Tasmanian darner

Tasmanian darner
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Euarthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Telephlebiidae
Genus: Austroaeschna
Species: A. tasmanica
Binomial name
Austroaeschna tasmanica
Tillyard, 1916[1][2]

The Tasmanian darner, (Austroaeschna tasmanica), is a species of large dragonfly in the family Telephlebiidae,[1] which includes some of the world's largest dragonflies. It is found in Tasmania, Australia.[3] The species was first described by Robert Tillyard in 1916 and inhabits streams and rivers.[4]

Also referred to as "hawkers", the name "darner" derives from the fact that the female abdomens look like a sewing needle, as they cut into plant stem when they lay their eggs through the ovipositor.

The Tasmanian darner is a stout, dark dragonfly with a very dark colouring and light markings. It appears similar to the lesser Tasmanian darner, Austroaeschna hardyi.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Species Austroaeschna (Austroaeschna) tasmanica Tillyard, 1916". Australian Faunal Directory. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 17 February 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  2. ↑ Tillyard, R.J. (1916). "Life-histories and descriptions of Australian Aeschninae, with a description of a new form of Telephlebia by Herbert Campion". Journal of the Linnean Society of London. Zoology. 33: 1-83 [49] – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. ↑ http://www.ento.csiro.au/aicn/name_s/b_499.htm
  4. 1 2 Theischinger G, Hawking J (2006). The Complete Field Guide To Dragonflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 978-0-643-09073-6.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.