0.8" Dragonfly Larvae Fossil Libellula Doris Plate Upper Miocene Piedmont Italy Display

Location: Piemonte Area, Santa Vittoria d’Alba. Italy 

Weight: 2.8 Ounces With Display.

Dimensions: 3.6 Inches Long, 3.6 Inches Wide, 1.1 Inches Thick (Display)

Dimensions: 2.4 Inches Long, 2.3 Inches Wide, 0.2 Inches Thick (Plate)

Insect Dimensions: 0.8 Inches Long, 0.6 Inches Wide 

Comes with a Free White Display Box.

Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

The item pictured is the one you will receive. 

Upper Miocene, 16 Million-Year-old 

Fossil Dragonfly Larvae, Libellula Doris

This exceptional fossil plate originates from a privately worked shale outcrop in the Alpine foothills, accessible only to a small number of specialized quarry operators. The slender shale slab preserves three fully articulated dragonflies, naturally positioned to create an elegant and visually harmonious presentation. The fine-grained matrix has captured remarkable anatomical detail, allowing wing venation, body segmentation, and overall form to be clearly appreciated.

The fossils are attributed to the genus Libellula, a group of dragonflies commonly known as skimmers. As members of the order Odonata and family Libellulidae, these insects are distinguished by their broad hindwings, elongated bodies, and large compound eyes adapted for detecting prey in flight. These traits are well expressed in the preserved impressions, offering insight into both structure and behavior.

Dragonflies differ from damselflies in their resting posture, typically holding their wings open rather than folded along the body. Built for aerial performance rather than walking, their six legs function primarily as a basket for capturing prey during flight. Their flight capabilities are among the most advanced in the insect world, enabling rapid acceleration, hovering, and abrupt changes in direction.

As dominant aerial hunters, dragonflies consume large numbers of mosquitoes and other small insects, playing an important ecological role in freshwater environments. They are most often found near ponds, rivers, and wetlands, reflecting the aquatic requirements of their immature stages. The global diversity of dragonflies today underscores the evolutionary resilience of this ancient lineage.

Much of a dragonfly’s life is spent as an aquatic larva, or naiad, where it is an active predator equipped with a specialized, extendable jaw used to seize prey. These larvae breathe through internal gills and can move rapidly by expelling water from the body, a unique form of propulsion. The larval phase may persist for months or even several years, depending on species and environmental conditions.

Metamorphosis occurs when the mature larva leaves the water and anchors itself to vegetation or stone. The adult dragonfly then emerges, expands its wings, and hardens its exoskeleton before taking flight. Capable of hovering and flying in all directions, adult dragonflies are among the most precise and agile fliers in nature. Their adult lives, lasting several weeks to months, represent the final stage of a complex and highly specialized life cycle.