''Uropetala'' is a small

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

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 threa ...

in the

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

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 ...

. 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 elsew ...

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 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. 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 (biology), family Petaluridae, endemism, endemic to New Zealand. Its Māori language, Māori name, ''kapokapowai (or kapowai)'' means "water snatcher", al ...

'' – bush giant dragonfly *'' Uropetala chiltoni'' – mountain giant dragonfly

References

External links

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