Protodonata (Giant dragonfly)

Millions of years ago, almost everything seemed to come in one size: big, Count Protodonata in that group, wich 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 peform 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).

Side 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.

Creature Features

 * Order: Protodonata
 * Size: Length up to 16 in; Wingspan up to 2.5 ft.
 * Prey: Other insects
 * Where? Fossils have been found on all continents except Antarctica

First in Flight
Not only were Protodonata the biggest insects ever known on Earth, but scientists also believe they were the first creatures ever to fly. Like modern dragonflies (right), 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 3000 million years before humans existed!

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.