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Giant Dragonfly


Giant Dragonfly
Photo Information
Copyright: Chris Chafer (sandpiper2) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1835 W: 109 N: 4233] (14036)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-12-28
Categories: Insects
Camera: Pentax K100D Super, Sigma 70-300 DG Macro, Digital ISO-400, Matin 58mm UV
Exposure: f/19, 1/250 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Invertebrates and fungi of the Sydney region 2, Australian Dragonflies [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-01-07 2:51
Viewed: 1329
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
After Christmas I went dragonfly hunting with my good friend CB, who’s a keen dragonfly enthusiast. I knew of a location when we could find the rare South-eastern Petaltail, so off we went. After searching for an hour or so we found our prey. a fine male specimen, and we were very pleased to have observed and photographed one of the world’s largest dragonflies.

The South-eastern Petaltail (Petalura gigantea) is the second largest dragonfly in Australia and one of the largest dragonflies in the world. Males have an abdomen length of 75 mm, a wingspan up to 110 mm and petal-shaped claspers at the end of the abdomen. Females have an abdomen length of 80 - 95 mm and a wingspan up to 125 mm, and no claspers. Both sexes have widely-spaced eyes and have a predominantly brownish-black segmented body with light yellow markings along the back and sides. The larvae are also very large, up to 50 mm in length.

They live in permanent swamps and peaty bogs with some free water and open heathy vegetation. Adults survive for one summer after emerging in October and November. They spend most of their time settled on low vegetation on or adjacent to the swamp, fling over the swamp and along its margins hunting for flying insects.

Males sometimes congregate waiting for females to mate with. Females lay eggs into moss or other soft vegetation bordering swamps. After hatching the larvae dig long branching burrows under the swamp. The larvae leave their burrows at night and feed on insects and other invertebrates on the surface and also use underwater entrances to hunt for food in the aquatic vegetation. The larvae are slow growing and the larval stage appears to last between 10 and 30 years.

The South-eastern Petaltail is a protected endangered species, occurring in widely separated highland swamps found through south east Australia from the Victorian border to northern New South Wales. It is not found west of the Great Dividing Range.

The closely related Giant Petaltail (Petalura ingentissima) from Queensland is often regarded as the world’s largest living dragonfly with a wingspan of 162 mm and a body length of 125 mm, though China's Tetracanthagyna plagiata has even longer wings (up to 168mm).

These giants pale into insignificance though when you look into the past. During the Paleozoic times, there were giants of up to 720mm in wingspan (Maganeuropsis permiana).

Theischinger, G. & Hawking, J. 2006. The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia. CSIRO, Collingwood.

Silsby, J. 2001. Dragonflies of the World. Smithsonian Instit. Press, Washington, D.C.
Argus, cicindela, ellis49, uleko, Alex99, bahadir, rousettus, red45, MMM, boreocypriensis, maurydv, LordPotty has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello chris,
This is a Nice macro with great color and sharpness.
Well done
Pierre

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3750 W: 187 N: 11171] (34499)
  • [2009-01-07 3:31]

Hello Chris,
Fine capture of an interesting species of dragon, Petalura gigantea. The POV shows the body of this male and its petal-shaped claspers with fine sharpness and the whole is well composed against the suitable OOF natural BG.
Nice one and thanks for sharing this imagr that must be a new TN experience.
Cheers,
Ivan

Excellent! great composition, sharpness and good background.

Hi Chris, I hope are well.
This is a very good close-up shot with great DOF, almost the whole insect even the wings are in focus and it stand out well from the BG, really nice.
Well composed with nice POV and pose.
Well done, my friend.

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1021 W: 0 N: 162] (858)
  • [2009-01-07 5:28]

Hello Chris, splendid close up shot of this strange dragonfly.
TFS and G's,
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2961 W: 162 N: 826] (2453)
  • [2009-01-07 6:05]

Hello Chris,
Fantastic to see this large P. giganta and you show it very sharply here against the light background. Excellent and very interesting details and fine colours. Thanks for the informative note too!
TFS and regards, Ulla

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3556 W: 143 N: 5626] (18415)
  • [2009-01-07 6:30]

Hi Chris.
After Christmas I wish to stay at home owing to cold, cloudy winter weather. However, your choice is great. You managed to catch am amazing specimens and create a wonderful picture. I am impressed with the best selection of the aperture value. DOF is superb and all image of the fine dragonfly is in focus. BG is detailed and blurred at the same time excellently too. My best wishes in 2009 and Happy New Year.
Alexei.

Hello Chris, very beautiful image of this giant dragonlfy. Composition and details perfect.
TFS and regards,
Bahadır

Hello Chris,
this is very beautiful and interesting for me with its petal tail, as like Crustacean's. You captured it with a great close-up. Superb colors and details. POV and composition also great. thanks for sharing with good informative notes.
best wishes
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2703 W: 74 N: 8857] (30219)
  • [2009-01-07 9:39]

Hi Chris!

As a d-flies fanboy I envy you this meeting and opportunity to photograph such interesting creature. Good side POV, perfect details and colours. Interesting shape of end of abdomen.

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 927 W: 0 N: 1965] (8837)
  • [2009-01-07 10:26]

Hi Chris
Excellent closed up image.Good POV and sharp image with excellent detail.I like your subject natural pose and I also like th light and colors.
TFS Michel

Hello Chris!
Giant dragonfly - this title pays attention a lot :) I must say that I was very interested in details after reading it :) In your note I found many interesting details - thank you :)
All the best and also all the best in new year!
Friendly yours,
Radomir

PS. Anyway, the biggests Odonata species are known from Hawaii :)

Hi Chris, welcome back! Hope you had a good time with your family. i have just read your message. i will try to meet you in airport though friday is a working day. Anyway, i will write you a reply in a short time of course:).
Regarding your capture, this is realy strange dragonfly species which it has different and big caudal appendages. You captured it perfectly.
TFS this fine macro and cheers,

Bayram

Ciao Chris,
bellissima macro di libellulla catturata con eccellente definizione, ottimi POV, DOF e composizione, molto belli e naturali i colori e BG.
TFS.
Maurizio

Great find and capture Chris.
Must go out and look for some soon.
Cheers
Steve

  • Great 
  • Nilson Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 442 W: 0 N: 427] (3110)
  • [2009-01-08 13:59]

Hello Chris
Nice colors and details of this picture, this specie is very beautiful and big too, the quality of this shot is excellent, because take picture of this insects is very difficult
Congratulations
Nilson

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