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The insect order 'Neuroptera', or net-winged insects, includes the lacewings, mantidflies, antlions, and their relatives (the group that was once known as the 'Planipennia'). The order contains some 4000 species. Traditionally, the order also included alderflies, fishflies, dobsonflies, and snakeflies, but these are now generally considered to be separate orders (the Megaloptera and Raphidioptera). Sometimes the name 'Neuropteroidea' (syn. Neuropterida)^[1] is used to refer to these three orders as a group.
The adults of this order possess four membranous wings, with the forewings and hindwings about the same size, and with many veins. They have chewing mouthparts, and undergo complete metamorphosis. Most are predatory, but a few exceptions occur.

Contents

Taxonomy

References

External Links

Taxonomy

Partial phylogeny of the order.^[2]


★ Superfamily Coniopterygoidea

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★ Family Coniopterygidae: dustywings

★ Superfamily Ithonioidea

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★ Family Ithonidae: moth lacewings

★ Superfamily Hemerobioidea

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★ Family Chrysopidae: green lacewings, stinkflies

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★ Family Dilaridae: pleasing lacewings

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★ Family Hemerobiidae: brown lacewings

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★ Family Polystoechotidae: giant Lacewings

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★ Family Psychopsidae

★ Superfamily Osmyloidea

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★ Family Osmylidae

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★ Family Neurorthidae

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★ Family Sisyridae: spongillaflies

★ Superfamily Mantispoidea

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★ Family Berothidae: beaded lacewings

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★ Family Mantispidae: mantidflies

★ Superfamily Myrmeleontoidea

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★ Family Palaeoleontidae

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★ Family Ascalaphidae: ascalaphids, owlflies

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★ Family Myrmeleontidae: ant-lions

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★ Family Nemopteridae: spoonwings

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★ Family Nymphidae

References

1. http://mail.bio.pu.ru/win/entomol/KLUGE/nom/Neuropteroidea.htm
2. Oswald, John D. 1995. Neuroptera. Lacewings, antlions, owlflies, etc. [1]


★ Evolution of the Insects, Grimaldi, D. and Engel, M.S., , , Cambridge University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-521-82149-5

External Links

Illustrated database of Neuroptera (insects)