PSYCHE 
Vol 71 
September, 1964 
No. 3 
STUDIES ON NORTH AMERICAN CARBONIFEROUS 
INSECTS. 3. A SPILAPTERID FROM THE VICINITY 
OF MAZON CREEK, ILLINOIS 
(PALAEODICTYOPTERA) * 
By F. M. Carpenter 
Harvard University 
The Spilapteridae of the Order Palaeodictyoptera, although well 
represented in Carboniferous deposits of France (Commentry), 
Czechoslovakia (Moravia) and USSR (Asian RSFSR), has had 
only doubtful representation in Carboniferous strata of North 
America. Indeed, the only species that might possibly belong here 
is Mcluckiepteron luciae Richardson [Francis Creek shales of Illi- 
nois, near Mazon Creek] and its relationship to the family seems 
remote. Recently, I have had the opportunity of studying a new 
fossil from the same deposit; it is not only an unquestionable 
member of the family Spilapteridae but it seems to me to fall within 
the genus Homaloneura, already known from the Commentry shales 
in France. This fossil shows both fore and hind wings, with com- 
plete preservation of the venation as well as color markings, all in 
extraordinary detail. 
I am deeply indebted to Mr. Walter Dabasinskas of Chicago for 
loaning me the fossil for study and for permitting me to prepare 
the fossil by removing the rock matrix which covered much of the 
wings. I am also grateful to Dr. Eugene Richardson of the Chicago 
Museum of Natural History for calling my attention to the existence 
of this fossil in Mr. Dabasinskas’ collection and to Dr. Jarmila 
Kukalova, of Charles University in Prague (but currently visiting 
Harvard University), for the preparation of the excellent drawing 
on plate 16. 
*This research has been aided by grant no. NSF GP-2038 from the 
National Science Foundation. The previous, part in this series was published 
in Psyche 70:59-63. 
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