812 



ARTHEOPODA 



PHYLUM VII 



are recognisable. Ghaidiodes Latreille (Fig. 1571), an interesting form, is preserved 



in Baltic amber of Lower Oligocene age. 



Order 29. RAPHIDIOIDEA Handlirsch. (Snake-flies). 



Terrestrial Insects with prognathoits orthopteroid mouth parts and long, multi- 

 articulate antennae. Head large, abdomen slender, prothorax greatly prolonged and 

 very mobile. Wings similar, membranous, of nearly equal size ; venation 'more highly 

 specialised than in the Megaloptera, with a prominent pterostigma ; anal veins forming 

 several irregular cells, of moderate size, and never fan-shaped in arrangement. Legs 

 similar, with Jive-jointed tarsi; no cerci ; females with an elongate exserted ovipositor. 

 Larvae of terrestrial habits, without abdominal legs and furnished loith mouth parts 

 adapted for biting. 



Only two Recent genera are known, Raphidia Burm., and Inocellia Schneid., 

 comprising in the aggregate about forty species. The former of these occurs fossil in 

 Baltic amber of Lower Oligocene age, and botli genera are represented in the Miocene 

 lake beds of Florissant, Colorado, by a few species. Megaraphidia elegans Cock, also 

 occurs at the last-named locality. It is to l)e inferred, however, that the group is 

 of pre-Tertiary origin, inasmuch as the modern genera are peculiar to the Palearctic 

 and Nearctic regions. 



Order 30. NEUROPTERA Linnaeus. (Lacewing-flies, Ant-lions, etc.). 



Usually slender, often very small Insects of terrestrial habits, with orthopteroid 

 mouth parts and generally long and multiarticulate antennae. Wings membranous, 

 subequal in size, with much reticulation, and longitudinal veins giving, off numerous 

 branches towards the margin, some of them distally forked ; anal area not defined, loith 

 few irregular veins; pterostigma seldom developed. Legs similar, with five -jointed 

 tarsi, front pair sometimes ra,ptorial ; abdomen without cerci or terebra. Larvae either 

 aquatic and provided with respiratory abdominal legs, or terrestrial ; in both cases with 

 mandibles and maxillae co-adapted to form spear-like organs that are suctorial in function. 



In the emended sense this order includes only a limited number of sjjecies, of 

 which about 1300 are Recent, less than 30 are Cenozoic, and a small number are 



Fig. 1572. 



Prolieinerohius prodrcmius Hand). Upper Lias ; 

 Dobbertin in Mecklenburg, s/j (reconstructed by 

 Handlirsch). 



Brongniartiella inconditissima Handl. 

 Lithographic Stone ; Solenhofen, Bavaria. 

 2/3 (after Handlirsch). 



Mesozoic, most of the latter being from the Upper Lias. The group is of ancient 

 lineage, and is undoubtedly derived from Palaeodictyopteroid ancestors. The oldest 

 and most primitive family, that of the Prohemerobiidae, is represented in the Lias 



