Petalura facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Petalura
Petalura gigantea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Odonata
Infraorder:	Anisoptera
Family:	Petaluridae
Genus:	Petalura Leach, 1815

Petalura is a group of very large dragonflies. They belong to a special family of dragonflies called Petaluridae. These amazing insects are often brown or black with bright yellow markings. Their wings are usually clear, letting you see through them.

One cool thing about male Petalura dragonflies is their "petaltails." These are broad, leaf-like parts at the end of their bodies. This unique feature gives them their common name: petaltails.

You can only find Petalura dragonflies in certain parts of Australia. They are what we call endemic to south-western and eastern Australia. This means they naturally live only in those specific areas and nowhere else in the world.

Different Kinds of Petaltails

There are several different species of Petalura dragonflies. Each one has its own unique features. Here are some of the known species:

• Petalura gigantea Leach, 1815 - This one is known as the South-eastern petaltail.
• Petalura hesperia Watson, 1958 - This species is called the Western petaltail.
• Petalura ingentissima Tillyard, 1908 - This is the Giant petaltail, one of the largest.
• Petalura litorea Theischinger, 1999 - You might find this one near the coast, it's the Coastal petaltail.
• Petalura pulcherrima Tillyard, 1913 - This beautiful species is known as the Beautiful petaltail.