| Tasmanian darner | |
|---|---|
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| Female laying her eggs | |
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| Male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
| Family: | Aeshnidae |
| Genus: | Austroaeschna |
| Species: | A. tasmanica |
| Binomial name | |
| Austroaeschna tasmanica | |
 | |
The Tasmanian darner, (Austroaeschna tasmanica), is a species of large dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae, [3] which includes some of the world's largest dragonflies. It is found in Tasmania, Australia. The species was first described by Robert Tillyard in 1916 and inhabits streams and rivers. [4]
Also referred to as "hawkers", the name "darner" derives from the fact that the female abdomen looks like a sewing needle, as it cuts into a plant stem when the female dragonfly lays her eggs through her ovipositor.
The Tasmanian darner is a stout, dark dragonfly with a very dark colouring and light markings. It appears similar to the lesser Tasmanian darner, Austroaeschna hardyi . [4]
