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History & Highlights Chicago Illinois Field Office |
Hine's Emerald Dragonfly
(Somatochlora hineana)
This dragonfly was originally discovered in Ohio, but by the mid-1900's it was believed to be extinct.
However, in 1988 a specimen collected in the DesPlaines River Valley (southwest of Chicago) was later identified as this species. Subsequent surveys uncovered additional populations there, as well as northeast Wisconsin, Michigan, and Missouri. All are associated with areas of groundwater-fed wetlands that are perched over limestone bedrock.
Historical Records for this Species in Northeast Illinois are available from Cook, DuPage, and Will counties.
The populations are generally small, isolated, and vulnerable to habitat loss or modifications as well as individual mortality. The Hine's emerald dragonfly was listed as Endangered in 1995.
The Chicago Illinois Field Office is the lead office for coordinating the Service's efforts to recover this species. In addition to arranging periodic meetings of the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly Recovery Team, we network and consult with other dragonfly experts. We also completed (in 2001) the approved recovery plan, and have helped implement other range-wide actions to recover this species.
In the Chicago region we attend or hold meetings of land managers and others with an interest in this species, and have funded various projects which may contribute to recovery of local populations. These include studies of population genetics and life history, conducted by the Illinois Natural History Survey and Illinois State Museum.
Hines emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana): Listed as endangered in 1995. Pertinent web areas, and listing and recovery literature and dates include:
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Complete regulatory profile, as provided on the Service's Endangered Species website.
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Final rule listing the species (in .pdf format), published in the Federal Register (60 FR 5267 5273), January 26, 1995).
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Recovery plan approved in 2001.
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USFWS Fact sheet.
