Petalura pulcherrima

Beautiful petaltail
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Clade:Euarthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Odonata
Infraorder:Anisoptera
Family:Petaluridae
Genus:Petalura
Species: P. pulcherrima
Binomial name
Petalura pulcherrima
Original drawings by R.J. Tillyard:
11. Colour pattern of abdomen
12. Inferior appendage from below
13. Colour pattern of head from in front
14. Colour pattern of thorax from above

Petalura pulcherrima is a species of Australian dragonfly in the family Petaluridae,[3] commonly known as a beautiful petaltail.[4] 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.[4]

Petalura pulcherrima is endemic to coastal rainforests and monsoon-forest streams of Cape York in Queensland, Australia.[5] Like other species of the genus Petalura, its larvae live in burrows beside rainforest streams, with an opening above water level.[6]

Petalura pulcherrima appears similar to Petalura ingentissima which is larger still and is also found in coastal north-eastern Queensland.[4]

Petalura pulcherrima is rarely seen. The IUCN Red List considers it to be an endangered species, with fragmentation of its habitat by human interference a major factor.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Hawking, J. (2009). "Petalura pulcherrima". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2009: e.T16712A6304286. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009-2.RLTS.T16712A6304286.en. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  2. ↑ Tillyard, R.J. (1912). "On some Australian Anisoptera, with descriptions of new species". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 37: 582 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. ↑ "Species Petalura pulcherrima Tillyard, 1913". Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study. 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Theischinger, Günther; Hawking, John (2006). The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia. Collingwood, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. p. 110. ISBN 978 0 64309 073 6.
  5. ↑ Theischinger, Gunther; Endersby, Ian (2009). Identification Guide to the Australian Odonata (PDF). Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW. p. 233. ISBN 978 1 74232 475 3.
  6. ↑ Watson, J.A.L.; Theischinger, G.; Abbey, H.M. (1991). The Australian Dragonflies: A Guide to the Identification, Distributions and Habitats of Australian Odonata. Melbourne: CSIRO. ISBN 0643051368.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.