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Meganeura was a genus of giant insects from the Carboniferous period. It is part of an extinct group called Griffinflies. The largest species, Meganeura monyi, had a wingspan of 2 ft (60 centimeters), therefore it was the biggest flying insect in the Carboniferous. The largest flying insect to have ever lived is the Meganeuropsis, which had a wingspan of up to 2.3 ft (71 centimeters). Meganeura were predatory, feeding on other insects and even small amphibians. They were similar in appearance and behavior to modern damselflies and dragonflies.
Wikipedia has a more detailed and comprehensive article on Meganeura |
History[]
Jurassic Park[]
In the chapter Dawn of the Jurassic Park novel Alan, Lex and Tim encounter "two giant red dragonflies with six-foot (180 cm) wingspans. When Lex asks what they are, Grant answers: "Dragonflies. The Jurassic was a time of huge insects."[1] The species of the creatures is unclear. It could be Meganeura, but they were extinct before the Jurassic. They are also much larger than real Meganeura, which had a wingspan of only 2.5 feet.
Meganeuras might have been free roaming creatures in the Park, but they are only seen in the Sauropod Paddock. They aren't counted or followed by the control system like the dinosaurs. This is possibly because they may not have been intended as park attractions like the dinosaurs, but were added simply to enhance the prehistoric feel of the park's atmosphere, since Meganeura are most likely mean no harm to humans.
It is unknown how they were created. It is possible that InGen simply altered modern dragonflies, or they gained DNA from Meganeura parts in amber.
Trivia[]
- If the giant dragonflies from the novel are indeed Meganeura, then they are both the first Paleozoic animal and the first prehistoric invertebrate to appear in any version of the franchise. They are also the only prehistoric animal to appear in the novel canon that is not from the Mesozoic.
References[]
- ↑ Jurassic Park, Dawn, page 254
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