Petalura hesperia

Petalura hesperia
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Odonata
Family:	Petaluridae
Genus:	Petalura
Species:	P. hesperia
Binomial name
Petalura hesperia Watson, 1958 [2]

Petalura hesperia, more commonly known as the western petaltail or giant western dragonfly, is a species of Odonata, originating from Western Australia. They reside near the Southwest Coast of Australia, often observed near drainage basins. Petalura hesperia live along streams and rivers where they lay their larvae.^[3]

Larvae

Petalura hesperia lay their larvae along stream margins because Petalura larvae are semi-aquatic, and the larvae create a burrow in the mud along the sides of rivers or streams to serve as protection. They can burrow deeper into mud during dry summers to keep their skin moist.^[4] Even as larvae this species is a nocturnal predator, feeding off of other species larvae and small insects such as cockroaches and spiders residing near their burrows along lotic freshwater on lowland, or sometimes in rain forests located on upland.^[5]

Adults

Adult dragonflies from the Petalura genus are commonly known as 'petaltails' because of the male's anal appendages, which can vary in color. Adults of this species live near streams and rivers, and are semi-aquatic, both quite like their larvae. They are also nocturnal predators, although they tend to feed off of larger larvae, ones with extended phases, and larger sized bugs than that of what their larvae eat. Adults mate on vegetation, then the females lay their egg larvae in old plant matter. Adults live for 4–6 months. Species of the Petalura genus tend to be univoltine while many other species may take a few years to complete their life cycles.^[5]

References