1. The Meganeura
(Meganeura Monyi)
By:

2. Vocabulary
Meganeura: (meg-a-nyur-a) A species of giant dragonfly that lived in the late Carboniferous Period.
Griffinfly: (griff-in-fly)A giant dragonfly.
Vertebrates: (ver-ta-brays) Animals with backbones. (Includes mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes.)
Carboniferous Period: (car-bon-if-er-us) A period in Earth’s history that lasted from about 359 to 299 million years ago. It’s known for the rich layers of coal that formed during the period.

3. When & Where it Lived Lived in the late Carboniferous period1
Known to have lived in Western Europe1
Known locations: Commentry, France and Derbyshire, England 1

4. Appearance Looked very similar to a dragonfly1
Had a wingspan of cm (2.5 feet!)2
Long, slender body 4
Round eyes 4

5. Diet and Behavior Carnivore 1
Ate insects, small amphibians, vertebrates 2
Hunted the same way dragonflies do today 3
Used legs to capture prey 5
Legs were covered in small spines so prey couldn’t escape 5
Lived near edges of small bodies of water 2

6. Are Meganeura Related to Dragonflies?
Similar in appearance 5
Classified as a griffinfly 1
Probably almost as fast as dragonflies, but were a bit clumsier due to their size 2
Different vein patterns in their wings 2
Largest present-day dragonfly is 7.5 in.
Dragonfly VS
Meganeura

7. Why Did the Meganeura Become Extinct?
Scientists aren’t completely sure 6
Increased oxygen = Eventual oxygen decrease 6
Possible that there just wasn’t enough oxygen anymore 6

8. Annotated Bibliography
1 Prehistoric Wildlife Prehistoric Wildlife is a website established in 2011 featuring articles and news about discoveries for prehistoric species Credibility Score: Website’s information is accurate, but there’s no sources cited or organizations supporting it.
2 Evolution of Life Website is run and produced by the Population Genetics and Evolution class at Furman University, a college in South Carolina Credibility Score: Information is accurate when compared with other sources, and the site is run by a class at a university.
3 About.com About.com features articles on anything you need to know, written by experts in the field Credibility Score: Articles are clear, helpful, and are written by experts on the subject.
4 Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) Encyclopedia of Life provides information on anything relating to the Earth and life on Earth through a freely accessible and trusted digital resource Credibility Score: EOL is supported by trusted institutions such as Harvard University, and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History.
5 wiseGEEK wiseGEEK is a website run by a team of researchers, writers, and editors that provides clear, simple answers to common questions online Credibility Score: The website looks good and the articles are accurate, but the writers aren’t experts on the topics and sources aren’t cited.
6 Ask A Biologist Ask A Biologist is a Safe Surf Site dedicated to being a reliable learning tool for biology Credibility Score: Site s reliable, and funded in part by The National Science Foundation and NSDL.