The newly identified dragonfly species, Corduladensa asorni, found in Alberta’s Dinosaur Regional Park, represents Canada’s sole Mesozoic dragonfly, bridging a significant 30 million-year gap in the evolutionary lineage of dragonflies.

The fossilized wings of Corduladensa asorni were uncovered in 2023 by undergraduate students at McGill University during a vertebrate paleontology field course at Dinosaur State Park.

“We were digging in areas where numerous leaf fossils had been found, breaking the rocks,” explained Andre Mueller, a paleontologist from McGill University.

“When we uncovered the partial wings, we were astonished, as we didn’t anticipate discovering insects in that location.”

Due to its remarkable characteristics and unique anatomy, Corduladensa asorni led researchers to establish a new family called Cordualadensidae.

“This marks the first dragonfly from the age of dinosaurs identified in Canada,” noted Mueller.

“Its wingspan was comparable to that of a human hand, and although it was small, it played a crucial role in the Cretaceous ecosystem.”

Fossil wings of Corduladensa asorni. Image credits: Mueller et al., doi: 10.1139/cjes-2024-0162.

“This discovery showcases impression fossils, an entirely new method of preserving local insect fossils, effectively doubling our knowledge of insects from the Dinosaur Regional Parks,” stated Dr. Alexandre Demars Potvin from McGill University.

“We have begun to find more insect fossils by broadening our search areas and methodologies.”

“The diversity of insect life during this era would have been far greater than previously believed.”

The discovery of Corduladensa asorni aids in closing a 30 million-year evolutionary gap.

It is also the first known member of a significant group of dragonflies termed Cavilabiata found in North America.

“The wing anatomy indicates that this species was adapted for gliding, a trait associated with today’s migratory dragonflies and likely vital to their success,” commented Professor Hans Larson of McGill University.

“This specimen offers insight into what life in Canada was like 75 million years ago and provides an important new piece of the ecological puzzle in one of the most diverse regions rich in dinosaur fossils.”

The team’s publication was released this month in the Canada Journal of Earth Science.

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Andre S. Mueller et al. A new family of fossil dragonfly (Odonata, Kabilaviata) from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Dinosaur Park Formation in Alberta, Canada. Canada Journal of Earth Science Published online on August 1, 2025. doi:10.1139/cjes-2024-0162