Petalura gigantea
Encyclopedia
The Giant Dragonfly or South-eastern Petaltail, Petalura gigantea, 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.
A related species, the Giant Petaltail
from Queensland
is the world's largest extant dragonfly species.
The giant dragonfly occurs along the east coast of NSW
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
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.
A related species, the Giant Petaltail
Giant Petaltail
The Giant Petaltail, Petalura ingentissima, is the world's largest dragonfly, with a wingspan of 160 mm. It is found in Queensland, Australia....
from Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
is the world's largest extant dragonfly species.