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IT CAN’T BE TRUE! 251

The abdomen may have
been brightly colored like
that of a modern dragonfly.
The color makes the males
more attractive to females.

The length of
Meganeuropsis
permiana’s body
was twice the
diameter of a
soccer ball.

FAST FACTS
Dragonflies and damselflies
have evolved to be much smaller
than their distant ancestors.
Today’s largest damselfly has a
wingspan of 7½ in (19 cm)—just
over a quarter of the size of
the prehistoric species.

With a wingspan of 28 in Largest modern damselfly:
(71 cm), this insect could Megaloprepus caerulatus
wrap its wings around a
soccer ball. It was able to
fly backward and upside Largest known insect:
down and reached top Meganeuropsis permiana
speeds of 35 mph (56 kph).
Meganeuropsis permiana was the
length of an eagle but weighed the
same as a crow: 1 lb (450 g).

A soccer ball has a
diameter of about 9 in
(22 cm)—half the length
of this insect’s body.

US_250-251_309600_Biggest_Insect.indd 251 19/12/17 3:48 pm