the closely related forcipate emerald.

Description Somatochlora incurvata is a medium-sized, slender, elongate dragonfly about 5.8 cm (2.3 in) long. It is larger than many other species in the genus Somatochlora. The thorax and abdomen are metallic brown to black with yellowish brown spots on the sides. The eyes are green.

Distribution The incurvate emerald has a relatively restricted range in northeastern North America, ranging from Nova Scotia south to New York and west to Wisconsin.

Habitat Incurvate emeralds are found in bogs and fens. The larvae are thought to reside within saturated Sphagnum moss. Eggs are laid in small pools within the breeding habitat, which may even include temporary depressions created by footprints. Adults may be found foraging in a wide variety of other habitats.

Life History Like other dragonflies, both larvae and adults feed on smaller insects and other invertebrates. Adults are active in the day from June to October, and the species overwinters as larvae.

Conservation Formerly thought to be rare, more recent surveys have found that the species is reasonably common in parts of its range. Potential threats include peat harvesting, cranberry farming, water pollution, and alteration of water levels. Incurvate Emerald is ranked as globally secure (G5), but is considered rare in many of the states and provinces it is found.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Somatochlora incurvata

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Somatochlora incurvata claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Somatochlora incurvata before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Somatochlora incurvata ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Somatochlora incurvata

In research: Somatochlora incurvata appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Somatochlora incurvata in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Somatochlora incurvata is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics IUCN Red List least concern species, Insects described in 1918, NatureServe secure species, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Somatochlora incurvata outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Somatochlora incurvata in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Somatochlora incurvata means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Somatochlora incurvata out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Somatochlora incurvata in simple terms?

The incurvate emerald (Somatochlora incurvata) is a species of dragonfly in the family Corduliidae. It is found in Canada and the United States.

Why does Somatochlora incurvata matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Somatochlora incurvata?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Somatochlora incurvata.