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Genus Brachynemurus

Antlion - Brachynemurus sackeni - female Myrmeleontidae 04b - Brachynemurus abdominalis Lacewing sp? - Brachynemurus abdominalis Myrmeleontidae, dorsal - Brachynemurus abdominalis - female Brachynemurus hubbardii Antlion  - Brachynemurus nebulosus Ant lion - Brachynemurus abdominalis - female Male, Brachynemurini - Brachynemurus californicus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Neuroptera (Antlions, Lacewings, and Allies)
Suborder Myrmeleontiformia (Antlions and Allies)
Family Myrmeleontidae (Antlions & Owlflies)
Subfamily Myrmeleontinae (Giant, Long-tailed, and Pit-trapping Antlions)
Tribe Brachynemurini (Long-tailed Antlions)
Genus Brachynemurus
Other Common Names
Explanation of Names
Brachynemurus Hagen, 1888
Numbers
20 spp. in our area(1); 21 spp. total, extending into Mexico (only B. divisus is excluded from our area)(2)
examples of local faunas: 6 spp. in NC (abdominalis and longicaudis being by far the commonest)(3), 6 in FL(4), 8 in KS(5)

1. B. abdominalis: BC, MN, ON; AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OK, OR, PA, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WY
2. B. blandus: AZ, CA, CO, KS, NM, NV, TX, UT, WA, WY
3. B. californicus: AZ, CA
4. B. carolinus: FL, GA, NC
5. B. eiseni (=Scotoleon eiseni in the Species Catalog)(2): AZ, CA, NV
6. B. elongatus: AZ, CA, CO, NE, NM, NV, UT
7. B. ferox: BC; AZ, CA, CO, NM, NV, OR, UT, WY
8. B. fuscus: AZ
9. B. henshawi: CA, NV, OR
10. B. hubbardi: AZ, CO, KS, NM, NV, OK, TX, UT
11. B. irregularis: IL, KS, OK, TX
12. B. longicaudus: FL, GA, IN, MS, NC, NJ, SC, VA
13. B. mexicanus: AZ, NM
14. B. nebulosus: ON; FL, GA, IL, IN, MI, MN, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TX, WI
15. B. pulchellus: AZ, CA, NV
16. B. ramburi: FL, GA, NC
17. B. sackeni: AZ, CA, CO, KS, NE, NM, NV, OR, TX, UT, WY
18. B. seminolae: FL, NC
19. B. signatus: CO, DE, IL, KS, MI, MN, ND, NE, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, WI
20. B. versutus: AZ, CO, NM
Size
body 25-50 mm
Identification
Large antlions with soft, slender, long abdomen extending beyond wingtips and long, barely marked wings with fine net-like venation; spp. closely similar(6)


Wing venation
Range
Much of NA, especially south, with 8 spp. in the East and 11 in the West (B. abdominalis is the only transcontinental sp.)(1)
Habitat
Sandy areas.
Food
Adults reported to feed on small insects
Life Cycle
Adults mostly nocturnal. Larvae live in the sand and often leave conspicuous trails. They do not form pit-traps but rather chase down their prey. (7)