Biology & Evolution
Anatomy
Like all insects, dragonflies have a segmented body consisting of three parts: The head, thorax and abdomen. Compared to other insects the body of a dragonfly is quite heavy, but its powerful and intricate flight muscles are able to make it a swift flyer. Dragonflies vary substantially in coloration, with various eye-catching pigmentations in the natural world. Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the dragonfly are their enormous eyeballs, which consist of thousands of ommatia (faces) that create an intricate mosaic image when receiving light. Ecology Dragonflies are carnivorous predators whose diet consists mainly of smaller insects. Due to their fast speed and somewhat large size they are effective hunters. Their adept flight is also an effective defense mechanism. Dragonflies are a territorial species that can occupy a variety of habitats. [2] |
An Ancient InsectPictured above is a simplified phylogeny of insects. It is asserted that the dragonfly was one of Earth's first winged insects, belonging to the Odonata order. The earliest fossil found of this group was dated to be over 300 million years old. [2]
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Remarkable FlyersDragonflies are well adapted, highly effective and powerful flyers, boasting the ability to fly backwards, or even fly upside down. They are able to fly at high speeds while maintaining an impressive level of precision. Each of the four wings can be moved independently. [2]
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