[Odonata-l] fossil record question from Cindy Julius

[Roy J. Beckemeyer]

I am not aware of the Italian specimen mentioned in the query.

To the best of my knowledge, the three largest "giant dragonflies" known
from the fossil record are Meganeura monyi from Commentry, France, wing
length estimated from a nearly complete wing to be 300 mm by Carpenter
(1943), Meganeuropsis permiana from Oklahoma, USA at 305 mm (nearly complete
wing, Carpenter, 1947) and Meganeuropsis americana from Kansas, USA at 330
mm (estimated based on two wing fragments, Carpenter, 1939).  Carpenter had
estimated the wing span of M. americana at "approxinately 29 inches (710
mm)" in his 1939 paper.  Based on the few complete specimens of smaller
Protodonata and on measurements of wing length vs wing span in modern
Odonata, I would expect the wing span for these 300-330 mm wing lengths to
be in the range of 628 to 698 mm - in any event, much less than a meter, but
pretty darned big anyway.  There is also still some question as to how
Carpenter estimated the 330 mm from his wing fragments, so I would prefer to
talk about these large Meganeuridae being in the 300-330 mm range of wing
length than to state for certain which is exactly the largest.

I can supply detailed references for anyone interested in having them.  I am
unaware of any really high quality photographs of any of these specimens
having been published.  A nice artist's conception of what Meganeuropsis
permiana might have looked like, see the color photo of Werner Kraus's
life-size model (model located at Lausthal-Zellerfeld University Museum) at:
www.windsofkansas.com/meganeuropsiskraus.html

Roy

Roy J. Beckemeyer
957 Perry Ave.
Wichita, KS 67203-3141
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Email: royb at southwind.net
Phone: 316-264-0049
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Web Site: www.windsofkansas.com