Australian Emperor Dragonfly (8/18)

Odonata: Aeshnidae

Hemianax papuensis

Nelson, VIC (Feb, 2012)

The male dragonfly (facing up) is holding the female in position with the end of his body supporting her head and thorax.

The female has lifted the end of her abdomen so that it is in a position to receive sperm from the male's secondary genitalia into a cavity from which she will use it later to fertilize eggs.

The male's genitalia are called secondary because that's not where his sperm is actually produced. Where it's produced is the tip of his abdomen (which is now behind her head). Before sexual coupling can take place the male has to bend the tip of his abdomen around to his penis which is much closer to his thorax on the second abdominal segment and "charge" it.

From what I remember, the business is a little less complicated in the human world.