Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Genus Glenurus - Picture-winged Antlions

Transparent wings, edged with black and pink - Glenurus gratus Lacewing along Apalachicola Rr. steephead stream  - Glenurus gratus Clear Winged - Glenurus gratus Glenurus gratus Glenurus luniger? - Glenurus luniger Glenurus luniger? - Glenurus luniger Glenurus sp. Antlion? - Glenurus gratus Zygopterid? - Glenurus gratus
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 Nemoleontinae (Picture-winged Antlions and Allies)
Genus Glenurus (Picture-winged Antlions)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Glenurus Hagen 1866
Explanation of Names
Greek glen/gleno 'pit, socket'; also 'wonders' + ur- 'hindmost' (1). Likely refers to the wing pattern at the apex of the wings.
Numbers
3 spp. in our area (2); 9 spp. total (3)
Identification
Larvae have only two mandibular teeth (3) Adults are readily recognizable by their prominently black-and-white marked hind wings.

Species can be distinguished in terms of their ranges and the pattern of their wings (forewings are pictured first, hindwings second):

G. gratus has a distinctly pink tips to the forewings with large black spots.


G. luniger has white tips to the forewings and a large, continuous black region.


G. snowii lacks pale pigmentation to the forewings and has mottled black markings. There is a larger black mark around the middle of the hind margin. Unlike the other species, the hindwings frequently have a black spot within the apical white spot.
Range
New World (3); in our area, one sp. in e. US + 2 spp. confined to AZ (2)
Habitat
Larvae live in tree holes, rotting wood, and tortoise burrows.
Print References
Stange, L. A. (1970). A generic revision and catalog of the Western Hemisphere Glenurini with the description of a new genus and species from Brazil (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae). Los Angeles County Museum, Contributions in Science 186:1-28. (Full Text)
Stange, L. A. (1980a). The ant-lions of Florida. I. Genera. (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae). Florida Dept. of Agric. and Consumer Services, Div. of Plant Industry, Entomology Circular 215, 4 pp. (Full Text)
Stange, L. A. (1980b). The ant-lions of Florida. II. Genera based on larvae. (Neuoptera: Myrmeleontidae). Florida Dept. of Agric. and Consumer Services, Div. of Plant Industry, Entomology Circular 221, 4 pp. (Full Text)
Stange, L. A. (1983). The ant-lions of Florida. Glenurus gratus (Say) (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae). Florida Dept. of Agric. and Consumer Services, Div. of Plant Industry, Entomology Circular 251, 2 pp. (Full Text)
Stange, L. A. (2000). Observations on the biology of the antlion genus Glenurus Hagen (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae). Insecta Mundi 14(4):228 (Full Text)
Internet References
BOLDSYSTEMS website page for the genus Glenurus - Specimens identified by DNA testing
Works Cited
1.Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms
Donald J. Borror. 1960. Mayfield Publishing Company.
2.Species catalog of the Neuroptera, Megaloptera, and Raphidioptera of America North of Mexico
Penny N.D., Adams P.A., Stange L.A. 1997. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 50: 39‒114.
3.Observations on the biology of the antlion genus Glenurus Hagen (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae)
Stange L.A. 2000. Insecta Mundi 14: 227-228.