''Acanthaeschna victoria'', the thylacine darner, is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of Australian

dragonfly A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threat ...

in the family

Aeshnidae Aeshnidae, also called aeshnids, hawkers, or darners, is a family of dragonflies, found nearly worldwide, with more than 50 genera and over 450 species. The family includes some of the largest dragonflies. Description Common worldwide or nearl ...

. It is the only member of the

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

''Acanthaeschna''. ''Acanthaeschna victoria'' is rare and

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to coastal areas of both southern and northern New South Wales as well as southern Queensland. Its natural

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

is intertidal

marsh In ecology, a marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants rather than by woody plants.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p More in genera ...

es. It is threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...

. ''Acanthaeschna victoria'' is a large, brown dragonfly with a distinctive dark band on the side of its body that runs from the head to the abdomen. It has clear wings with a small dark stain at the nodus, the joint near the middle of the leading edge of each wing.

Gallery

Acanthaeschna victoria (39738567482).jpg, Female Acanthaeschna victoria from below (39770406731).jpg, Female from below Acanthaeschna victoria from the side (39738565062).jpg, Female showing a broad dark band on the side of her body Acanthaeschna victoria eyes (39770409751).jpg, Eyes Acanthaeschna victoria female wings (34665086470).jpg, Female wings Acanthaeschna victoria male wings (34665092730).jpg, Male wings

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q307154 Aeshnidae Odonata of Australia Endemic fauna of Australia Taxa named by René Martin Insects described in 1901 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot