''Delitzschala'' is an extinct palaeodictyopteran, the oldest known to science. It was discovered by two

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entomologists in

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. ''Delitzschala'' had a wingspan of just 2½ cm (1 in) and an irregular pattern of coloured spots on its wings. Although it was 320 million years old, these spots were still visible in the fossil. It is presumed that they camouflaged the animal, since dragonflies are unable to fold their wings.

References

Dragonhunters
V. Medland (2007) ''Econotes at the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity''

External links

Delitzschala
at ''The Paleobiology Database'' Fossil taxa described in 1996 Mississippian insects Fossils of Germany Prehistoric insect genera Palaeodictyopteroidea {{carboniferous-animal-stub