Petalura gigantea

Petalura gigantea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Petaluridae
Genus: Petalura
Species: P. gigantea
Binomial name
Petalura gigantea
Leach, 1815[1]

Petalura gigantea, the giant dragonfly or south-eastern petaltail, is one of the world's largest dragonflies, with the males having an abdomen 6 - 7.5 cm long and a wingspan up to 11 cm, while females have an abdomen 8 - 9.5 cm long and a wingspan up to 12.5 cm.

The giant dragonfly occurs along the east coast of NSW from the Victorian border to northern NSW, and is not found west of the Great Dividing Range. There are known occurrences in the Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands, in the Clarence River catchment, and on a few coastal swamps from north of Grafton to Nadgee in the south.[2] It is unusual not only in size, but also in having predominantly terrestrial habits at the larval stage. The giant dragonfly is listed as endangered under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act.[3][4]

A related species, the giant petaltail from Queensland is the world's largest extant dragonfly species.

Last stages of metamorphosis

See also

References

  1. ↑ Leach, William (1815). The zoological miscellany : being descriptions of new, or interesting animals. London: Printed by B. McMillan for E. Nodder & Son. p. 96. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.41372 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  2. ↑ http://threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/profile.aspx?id=10600
  3. ↑ http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/content/Petalura_gigantea_amendment
  4. ↑ http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/GiantDragonflyEndSpListing.htm
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