Palaeodictyoptera facts for kids

The Palaeodictyoptera were a group of very old, large flying insects that are now extinct. This means they no longer exist on Earth. They were very common during a time called the Upper Carboniferous period. This was about 318 to 299 million years ago!

These ancient insects disappeared completely during a huge event called the end-Permian extinction. This was a time when many different kinds of plants and animals died out. Palaeodictyoptera varied a lot in size. Some were quite big, and others were truly enormous! For example, an insect called Mazothairos had wings that stretched about 55 centimeters (22 inches) wide. That's almost as long as a ruler!

Ancient Plant Eaters

The Palaeodictyoptera were the first big group of herbivorous insects. This means they were the first insects to mostly eat plants. They had special mouthparts that looked like a long beak. These mouthparts could pierce into plants. They probably also had a part that helped them suck out plant juices.

Scientists have found signs of damage on fossil plant leaves and stems. These marks match the shape of the Palaeodictyoptera's mouthparts. This helps us know what they ate.

How They Flew

These insects were quite unique in how they flew. Besides the usual four wings that most insects have, they had two extra wing-like parts. These were located in front of their main wings. They are called "pronota."

These pronota were smaller than the main wings. But they had veins, just like real wings. They didn't move up and down like the main wings. Scientists think they might have helped the insects glide through the air. Because of these extra parts, Palaeodictyoptera are sometimes playfully called "six-winged insects". If you look at their fossils, you can often see bold patterns of color on their actual wings.

Body Parts

Palaeodictyoptera also had a pair of special parts called cerci (say: SIR-sigh). These were located on the very last part of their body. We are not completely sure what these cerci were for.

Often, cerci act like sensors, helping insects feel their surroundings. But they might also have been used for fighting or helping with reproduction. Or, they could have just been leftover parts that didn't have a clear use anymore. In some species, the cerci were even longer than the rest of the insect's body!

Images for kids

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  A picture showing what Mazothairos might have looked like.

See also

In Spanish: Palaeodictiópteros para niños