Palaeozoic giant dragonflies were hawker predators

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 12141 - 5
• Main Authors: Nel, André, Prokop, Jakub, Pecharová, Martina, Engel, Michael S., Garrouste, Romain
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 14.08.2018; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/181/414; 704/158/2462; Anisoptera; Aquatic insects; Biodiversity; Biology; Flight; Humanities and Social Sciences; Insects; Life Sciences; Mandible; Morphology; multidisciplinary; Museums; Paleozoic; Predators; Prey; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Specialization; Spines; Systematics, Phylogenetics and taxonomy; Teeth; Thorax; Wings; Zoology

The largest insects to have ever lived were the giant meganeurids of the Late Palaeozoic, ancient stem relatives of our modern dragonflies. With wingspans up to 71 cm, these iconic insects have been the subject of varied documentaries on Palaeozoic life, depicting them as patrolling for prey through...