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                                                                              NEUROPTERA

                                                                                 (fr. Schlinger & Doutt, 1964)

                                                                                           (Email Contacts)

 

 

Nearly all neuropterous families have entomophagous stages.  The following key was adapted from Essig (1942a),

Brues, Melander & Carpenter (1954) and Schlinger & Doutt (1964):

 

                                                                            Key to Adult Neuroptera

 

                [Please refer to <Guide> for illustrations (Powerful connections use <Guide-2>)]

 

 

1a.  Head hypognathous; hind wing not folded fan-like when at rest..........................................................................2

 

1b.  Head prognathous; hind wing folded fan-like when not in use (Sialodea)...........................................................3

 

2a.  Antennae usually filiform; ovipositor not exserted (Planipennia)........................................................................4

 

2b.  Antennae setiform; ovipositor exserted (Raphidiodea)......................................................................................23

 

3a.  Ocelli absent; 4th segment of tarsi bilobed..............................................................................................Sialidae

 

3b.  With 3 ocelli present; 4th segment of tarsi not bilobed....................................................................Corydalidae

 

4a.  Veins and usually cross veins abundant; wings without whitish powder.............................................................5

 

4b.  Veins and crossveins less in number; wings covered with whitish powder ...............................Coniopterigidae

 

5a.  Large moth-like species; costal area of fore wing not broad; head small and closely set on prothorax; antennae

long, filiform, with 40-50 segments..............................................................................................Ithonidae

 

5b. Not as previous (5a)..............................................................................................................................................6

 

6a.  Antennae never enlarged apically, moniliform, filiform, or rarely pectinate.......................................................7

 

6b.  Antennae at least thickly cylindrical, usually enlarged towards apex...............................................................19

 

7a.  Hind wings not longer than fore wings, the 2 pairs similar in form and venation..............................................8

 

7b.  Hind wings greatly elongated and ribbon-like, often with widened, spoon-like ends..................Nemopteridae

 

8a.  Front legs not raptorial.......................................................................................................................................9

 

8b.  Front legs raptorial..........................................................................................................................Mantispidae

 

9a.  Fore wing with 2 or more branches of Rs arising from the apparently fused stems of R1 and Rs.....................10

 

9b.  Fore wing with all branches of Rs arising from a single sector........................................................................12

 

10a.  Antennae moniliform in both sexes; ocelli absent; ovipositor not exserted...................................................11

 

10b.  Antennae pectinate in male; ocellus-like tubercle present; ovipositor exserted ................................Dilaridae

 

11a.  Fore wing with 3 or more branches of Rs present, veins R4 and R5 arising separately ................Hemerobiidae

 

11b.  Fore wing with apparently 2 radial sectors (Rs), one of which is R2+3 and the other R4+5..............Sympherobiidae

 

12a.  Large moth-like species; costal area of fore wing very broad; the Sc, R1 and Rs are closely parallel

...................................................................................................................................................Psychopsidae

 

12b.  Not as previous (12a).....................................................................................................................................13

 

13a.  Ocelli absent...................................................................................................................................................14

 

13b.  Ocelli present.....................................................................................................................................Osmylidae

 

14a.  Humeral cross vein forming a recurrent vein; discal area of wings distinct from costal and marginal areas by

series of cross veins; Sc and R1 fused apically....................................................................Polystoechotidae

 

14b.  Humeral cross vein not forming a recurrent vein; discal area of wings not differentiated from marginal area

..................................................................................................................................................................15

 

15a  Vertex flattened...............................................................................................................................................16

 

15b.  Vertex convex.....................................................................................................................................Sisyridae

 

16a.  Costal cross veins not forked..........................................................................................................................17

 

16b.  Costal cross veins forked................................................................................................................................18

 

17a.  Wings of nearly equal width..........................................................................................................Chrysopidae

 

17b.  Fore wing distinctly wider than hind wing...................................................................................Apochrysidae

 

18a.  Fore wing with Sc and R fused before wing tip; seed-like scales often present on wings.................Berothidae

 

18b.  Fore wings with Sc and R not fused apically; hairs of body and wing conspicuously long........Trichomatidae

 

19a.  Wings about 1/3rd as wide as long; costal area wide.................................................................Myiodactylidae

 

19b.  Wings much narrower than above..................................................................................................................20

 

20a.  Antennae more or less distinctly clavate or flattened, subcostal cell without cross veins...............................21

 

20b.  Antennae elongated cylindrical; subcostal area with many cross veins..........................................Nymphidae

 

21a.  Antennae about as long as head and thorax....................................................................................................22

 

21b.  Antennae longer, slender and strongly clavate............................................................................Ascalaphidae

 

22a.  Antennae weakly clubbed, or flattened apically; body and wings pubescent ........................Myrmeleontidae

 

22b.  Antennae strongly clubbed; abdomen and wings shiny..........................................................Stilbopterygidae

 

23a.  Ocelli present..................................................................................................................................Raphidiidae

 

23b.  Ocelli absent.....................................................................................................................................Inocellidae