

CLASSIFICATION 



a rule (elytra), meeting in a straight line; hind pair membranous, often 

 folded. Larvae sometimes thysanuriform, often cruciform, mandibulate. 

 Hard-bodied insects, the beetles. Example, Hydrophilus (Fig. 25). 

 About one hundred and fifty thousand species. 



13. Strepsiptera. Hypermetamorphic ; first larva hexapodous, with 

 long anal stylets; later larvae apodous, degenerate. Female legless, 

 larvif orm, larviparous, with no pupal stage ; male pupa hymenopteroid, 

 within a pupariunu Male with large eyes; antennae seven- to four-seg- 

 mented, flabellately produced; labrum and labium absent; mandibles 

 ensiform; maxillae palpiform, two- or three-segmented. Prothorax and 

 meso thorax greatly reduced; me tathorax preponderant. One pair of 



FIG. 28. Molanna cinerea. A, larva; B, imago. X 4 diameters. After FELT. 



wings, the metathoracic, membranous, with only radial veins (eight to 

 five), folding longitudinally. Anterior wings reduced to balancers. 

 Abdomen ten-segmented. Integument thin and soft. Parasitic. About 

 two hundred species are known. Found in all regions of the world. 



14. Neuroptera. Metamorphosis indirect. Antennae conspicuous . 

 Mouth parts mandibulate. Prothorax large. Wings almost always 

 four, membranous, subequal or else hind pair smaller, complexly 

 reticulate, not plicate, without large anal area. Larvae thysanuriform 

 or in some cases cruciform, and aquatic or terrestrial, predaceous. 

 Example, lace-winged fly, Chrysopa (Fig. 26). About six hundred 

 species have been named. 



15. Mecoptera. Metamorphosis indirect. Antennae long, filiform. 

 Mouth parts mandibulate, at the end of a deflexed rostrum, or beak. 

 Prothorax small. Tarsi five-segmented. Wings four, elongate, mem- 



