Petalura pulcherrima

Beautiful petaltail
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Odonata
Infraorder:	Anisoptera
Family:	Petaluridae
Genus:	Petalura
Species:	P. pulcherrima
Binomial name
Petalura pulcherrima Tillyard, 1913 [2]

Original drawings by R.J. Tillyard:
11. Colour pattern of abdomen
12. Inferior appendage from below
13. Colour pattern of head from in front
14. Colour pattern of thorax from above

Petalura pulcherrima is a species of Australian dragonfly in the family Petaluridae, ^[3] commonly known as a beautiful petaltail. ^[4] It is a very large and slender dragonfly, mostly black or dark brown with yellow markings and its eyes widely separated on top of its head. It has clear wings and a very long, narrow pterostigma. ^[4]

Petalura pulcherrima is endemic to coastal rainforests and monsoon-forest streams of Cape York in Queensland, Australia. ^[5] Like other species of the genus Petalura, its larvae live in burrows beside rainforest streams, with an opening above water level. ^[6]

Petalura pulcherrima appears similar to Petalura ingentissima which is larger still and is also found in coastal north-eastern Queensland. ^[4]

Petalura pulcherrima is rarely seen. The IUCN Red List considers it to be a vulnerable species, with fragmentation of its habitat by human interference a major factor. ^[1]

See also

• List of Odonata species of Australia

References

1. Dow, R.A. (2019). "Petalura pulcherrima". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019 e.T16712A87528690. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T16712A87528690.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
2. Tillyard, R.J. (1912). "On some Australian Anisoptera, with descriptions of new species". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 37: 582 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
3. "Species Petalura pulcherrima Tillyard, 1913". Australian Faunal Directory . Australian Biological Resources Study. 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
4. Theischinger, Günther; Hawking, John (2006). The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia. Collingwood, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. p. 110. ISBN   978-0-64309-073-6.
5. Theischinger, Gunther; Endersby, Ian (2009). Identification Guide to the Australian Odonata (PDF). Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW. p. 233. ISBN   978-1-74232-475-3.
6. Watson, J.A.L.; Theischinger, G.; Abbey, H.M. (1991). The Australian Dragonflies: A Guide to the Identification, Distributions and Habitats of Australian Odonata. Melbourne: CSIRO. ISBN   0-643-05136-8.