''Uropetala'' is a small

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of very large

dragonflies 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 threaten ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Petaluridae The petaltails of the family Petaluridae are apparently the most ancient of the extant true dragonfly, dragonflies (infraorder Anisoptera), having fossil members from as early as the Jurassic (over 150 million years ago). Modern petalurids inclu ...

. They are

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 els ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

. Unlike most dragonflies, the larvae are not aquatic, but terrestrial, living in flooded burrows in damp forest or banks. Carved wooden dragonfly

The genus contains only two species: *''

Uropetala carovei ''Uropetala carovei'' (New Zealand bush giant dragonfly) is a giant dragonfly of the family Petaluridae, endemic to New Zealand. Its Māori name, ''kapokapowai (or kapowai)'' means "water snatcher", alluding to the water dwelling juvenile stage ( ...

'' – bush giant dragonfly *''

Uropetala chiltoni ''Uropetala chiltoni'' (New Zealand mountain giant dragonfly) is a giant dragonfly in the family Petaluridae, endemic to New Zealand. The Māori name for giant dragonflies, ''kapokapowai'', means "water snatcher", alluding to the water-dwelling j ...

'' – mountain giant dragonfly

References

External links

* ''Uropetala'' dragonflies discussed on RNZ ''Critter of the Week''
16 September 2016
Petaluridae {{dragonfly-stub