DLeeT wrote in post #18666669
Very nice. Apparently there are over 5000 different dragonflies. I was wondering how in the world they - and other insects - spread throughout the world, including Australia. Couldn't find anything much about it on the net.
Insects in general, and dragonflies in particular, constitute a very ancient line of animals. They evolved well over 300 million years ago and for about half of that time the present-day continents were joined together in a super-continent sometimes called Pangaea. There is fossil evidence of large (1 foot wingspans), ancient dragonflies from now disparate parts of the world, so they clearly had a wide distribution in those times. As the super-continent broke apart and its parts drifted into their present positions, the parts (modern continents) carried their dragonflies and other fauna with them. These slowly evolved into the huge variety of species now found across the world. It may also be that dragonflies and other insects can be carried long distances in wind currents, potentially colonising islands and other new areas.
Still waiting for the wisdom they promised would be worth getting old for.