| Anotogaster sieboldii | |
|---|---|
| Anotogaster sieboldii | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Hexapoda |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Family: | Cordulegastridae |
| Genus: | Anotogaster |
| Species: | A. sieboldii |
| Binomial name | |
| Anotogaster sieboldii Sélys, 1854 |
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Anotogaster sieboldii or oniyanma (オニヤンマ、鬼蜻蜓、馬大頭) in Japanese is the largest species of dragonfly native to Japan. It can grow between 95 and 100 mm in length.[1]
Contents |
Eggs hatch within a month of being laid. The larva live for three to five years moulting as many as ten times and growing as large as five centemeters in length. Once this size, the larva will feed on tadpoles and small fish. The adult dragonfly can mate and lay eggs within one to two months of metamorphosis. After mating, females head toward small creeks or ponds, not fast moving rivers or lakes, to lay eggs. They will sometimes fly perpendicular to the water, laying their eggs in mud or sand under the surface.