Neuroptera. 45 - 



ORDER NEUROPTERA. 



(MEGALOPTERA, SYNISTATA (part), 

 DICTYOPTERA (part) ). 



Small to rather large, slender, predaceous insects with large 

 wings but of slow flight. Head free, vertical, eyes prominent, 

 mouth inferior, mandibles strong; pro thorax more or less free and 

 prominent, meso- and metathorax not closely grown together; 

 abdomen long and narrow, no cerci; wings similar, membranous, 

 no large anal field, when at rest the wings lie roof-like over the 

 abdomen, longitudinal veins almost always very numerous, costal 

 cell almost always with cross-veins. Metamorphosis complete, 

 larvse terrestrial. 



1. Front legs formed for seizing prey. (Mantispa, Symphasis) (PL 8, figs. 177, 



188, 189) MANTISPnXE 



Front legs not raptorial 2 



2. Veins and usually crossveins abundant 3 



Veins and crossveins few in number, wings covered with a whitish powder; small 



rare species. (Coniopteryx, Malacomyza) CONIOPTERYGDXE 



3. Antennae clubbed; wings with a network of veins, the subcosta and radius 



apically fused 4 



Antennae not clubbed 5 



4. Antennae more than half as long as the wings. (Ululddes, Colobopterus.) 



ASCALAPHnXE 



Antennae not one-third as long as the wings. Ant lions. (Myrmeleon, Den- 

 dr61eon, Brachynemtlrus.) MYRMELEONIDJ3 



5. Antennae thread-like; 'no recurrent vein, subcosta not fused with radius. Lace- 



wing fly or Aphis lion. (Chrysdpa, Meledma.) CHRYSOPIIXE 



Antennae like a string of beads (moniliform) or comb-like (pectinate) 6 



6. Ocelli absent; female with ovipositor; antennae of male pectinate. (Dilar) 



(PL 8, fig. 184) DILARIDJE 



Ocelli present; no ovipositor; antennae moniliform 7 



7. Subcosta fused with radius toward end of wing, wings with almost no crossveins 



except a graduated series, forming an oblique row of steps across the wing . . 8 

 Subcosta and radius separate, although approximate, recurrent vein present or 

 absent. (Hemerdbius, Boriomyia, Sympherdbius, Micromus.) 



HEMEROBiKME 



8. A distinct recurrent vein at base of fore wing, crossveins (except costals) with- 



out bristles; cubitus of fore wings forked near base, media forked at about 

 one- third its length; body rather stout. (Polystoechotes) 



POLYSTCECHOTID^; 

 No recurrent vein 9 



