1969] 
Kukalovd — Palaeodictyoptera 
185 
Type species: Spilaptera packardi Brongniart, 1885 (SD, Hand- 
lirsch. 1922). 
The genus Spilaptera was erected by Brongniart for three species, 
packardi , libelliiloides, and vetusta. In 1893, meunieri was added to 
the genus. Handlirsch (1906) made a new genus, Epitethe for 
meunieri on the basis of more numerous branches of the main veins, 
and this genus was accepted by Lameere (1917). Unfortunately, I 
was unable to find the type specimen of vetusta in the Museum and 
Dr. Carpenter failed to find it in 1938; for that reason I am not 
including vetusta in this paper* 
Brongniart (1893), Handlirsch (1906), and Lameere (1917) 
were of the opinion that Sc in Spilaptera does not extend much beyond 
the middle of the wing. This is not correct, however, as in the type 
species packardi and in libelliiloides after removal of the covering 
matrix, the costa can be seen terminating near the wing apex. It 
has also proved possible to excavate a part of the hind wing in 
libelliiloides , the hind wing not previously having been known in the 
genus. 
The wings in Spilaptera are of almost equal length. Wing mem- 
brane with color markings; hind wing broader in the proximal half 
than the fore wing, but with a similar venation. Cuticular thicken- 
ing and supporting veins missing. The anterior margin only slightly 
concave. Ri without terminal branches; R-Rs area broad with a 
series of several strong oblique cross veins ; Rs with only 4-5 branches ; 
M free from Rs; MA with several branches; MP forked several 
times; CuA pectinate; CuP simple or forked; cross veins few, with a 
tendency to make rows in the apical third of the wing. 
Spilaptera resembles Homaloneura by having few cross veins and 
by the general wing structure, but it lacks both the thickenings and 
supporting veins. These are perhaps replaced in this genus by a few 
strong cross veins, which tend to be surrounded, and probably sup- 
ported, by pigmented areas. The cross veins are very typical in the 
R-Rs area, being sigmoidal in shape in both known species, Spilaptera 
packardi Brongniart and Spilaptera libelluloides Brongniart. 
The species of Spilaptera present in the Commentry shales are S. 
packardi Brongniart, 1885 and S. libelluloides Brongniart, 1885. 
*The small wing fragment designated by Bolton (1917: 53) as repre- 
senting a new species, Spilaptera sutcliffei, is not recognizable even to the 
family level and is herein assigned to the Palaeodictyoptera incertae 
familiae. 
