There is some debate over whether Somatochlora meridionalis is a valid species or only a subspecies of S. metallica. In this assessment, both taxa will be treated as full species. Some old records dealing with S. metallica in the Balkans may refer to S. meridionalis.

European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

Somatochlora meridionalis has the centre of its distribution in the Balkans, where it is at least locally common. It is mainly found in running water which is often deeply shaded. Exact data on population sizes and trends are lacking, as are dragonfly studies for this region,  but it is clear that its preferred habitat is already impacted by climatic changes and human activities. An adequate management of waterbodies is mostly sufficient to keep this species in a good conservation status. This species is assessed as Least Concern as there is no evidence of a recent significant decline in range and habitat size in the last years. Even though a future decline in population size and habitat loss due to direct human impact and climate warming might occur, this reduction is not expected to reach near to 30 % over the next 10 years. Also, its present EOO and AOO are larger than any of the threatened category thresholds for criterion B.

Somatochlora meridionalis ranges from southeast France and Corsica eastwards to Türkiye. The species is nearly endemic to Europe, with only a handful of populations known from the western half of Türkiye (Boudot et al. 2021). The main range of this species extends over most of southeast Europe, through the Balkans, with high densities of populations in all the Balkan states and the European part of Türkiye except in Greece. To the north it reaches Austria, Hungary, northern Slovakia, and south-eastern Czech Republic, where mostly isolated populations are known. The species has a more scattered occurrence or is at least under-recorded in Hungary, Romania and Greece. The southernmost records are from Crete, although the species is absent from the Eastern Aegean islands, but has been observed in the southwest Türkiye. To the east it reaches southwestern Ukraine, far western Romania near the border of Moldova and northern coast of Türkiye. In the western Mediterranean, disjunct populations are known from central Italy, Corsica and from an area running from north-west Italy to south-east France. Also due to confusion with S. metallica (which is for sure much more rare throughout the distribution of S. meridionalis), distribution of both taxa in the Balkans and to the east is to some extent not yet clear. It seems that S. metallica in the Balkans is confined to the mountainous parts.

The species can be locally very common, especially in its main range - the Balkans. There is no detailed information available on the population size or trend of this species. However in the Western Balkans it can be one of the most abundant Anisopteran species at optimal habitats. To the north of its range there are mostly isolated populations, while on the western border of its range there are disjunct populations. It seems that this species shows a negative occupancy trend in France, although the results are not significant. Due to more research in the Balkans in the past two decades more and more populations are found, consequently also a positive occupancy trend is shown.

Somatochlora meridionalis is mostly found at largely or completely shaded streams, brooks and small rivers with clear water and generally sparse vegetation. Most often the bottom is at least partly muddy. Although it typically breeds in running waters, it also occasionally reproduces in stagnant waters, which are in forested areas or at least bordered with trees. The species is also found at runnels and small irrigation canals in agricultural landscapes in northern Italy for example. It can be common in intermittently flowing streams that become fragmented into residual, largely disconnected pools during summer, where the larvae are able to survive the dry season. Adults are mostly seen along shaded stretches of watercourses and the presence of shade on most of the water surface is an important habitat characteristic. It is mainly a lowland species most common below 500 m. However, it can occur also at higher elevations even up to 1,600 m as is the example in Bulgaria (Boudot and Gligorovic, 2015). In Slovenia it is most frequently accompanied by Calopteryx virgo, C. splendens, Platycnemis pennipes and Onychogomphus forcipatus, sometimes with Cordulegaster species (Vinko et al. 2022). Compared to Cordulegaster heros, with which it shares a large part of distribution range, S. meridionalis prefers slightly larger, shaded and meandering streams in the lowlands.

Even though S. meridionalis is currently under no serious threat at the European scale, due to its relatively small global range each threat has to be taken into serious consideration and therefore continuous future monitoring is needed to reveal evidence of possible population decline. Habitat destruction is the main threat to the species on local, regional and global scale together with growing consequences of climate change. Nutrient fallout can still contribute to habitats being negatively affected in more agricultural landscapes. The species can be adversely affected by removal of trees along watercourses, abstraction of surface water, rainfall deficit, forest fires and human settlement. Increased drought and drying up of streams and brooks as a result of climate change is already an ongoing threat, as the species has its main range in the Mediterranean countries. The same goes for increase in fire frequency or its intensity.

There is no trade or use of this species.

The species does not need specific conservation measures on a European scale. An adequate management of waterbodies is mostly sufficient to keep this species long-term in a good conservation status. Control of water use for agriculture and urbanised areas and prevention from water pollution are necessary conservation measures. Conservation measures should also include expansion of water treatment plants, improved watercourse management (less removal of vegetation and disturbance of sediments) as well as the preservation of good quality water resources. In areas that are embedded in the Natura 2000 network, changes in management plans can be made regarding use of water. Catchment management plans should be drawn up with particular attention to ecological flows in accordance with the European Water Framework Directive. This should mitigate or even prevent water abstraction for agricultural or domestic use from streams and rivers.