Meganeuropsis permiana
Encyclopedia
Meganeuropsis is an extinct genus of griffenfly, order Protodonata
, known from the Early Permian of North America, and represents the biggest known insect of all times. The genus includes two described species:
Meganeuropsis permiana described in 1937 from Elmo
in Kansas
. It was the largest insect that ever lived, with a reconstructed wing length of 330 mm, a wingspan
of up to 28 inches (71.1 cm), and a body length from head to tail of almost 17 inches (43.2 cm).
Meganeuropsis americana, discovered in Oklahoma
in 1940, is most probably a junior synonym of Meganeuropsis permiana. It is represented by the largest complete insect wing ever found, which is conserved and displayed in the Harvard Museum of Natural History. The preserved part of this forewing is 280 mm long and it had an estimated total length of 305 mm. The resulting wing span was reconstructed as 27 inches (68.6 cm).
Protodonata
Meganisoptera is an extinct order of very large to gigantic insects often called griffenflies. The order was formerly named Protodonata for their similar appearance and relation to dragonflies...
, known from the Early Permian of North America, and represents the biggest known insect of all times. The genus includes two described species:
Meganeuropsis permiana described in 1937 from Elmo
Elmo, Kansas
Elmo is a small unincorporated community in Dickinson County, Kansas, United States. The post office was established December 16, 1884, and discontinued May 6, 1966. The well-known Elmo fossil insect bed is southeast of town.-External links:*...
in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. It was the largest insect that ever lived, with a reconstructed wing length of 330 mm, a wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
of up to 28 inches (71.1 cm), and a body length from head to tail of almost 17 inches (43.2 cm).
Meganeuropsis americana, discovered in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
in 1940, is most probably a junior synonym of Meganeuropsis permiana. It is represented by the largest complete insect wing ever found, which is conserved and displayed in the Harvard Museum of Natural History. The preserved part of this forewing is 280 mm long and it had an estimated total length of 305 mm. The resulting wing span was reconstructed as 27 inches (68.6 cm).