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; prothorax 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, 

 larvae terrestrial. 



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



188, 189) MANTISPK)^ 



Front legs not raptorial 2 



2. Veins and usually crossveins abuudant 3 



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



rare species. (Coniopteryx, Malacomyza) CONIOPTERYGID.S 



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. (Ululodes, Colobopterus.) 



ASCALAPHID^ 



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



droleon, Brachynemurus.) MYRMELEONIDiE 



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



wing fly or Aphis lion. (Chrysopa, MeleSma.) CHRYSOPID.^ 



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



6. Ocelh absent; female with ovipositor; antennae of male pectinate. (DUar) 



(PI. 8, fig. 184) DILARIDiE 



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. (Hemerobius, Boriomyia, Sympherobius, Micromus.) 



HEMEROBIID^ 



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) 



polyst(ech6tid.s 



No recurrent vein g 



