Protodonata (Giant dragonfly)

Millions of years ago, almost everything seemed to come in one size: big. Count Protodonata inthat group, which were ancient dragonfly-like creatures. They were the biggest insects ever known on Earth. These monstrous insects were probably the first creatures to fly. They could perform aerial maneuvers never seen before by any prey, or predators. This gave the dragonflies a survival advantage that lasted until the dinosaurs came along. "Does it Quack? Protodonata looked much like modern dragonflies-but were much bigger. The largest known species had a wingspan of 2.5 feet! With a body that measured 16 inches long, this insect was nearly as big as a duck (but a lot thinner).""Sight Advantage: These ancient creatures had huge eyes, and probably had better vision than other insects in its day. They could spot prey and zoom in before the victims could see them coming."

Order
Protodonata

Size
Length up to 16 in.; Wingspan up to 2.5 ft.

Where?
Fossils have been found on all continents except Antarctica

Prey
Other insects

Did You Know
Scientists have identified more than 300 species of this ancient creature.

First in Flight
Well-preserved fossils show the wing detail of this prehistoric Protodonata.

Not only were Protodonata the biggest insects ever known on Earth, but scientists alo believe they were the first creatures ever to fly. Like modern dragonflies (right), these giants were agile in the air. They could make tight turns and dive sharply after prey, and could hover in place and even fly backward. Modern dragonflies were said to be the inspiration for the invention of the helicopter in the early 20th century, but nature had the design perfected 300 million years before humans existed!

Did You Know?
Some of the first full-size helicopters ever built were named "dragonflies.""In-Flight Meal: These insects had small spines on their legs, much like their modern relatives do. They used these to grab prey from the ground and trap them so the Protodonata could take off and eat them in the air with their strong jaws.""Live Long: Protodonata were great survivors, even surviving a mass extinction that killed 90% of all life. The rise of dinosaurs, especially small quick ones that fed on insects, led to Protodonata's extinction. Smaller relatives lived on, eventually leading to dragonflies."

Timeline:
Protodonata lived from 300 to 240 million years ago, from the Carboniferous Period through the Triassic Period.

Giant Dragonfly
This prehistoric insect looked and acted much like modern dragonflies, but was 10 times the size! These were the first creatures on the planet that were able to fly and attack prey from the air.

Say What?
This was the biggest insect ever on Earth.

Life
120

Attack
6

Defense
5