Austroaeschna speciosa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Austroaeschna speciosa |
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The Austroaeschna speciosa is a type of dragonfly. It belongs to the family Telephlebiidae. People also call it the tropical unicorn darner. You can only find this dragonfly in the mountains of north-east Queensland, Australia.
It looks very similar to another dragonfly called the Austroaeschna unicornis. That one is more common and lives in southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania.
What Does It Look Like?
The tropical unicorn darner is a large dragonfly. Its body is about 80 millimeters (about 3 inches) long. Its wings can spread out to about 100 millimeters (about 4 inches) wide.
The middle part of its body, called the synthorax, is reddish-brown. It has bright yellow stripes that are outlined in dark colors. Its large eyes are pale grey to green. They meet at the top of its head.
The main part of its body, the abdomen, is black and reddish-brown. It has many pale yellow spots or patches on segments 3 to 8. Its wings are clear, and a small, colored spot on the wing, called the pterostigma, is yellow.
Where Does It Live?
The tropical unicorn darner lives in rocky parts of streams and rivers. This is where it finds its food and lays its eggs.
Gallery
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Female tropical unicorn darner
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Close-up of female wings
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Close-up of male wings
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Scientists study how animals are related to each other. The Australian Biological Resources Study lists Austroaeschna speciosa as a species in the Telephlebiidae family. Another group, the Catalogue of Life, lists it as a subspecies of Austroaeschna unicornis. This shows that scientists sometimes have different ways of classifying animals.
