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Psyche 
[December 
the Diaphanopterodea. These, added to the difference in the resting 
position of the wings, require, in my opinion, ordinal separation. 
Second , there is the more fundamental question of whether the 
Diaphanopterodea belong to the Neoptera or Palaeoptera, which for 
the purpose of this discussion are being regarded as monophyletic 
groups. Unfortunately, we do not know, and probably never will 
know, whether or not the mechanism of wing flexing in the Diaphanop- 
terodea is the same as that in the Neoptera. One possibility, therefore, 
is that the Diaphanopterodea are true Neoptera. In this case, because 
of the long cerci and complete venation (including convex MA), they 
should be primitive members of the Neoptera — more primitive, in 
fact, than any other known order in the series (Protorthoptera, Per- 
laria, etc.). The difficulty with this theory is the presence of a definite 
rostrum in the Diaphanopterodea. It is hardly conceivable that the 
mandibulate trophi of the primitive Neoptera (Perlaria, etc.) were 
derived from such a specialized type. If the Diaphanopterodea were to 
be regarded as Neoptera, it would be necessary to assume that they 
were a specialized derivative of even more generalized Neoptera having 
mandibulate trophi. 
A much more appealing view is that the Diaphanopterodea are 
direct derivatives of the Palaeodictyoptera and that they developed 
the wing flexing mechanism independently of the true Neoptera. The 
venation of the Diaphanopteridae could readily be derived from that 
of the Palaeodictyoptera and what is more important, the rostrum of 
the Diaphanopterodea is like that of the Palaeodictyoptera. Actually, 
the rostrum of Stenodictya ( Laurentiaux, 1952), which I was able to 
study in Paris in 1963, is remarkably similar to that of the Astheno- 
hymenidae. 
Until evidence to the contrary is found, therefore, my view of the 
Diaphanopterodea is that they are phylogenetically members of the 
Palaeoptera which have developed a type of wing flexing independently 
of that of the true Neoptera; and that their closest relatives are the 
Palaeodictyoptera, from which they were probably directly derived. 
References Cited 
Brongniart, Charles 
1893 (1894). Recherches pour servir a l’histoire des insectes fossiles des 
temps primaires. Pp. 1-493. 
Carpenter, F. M. 
1931. The Lower Permian insects of Kansas. Part 4. The Order 
Hemiptera and additions to the Palaeodictyoptera and Proto- 
hymenoptera. Amer. Journ. Sci. 22:113-130. 
