PSYCHE 
Vol. 54 September, 1947 No. 3 
NOTES ON DILARIDyE AND BEROTHKLE, WITH 
SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE IMMATURE 
STAGES OF THE NEARCTIC GENERA 
(NEUROPTERA) 
By Ashley B. Gurney 
Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, Agricul- 
tural Research Administration, United States 
Department of Agriculture 
To students of neuropteroid insects, as well as to ento^ 
mologists interested in specialized types of holometabo- 
lous larvae, it will be significant that the immature stages 
of Nallachius and Lomamyia have been found. Nal- 
lachius is the only Nearctic genus of Dilaridae and con- 
tains two species in the United States, both of which were 
originally referred to the genus Dilar. Lomamyia is the 
sole Nearctic genus of Berotbidae, represented in this 
country by 10 species, and, like Nallachius, they are all 
relatively rare insects. With the exception of the eggs 
and first-stage larvae of Spermophorella, an Australian 
berothid genus, the young stages of these two families 
have been entirely unknown. Though some details of the 
biologies of Nallachius and Lomamyia are still unknown, 
the main features may now be presented. Their larvae 
prove to be related, though perfectly distinct, predators 
which attack soft-bodied insects. 
The discovery and recognition of the young of these 
insects may be largely attributed to the collecting zeal 
and generous cooperation of my colleagues, William H. 
Anderson and Herbert S. Barber. Dr. Anderson col- 
lected the male allotype 1 of N allachius americanus (McL.) 
in 1939, and has also collected four lots of larvae, with 
1 Designated by Carpenter (1940) subsequent to the original description, 
1881. This specimen was reared, but the cast skins were not recovered. 
145 
