South African Glowworm vs Petaltail Dragonfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute South African Glowworm Petaltail Dragonfly
Scientific Name Lamprigera boyei Tachopteryx thoreyi
Order Coleoptera Odonata
Family Lampyridae Petaluridae
Size 15-40 mm (female), 10-15 mm (male) 70-80 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Indoors
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Africa, Southern Africa North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

South African Glowworm

A large firefly from southern Africa with larviform females that produce a steady bright greenish glow. Males are winged but rarely seen, while the large glowing females are conspicuous at night.

💡

Did You Know?

The females of this genus are among the largest fireflies in the world and can exceed 40 mm in length.

Petaltail Dragonfly

A primitive dragonfly that perches on tree trunks and has bog-dwelling larvae.

💡

Did You Know?

It belongs to one of the most ancient dragonfly families, largely unchanged for 150 million years.