1963] 
Carpenter - — Brodioptera 
61 
dale group of strata, which is regarded as being about equivalent to 
Westphalian Zone A, just above the Namurian stage, in which the 
oldest insects (unquestionable) have been found. 
Palaeodictyoptera 
Family Dictyoneuridae Handlirsch 2 
I am placing the species described by Copeland as Brodioptera amir’ 
in the family Dictyoneuridae, although I have doubts about its actually 
belonging within the limits of the family. The most distinctive char- 
acteristic of the Dictyoneuridae is the presence of an archedictyon over 
the wing surface. Unfortunately the specimen of amii shows no signs 
of either cross veins or an archedictyon, probably because of the coarse 
nature of the matrix in which the fossil is preserved. On the assump- 
sc- 
Figure 1. Brodioptera Cumberland ensis Copeland. Original drawing, based 
on holotype. C, costa; Sc, subcosta; Rl, radius; RS, radial sector; MA, an- 
terior media; MP, posterior media; CUA, anterior cubitus; CUP, posterior 
cubitus; 1A, first anal vein. 
tions that true cross veins probably would show, if they were present, 
I am tentatively assigning the species to the Dictyoneuridae. Other 
characteristics of the family include the subcosta ending on the costal 
margin, well beyond the middle of the wing; Rl ending nearly at the 
apex, Rs with at least three branches; MA unbranched and arising as 
a distinct anterior branch of the media, CuA typically unbranched 
(though occasionally with a distal fork) and CuP with several 
branches. All of these features occur in the specimen of amii. The 
one characteristic of amii that has not previously been noted in the 
Dictyoneuridae is the presence of a definite cross vein joining the 
anterior media with the radial sector; such a vein, present in amii, 
2 The name Stenodictyopteridae Brongniart used by some authors (e.g., 
Pruvost, 1919; Laurentiaux, 1953) for this family is invalid, since it is not 
based on a generic name. 
The name amiae was used by Dr. Copeland in error. He has informed me 
(in litt.) that the species was named for Dr. Henry M. Ami, the collector of 
the fossil, and that the name should accordingly have been amii instead of 
amiae. 
