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Order Neuroptera - Antlions, Lacewings, and Allies

Mantidfly - Dicromantispa sayi Mantidfly - Dicromantispa interrupta Mantisfly - Zeugomantispa minuta ? - Abachrysa eureka Antlion - Mexoleon papago - female green lacewing - Chrysoperla rufilabris Green lacewing - Chrysoperla rufilabris Micromus subanticus? - Micromus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Neuroptera (Antlions, Lacewings, and Allies)
Other Common Names
Net-winged Insects, Nerve-Winged Insects, Lacewings
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Planipennia
Neuroptera used to be treated by some workers in a broader sense, to include Planipennia (lacewings, antlions, owlflies, etc.), Megaloptera (alderflies, dobsonflies, fishflies), and Raphidioptera/Raphidiodea (snakeflies). Currently these groups are treated as separate orders within Neuropterida
latest in higher taxonomy in (1)
Explanation of Names
Neuroptera Linnaeus 1758
'veined wing'
Numbers
Largest order of the Neuropterida, with 16 families(1), ~5500 spp. worldwide and 338 in our area(2)
72 spp. in 24 genera of 8 families in BC (Scudder & Cannings 2008)
Overview of our fauna (* ‒taxa not yet in the guide):
Order Neuroptera
Tribe Haplogeniini: *Ascalobyas · Ascaloptynx · Haploglenius
Tribe Ululodini: Ululodes
Subfamily Dendroleontinae
Tribe Dendroleontini: Dendroleon
Subfamily Myrmeleontinae
Subfamily Nemoleontinae
Tribe Glenurini: Eremoleon · Euptilon · Glenurus · Purenleon
SUBORDER HEMEROBIIFORMIA
Family Chrysopidae
Subfamily Chrysopinae
Family Hemerobiidae
Subfamily Microminae: Micromus
Subfamily Notobellinae: Psectra
Family Mantispidae
Subfamily Symphrasinae: Plega
Size
3‒80 mm
Range
worldwide
Habitat
Larvae terrestrial (aquatic in the Sisyridae
Food
larvae, and often adults, predaceous
Life Cycle
3‒5 larval stages(3)
Typical life cycle:
Remarks
Many are natural enemies of pests, esp. aphids and some other homopterans
Internet References
(4)(5)(6)