Dragonfly Exoskeleton

This is the shed exoskeleton of a large Dragonfly nymph (Anax sp.), either Anax junius (Common Green Darner) or Anax longipes (Comet Darner). Dragonflies have what is considered an incomplete metamorphosis as they do not have a four-stage transformation, such as butterflies do. They go straight from aquatic nymph breathing through gills to flying, air-breathing adults without a cocoon, chrysalis or pupal stage.