Petalura
   HOME
*





Petalura
''Petalura'' is a genus of very large dragonflies in the family Petaluridae. Species of ''Petalura'' are brown or black with yellow markings and usually clear wings. The anal appendages of the males are broad and leaf-like giving them their common name of petaltails. They are endemic to south-western and eastern Australia. Species The genus includes the following species: *''Petalura gigantea'' - South-eastern petaltail *''Petalura hesperia'' - Western petaltail *''Petalura ingentissima ''Petalura ingentissima'', the giant petaltail, has been described as the world's largest dragonfly, with a wingspan of 160 mm. It is found in Queensland, Australia. Dr R.J. Tillyard described the giant petaltail in 1908. Its species name i ...'' - Giant petaltail *'' Petalura litorea'' - Coastal petaltail *'' Petalura pulcherrima'' - Beautiful petaltail References {{Taxonbar, from=Q2793038 Petaluridae Anisoptera genera Odonata of Australia Endemic fauna of Australia Taxa n ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Petalura Hesperia
''Petalura hesperia'', more commonly known as the western petaltail or giant western dragonfly, is a species of dragonfly in the family Petaluridae, originating from Western Australia. It resides near the south-western coast of Australia, often observed near drainage basins. ''Petalura hesperia'' lives along streams and rivers where it lays its larvae. Larvae ''Petalura hesperia'' lay their larvae along stream margins because '' Petalura'' larvae are semiaquatic, and the larvae create a burrow in the mud along the sides of rivers or streams to serve as protection. They can burrow deeper into mud during dry summers to keep their skin moist. Even as larvae this species is a nocturnal predator, feeding off of other species larvae and small insects such as cockroaches and spiders residing near their burrows along lotic fresh water on lowland, or sometimes in rainforests located on upland. Adults Adult dragonflies from the genus ''Petalura'' are commonly known as 'petaltails' be ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Petalura Ingentissima
''Petalura ingentissima'', the giant petaltail, has been described as the world's largest dragonfly, with a wingspan of 160 mm. It is found in Queensland, Australia. Dr R.J. Tillyard described the giant petaltail in 1908. Its species name is derived from the Latin adjective ''ingens'' "huge". It is one of five species in the Australian genus ''Petalura''. A large heavily built dragonfly, the giant petaltail has a black body with some yellow markings. The female's wingspan can be 158–162 mm and body length 125 mm, the largest dragonfly species in overall dimensions although members of the genus ''Tetracanthagyna'' can have longer wings and ''Chlorogomphus papilio'' a larger wing area. Measuring 5.9-6.3 cm long, the larvae are unusual in that they live in burrows along the river margin and hunt passing prey. Gallery Petalura ingentissima female wings (34665011080).jpg, Female wings Petalura ingentissima male wings (34888496542).jpg, Male wings See also * ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Petalura Pulcherrima
''Petalura pulcherrima'' is a species of Australian dragonfly in the family Petaluridae, commonly known as a beautiful petaltail. It is a very large and slender dragonfly, mostly black or dark brown with yellow markings and its eyes widely separated on top of its head. It has clear wings and a very long, narrow pterostigma. ''Petalura pulcherrima'' is endemic to coastal rainforests and monsoon-forest streams of Cape York Peninsula, Cape York in Queensland, Australia. Like other species of the genus ''Petalura'', its larvae live in burrows beside rainforest streams, with an opening above water level. ''Petalura pulcherrima'' appears similar to ''Petalura ingentissima'' which is larger still and is also found in coastal north-eastern Queensland. ''Petalura pulcherrima'' is rarely seen. The IUCN Red List considers it to be a vulnerable species, with fragmentation of habitat, fragmentation of its habitat by human interference a major factor. See also * List of Odonata species of ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Petalura Gigantea
''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. 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. This listing was transferred to the equivalent schedules under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW) from August 2017. ''Petalura gigantea'' is a species of dragonfly in th ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  




Petalura Litorea
''Petalura litorea'', commonly known as the coastal petaltail, is an endangered Australian species of dragonfly from the family Petaluridae. This species originates from south-eastern Queensland and prefers swamp land with thick vegetation, often residing on sword grass. The endangered species description is currently recorded in the New South Wales government Endangered Species listing. Body Coastal petaltails have distinctive bodies that are unique to their species. The average petaltail has a body around in length, with wide-set eyes and a black thorax covered in yellow spots; the abdomen follows a similar pattern consisting of black and yellow stripes. Petaltails' pterostigmata are long and thin, running to and from either side of their wings. Female petaltails have rounded wings, while male petaltails have angular wings. Mating Male coastal petaltails have unique, bright orange anal appendages called 'petaltails' that are believed to be used to attract a mate. Once a m ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Petaluridae
The petaltails of the family Petaluridae are apparently the most ancient of the extant true dragonflies (infraorder Anisoptera), having fossil members from as early as the Jurassic (over 150 million years ago). Modern petalurids include only 11 species, one of which, the Australian ''Petalura ingentissima'', is the largest of living dragonflies, having a wingspan of up to 160 mm and a body length of over 100 mm. Other Australian species include ''Petalura gigantea'' (commonly known as the giant dragonfly). In the United States, two species are found, one on either coast. The larvae live primarily in stream banks, mostly in burrows, but the larvae of the eastern US species, ''Tachopteryx thoreyi ''Tachopteryx thoreyi'', commonly known as the gray petaltail and Thorey's grayback, is a species of dragonfly. It is native to the East Coast of the United States as far north as New York, as far south as Florida, and as far west as Texas. This ...'', the gray petaltail, liv ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Odonata Of Australia
Odonata is an order of flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies. Members of the group first appeared during the Triassic, though members of their total group, Odonatoptera, first appeared in Late Carboniferous. The two common groups are distinguished with dragonflies, placed in the suborder Epiprocta, usually being larger, with eyes together and wings up or out at rest, while damselflies, suborder Zygoptera, are usually smaller with eyes placed apart and wings along body at rest. All Odonata have aquatic larvae called naiads (nymphs), and all of them, larvae and adults, are carnivorous. The adults can land, but rarely walk. Their legs are specialised for catching prey. They are almost entirely insectivorous. Etymology and terminology Fabricius coined the term ''Odonata'' in 1793 from the Ancient Greek ( Ionic form of ) 'tooth'. One hypothesis is that it was because their maxillae are notably toothed. Most insects also have toothed mandibles. The wo ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. Adult dragonflies are characterized by a pair of large, multifaceted compound eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural colouration, making them conspicuous in flight. An adult dragonfly's compound eyes have nearly 24,000 ommatidia each. Dragonflies can be mistaken for the closely related damselflies, which make up the other odonatan infraorder ( Zygoptera) and are similar in body plan though usually lighter in build; however, the wings of most dragonflies are held flat and away from the body, while damselflies hold their wings folded at rest, along or ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Anisoptera Genera
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. Adult dragonflies are characterized by a pair of large, multifaceted compound eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural colouration, making them conspicuous in flight. An adult dragonfly's compound eyes have nearly 24,000 ommatidia each. Dragonflies can be mistaken for the closely related damselflies, which make up the other odonatan infraorder ( Zygoptera) and are similar in body plan though usually lighter in build; however, the wings of most dragonflies are held flat and away from the body, while damselflies hold their wings folded at rest, along or a ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Endemic Fauna Of Australia
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, the Cape sugarbird is found exclusively in southwestern South Africa and is therefore said to be ''endemic'' to that particular part of the world. An endemic species can be also be referred to as an ''endemism'' or in scientific literature as an ''endemite''. For example '' Cytisus aeolicus'' is an endemite of the Italian flora. '' Adzharia renschi'' was once believed to be an endemite of the Caucasus, but it was later discovered to be a non-indigenous species from South America belonging to a different genus. The extreme opposite of an endemic species is one with a cosmopolitan distribution, having a global or widespread range. A rare alternative term for a species that is endemic is "precinctive", which applies to s ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, the Cape sugarbird is found exclusively in southwestern South Africa and is therefore said to be ''endemic'' to that particular part of the world. An endemic species can be also be referred to as an ''endemism'' or in scientific literature as an ''endemite''. For example '' Cytisus aeolicus'' is an endemite of the Italian flora. '' Adzharia renschi'' was once believed to be an endemite of the Caucasus, but it was later discovered to be a non-indigenous species from South America belonging to a different genus. The extreme opposite of an endemic species is one with a cosmopolitan distribution, having a global or widespread range. A rare alternative term for a species that is endemic is "precinctive", which applies to ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

William Elford Leach
William Elford Leach Royal Society, FRS (2 February 1791 – 25 August 1836) was an English zoologist and marine biologist. Life and work Elford Leach was born at Hoe Gate, Plymouth, the son of an attorney. At the age of twelve he began a medical apprenticeship at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Devonshire and Exeter Hospital, studying anatomy and chemistry. By this time he was already collecting marine animals from Plymouth Sound and along the Devon coast. At seventeen he began studying medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London, finishing his training at the University of Edinburgh before graduating Doctor of Medicine, MD from the University of St Andrews (where he had never studied). From 1813 Leach concentrated on his zoological interests and was employed as an 'Assistant Librarian' (what would later be called Assistant Keeper) in the Natural History Museum, London, Natural History Department of the British Museum, where he had responsibility for the zoological ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]