Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Meganeuropsis permiana described in 1939 from Elmo, Kansas. It was one of the largest known insects that ever lived, with a reconstructed wing length of 330 millimetres (13 in), an estimated wingspan of up to 710 millimetres (28 in), and a body length from head to tail of almost 430 millimetres (17 in). [ 2 ]
These flying insects reach their largest size in Palparellus voeltzkowi, which can have a wingspan over 16 cm (6.3 in). [40] The largest lacewing is the Australian "blue eyes lacewing" ( Nymphes myrmeleonides ), which can measure up to 4 cm (1.6 in) in length and span 11 cm (4.3 in) across the wings. [ 41 ]
Though most were only slightly larger than modern dragonflies, the order includes the largest known insect species, such as the late Carboniferous Meganeura monyi and the even larger early Permian Meganeuropsis permiana, with wingspans of up to 71 centimetres (28 in). [1]
The eyes of Meganeura were likely enlarged relative to body size. Meganeura had spines on the tibia and tarsi sections of the legs, which would have functioned as a "flying trap" to capture prey. [5] An engineering examination estimated that the mass of the largest specimens with wingspans over 70 cm to be 100 to 150 grams.
Main page; Contents; Current events; Random article; About Wikipedia; Contact us
Get AOL Mail for FREE! Manage your email like never before with travel, photo & document views. Personalize your inbox with themes & tabs. You've Got Mail!
Dragonflies and their relatives are similar in structure to an ancient group, the Meganisoptera or griffinflies, from the 325 Mya Upper Carboniferous of Europe, a group that included one of the largest insects that ever lived, Meganeuropsis permiana from the Early Permian, with a wingspan around 750 mm (30 in). [9]
† Meganeuropsis Carpenter, 1939 † Meganeurula Handlirsch, 1906 † Megatypus Tillyard 1925 † Nannotupus Nel, Fleck, Garrouste, Gand, Lapeyrie, Bybee & Prokop, 2009 † Oligotypus? Carpenter 1931 (may belongs to Paralogidae [3]) † Permotupus Nel, Fleck, Garrouste, Gand, Lapeyrie, Bybee & Prokop, 2009 † Petrotypus Zalesskii, 1950