Researchers have just discovered a new member of the Megaloptera on a mountain in Chengdu, Sichuan province in China. This giant insect has a wingspan of 8.3 inches and can be found in or near a variety of wet environments including ponds, lakes and swamps. Don’t let its mandibles fool you, they are not used for eating, but rather attracting females. Continue reading for the news report and more images.
According to The Daily Mail, “Megaloptera insects typically live for only a few days as adults, so many will spend there few days of adulthood mating, producing new larvae to grow underwater. With a wingspan 8.3 inches (21 centimetres), this species breaks the previous record holder for largest aquatic insect, the South American helicopter damselfly, which has a wingspan of 7.5 inches (19 centimetres).”
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