As stated, odonates are one the most ancient insects on Earth. Protodonates are considered to be the closest relatives to odonates but they have gone extinct for a long time. These two orders belong to Holodonata and Protodonates share many similar features to odonates except that they lack a few modern wing feature. These ancestors to odonates were hypothesized to be large in size with wingspan of almost up to one meter, toothed mandible, enormous compound eyes and stout legs with spine (Grimaldi, 2005).
The toothed mandible may serve as an evidence for predation on other insects or even larger organisms due to their large size. The reason for the lack of evolution in their predation behavior is because they are able to thrive well in their habitat using this unique predation technique. For the past 325 million years, it is the basic body design of odonates that permitted adaption to the many fundamental changes that have occurred on earth. This is also one other reason why they have not evolved much in terms of predation behavior and flight.
The toothed mandible may serve as an evidence for predation on other insects or even larger organisms due to their large size. The reason for the lack of evolution in their predation behavior is because they are able to thrive well in their habitat using this unique predation technique. For the past 325 million years, it is the basic body design of odonates that permitted adaption to the many fundamental changes that have occurred on earth. This is also one other reason why they have not evolved much in terms of predation behavior and flight.