1969] 
Kukalova — Palaeodictyoptera 
461 
Genus Rhabdoptilus Brongniart 
Rhabdoptilus Brongniart, 1893: 364; Handlirsch, 1906: 88; Lameere, 1917: 
102; Lameere, 1917: 154; Demoulin, 1958: 4. 
Type species: Rhabdoptilus edwardsi Brongniart, 1893 (OD). 
This genus is monotypic, erected by Brongniart upon a fragment 
of a large hind wing without base, apex or posterior margin. Rhab- 
doptilus was referred by Handlirsch first (1906) to the Lithoman- 
teidae and later (1919, p. 15) to a separate family Rhabdoptilidae, 
on the basis of its parallel, dense cross venation. Lameere (1917, 
p. 154) associated Rhabdoptilus with Fouquea in spite of the simple 
MA and CuA, because the cross veins in both genera seemed to 
him to be very much alike. Demoulin (1958) placed Rhabdoptilus 
with Lithoptilus and referred both genera to Handlirsch’s family 
Rhabdoptilidae, which he thought was near to the Breyeriidae and 
Thesoneuridae. 
I have explained above that Handlirsch’s misinterpretation of 
Graphiptilus prevented recognition of the close relationship between 
Rhabdoptilus and Graphiptilus > despite the marked similarity in 
venation, cross veins and color markings. Nevertheless, there are 
some differences in wing membrane characters between these genera, 
most probably of functional significance, as noted below. 
The wing area being large, the membrane thin, and cross veins 
weak, the wing tends to be strengthened in several ways. First, 
the membrane is heavily pigmented and the pigmentation even pene- 
trates into light spots in the form of peculiar tooth-like projections; 
second, the membrane between the veins is rippled, producing a 
corrugated effect, and the thin cross veins usually run on the ridges 
of the ripples. These are probably functional structures and re- 
stricted to the genus and possibly to the type species. Lameere was 
not correct in considering the strong conspicuous cross veins of 
Fouquea to be like those of Rhabdoptilus. 
In Rhabdoptilus the hind wing is not reduced in length and all 
branches of the main veins are fully developed. In Lithoptilus the 
hind wing, on the other hand, is greatly reduced with branching 
levels of Ri, Rs and M shifted distally. The cross venation of 
Lithoptilus is very dense, with numerous, coarse connections, dis- 
tinctly different from Rhabdoptilus. For that reason I consider that 
Demoulin’s conclusion about the relationship of these genera is in- 
supportable. In this paper, Lithoptilus is referred to Eugereonidae. 
Hind wing: probably broadly triangular; markings forming large, 
elongate and small circular light spots. Anterior margin slightly 
convex. Rs originating in the basal third of the wing, with several 
