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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Antlions, Lacewings, and Allies (Neuroptera)

Order Neuroptera - Antlions, Lacewings, and Allies

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Internet References · Works Cited

Lacewing with yellow head - Yumachrysa unidentified-sp-texas

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 of the superorder 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) [*~400 spp. of Neuropterida 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

SUBORDER MYRMELEONTIFORMIA

Family Myrmeleontidae

Subfamily Ascalaphinae

Tribe Haplogeniini: *Ascalobyas · Ascaloptynx

Tribe Ululodini: Ululodes

Subfamily Dendroleontinae

Tribe Dendroleontini: Dendroleon

Subfamily Myrmeleontinae

Tribe Acanthaclisini: Paranthaclisis · Vella

Tribe Brachynemurini: *Abatoleon · Atricholeon · Brachynemurus · Chaetoleon · Clathroneuria · *Gnopholeon · Menkeleon · Mexoleon · Peruveleon · Scotoleon · *Tyttholeon

Tribe Myrmeleontini: Myrmeleon

Subfamily Nemoleontinae

Tribe Glenurini: Eremoleon · Euptilon · Glenurus · Purenleon

SUBORDER HEMEROBIIFORMIA

Family Berothidae: Lomamyia

Family Chrysopidae

Subfamily Nothochrysinae: Nothochrysa · Pimachrysa

Subfamily Chrysopinae

Tribe Belonopterygini: Abachrysa · Nacarina

Tribe Chrysopini: Ceraeochrysa · Chrysopa · Chrysoperla · Chrysopodes · Eremochrysa (subgenera Chrysopiella · Eremochrysa) · Kymachrysa · Meleoma · Nineta · *Plesiochrysa · Pseudomallada · Yumachrysa

Tribe Leucochrysini: Leucochrysa (subgenera Leucochrysa · Nodita)

Family Coniopterygidae

Subfamily Aleuropteryginae: Aleuropteryx · *Bidesmida · *Helicoconis · *Neoconis

Subfamily Coniopteryginae: Coniopteryx · Conwentzia · *Parasemidais · Semidalis

Family Dilaridae: Nallachius

Family Hemerobiidae

Subfamily Hemerobiinae: Hemerobius · Wesmaelius

Subfamily Megalominae: Megalomus

Subfamily Microminae: Micromus

Subfamily Notobellinae: Psectra

Subfamily Sympherobiinae: Sympherobius

Family Ithonidae: Oliarces

Family Mantispidae

Subfamily Symphrasinae: Plega

Subfamily Calomantispinae: Nolima

Subfamily Mantispinae: Climaciella · Dicromantispa · Entanoneura · Leptomantispa · *Xeromantispa · Zeugomantispa

Family Polystoechotidae: Platystoechotes · Polystoechotes

Family Sisyridae: Climacia · Sisyra

Size

3-80 mm

Identification

Superorder Neuropterida:

Four membranous wings: FW and HW about same size or HW a little wider at base;

wings usually held rooflike over body at rest, generally with many veins:

Antennae long, many-segmented, threadlike, pectinate or clubbed:

Tarsi 5-segmented

Cerci absent

Mouthparts chewing

ocelli present or not, depending on family

Order Neuroptera:

Forewings and hindwings similar in size and shape

Prothorax not lengthened, except in Mantispidae

Food

larvae, and often adults, predaceous

Life Cycle

Neuropterida: Larvae campodeiform (crawler), mandibles usually large. Majority terrestrial but a few aquatic. Larvae usually predaceous. Pupation usually occurs in a silken cocoon.

Neuroptera: Larvae terrestrial, except in the Sisyridae. Typical life cycle:

Remarks

Many are valuable natural enemies of pests, esp. aphids and some other homopterans

See Also

Megaloptera, Raphidioptera

Internet References

(3)(4)(5)

Works Cited

1.	Phylogeny and evolution of Neuropterida: Where have wings of lace taken us? Engel M.S., Winterton S.L., Breitkreuz L.C.V. . 2018. Ann. Rev. Ent. 63: 531-551.

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.	Neuropterida Species of the World catalogue (by J.D. Oswald)

4.	Bibliography of the Neuropterida (by J.D. Oswald)

5.	Beckemeyer R.J. Neuropterida (Neuroptera, Megaloptera and Raphidioptera) of Kansas

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Aaron Schusteff, Ron M., ceiseman, v belov, Kyhl Austin, PaleoJon
Last updated 5 June, 2023 - 3:55pm

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