STUDIES ON THE SYSTEM ATICS OF 
THE BEROTHIDAE, 
PART I : A REDESCRIPTION OF 
THE GENUS SPHAEROBEROTHA NAVAS, 
WITH A CRITIQUE OF 
THE TAXONOMIC CHARACTERS 
USED IN THE BEROTHINAE (NEUROPTERA) 
By Ellis G. MacLeod 1 
INTRODUCTION 
As a by-product of the recent review by P. A. Adams and myself 
(MacLeod and Adams, 1967) of the subfamily classification of the 
Berothidae, new information has been uncovered concerning the 
identity and taxonomic status of some of the more poorly known 
members of this family. Because of the general difficulty in securing 
type specimens for study and because of the great paucity of these 
insects in most collections, I do not consider it advisable to undertake, 
at this time, the full, species-level revision which this family so badly 
needs. Nevertheless, sufficient data are now at hand to encourage 
the view that a long-term, piecemeal study of the more disorderly 
sections of the family may ultimately produce a better taxonomic 
understanding of these insects. 
Accordingly, the present series of publications has been initiated 
for the purpose of providing a vehicle for the redescription of key 
genera and species, for the discussion of the taxonomic utility of 
various systematic characters, for the reevaluation of the validity 
and systematic position of the numerous genera of the Berothinae, 
and for the publication of such ecological and morphological informa- 
tion as provides insight into the adaptive basis of certain evolutionary 
specializations. If successful, this approach should eventually pro- 
duce at least a partial, generic-level revision of the family and should 
lay a better foundation for a future, thoroughgoing revision of the 
species than exists at the present time. 
The first paper of this series will be devoted to a redescription of 
the poorly known genus Sphaeroberotha Navas and to a preliminary 
discussion of the relationships of 'certain genera of the Berothinae. 
In the course of this discussion I have set forth my views concerning 
the usefulness of certain of the generic-level taxonomic characters 
department of Entomology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois. 
Manuscript received by the editor December 2, 1967 
342 
