3°6 
Psyche 
[June 
during locomotion and improved structural integrity relative to other 
panorpoids. Some specimens have been taken under logs or stones, as 
were the only known examples of Austromerope. The photographs 
in the original description (Killington 1933) show that the jugal 
lobe of this Australian form is similar to that of Merope in size and 
shape. Several lines of evidence point towards a marked divergence 
of meropeids from surface dwelling, loosely constructed configura- 
tions of related taxa. 
The transformations required to derive Merope from a generalized 
mecopteran are parallel and analogous to those hypothesized for the 
very early evolution of substrate dwelling Coleoptera (Hlavac 1972). 
The ability to keep flexible wings in place under stress through inter- 
locking devices is an obvious precursor for the development of elytra. 
Meropeids may then represent an attempt, albeit a feeble one, by 
another holometabolous lineage to occupy the substrate adaptive zone. 
References Cited 
Hlavac, T. F. 
1972. The prothorax of Coleoptera: origin, major features of variation. 
Psyche. 79: 123-149. 
Killington, F. J. 
1933. A new genus and species of Meropeidae (Mecoptera) from 
Australia. Ent. Mon. Mag. 69: 1-4. 
Mickoleit, G. 
1967. Das thoraxskelet von Merope tuber Newman (Protomecoptera) . 
Zool. Jb. Anat. Bd. 84: 313-342. 
Riek, E. F. 
1967. Structures of unknown, possibly stridulatory, function on the 
wings and body of Neuroptera with an appendix on other En- 
dopterygote orders. Aust. J. Zool. 15: 337-348. 
