Ancient Greenling vs Common Clubtail Dragonfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ancient Greenling Common Clubtail Dragonfly
Scientific Name Hemiphlebia mirabilis Ictinogomphus ferox
Order Odonata Odonata
Family Hemiphlebiidae Gomphidae
Size 20-25 mm 55-65 mm body length
Habitat Wetlands Ponds & Lakes
Diet Predators Herbivores
Regions Oceania East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia)
Conservation Endangered Least Concern

Ancient Greenling

The sole surviving member of one of the most ancient damselfly families on Earth.

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Did You Know?

It is considered a living fossil and the most phylogenetically isolated odonate alive.

Common Clubtail Dragonfly

A large, boldly marked black and yellow dragonfly with a distinctly clubbed abdomen tip. It is a powerful flier that perches prominently on vegetation overlooking water.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the most voracious aerial predators among East African dragonflies, often catching prey nearly as large as itself.