i6 
Psyche 
[March 
Alectoneura europaea, n.sp. 
Figure 12 
This species is based upon a single wing, which is slightly bent at 
the end of its basal quarter. The wing might have belonged to a 
subimago of a species like Sphecoptera elegantissima, since all other 
wings in all related families are straight in the basal part. In this 
case, the deep concavity of the posterior margin at the 3rd branch 
of 1 A would probably become less pronounced in the adult wing. 
In the holotype, the very fine wing membrane has split along the 
veins and become slightly superimposed posteriorly over other parts 
of the membrane. In figure 12, the venation is restored back into 
normal position. 
Wing: length of the fragment 12.8 mm, width 3.3 mm. Anterior 
margin broadly bent in the basal quarter; posterior margin slightly 
undulated at about the middle of the anal area; Sc close to R along 
its whole course; Rs and MA adjoining for a short distance; first 
branching of Rs broadly dichotomous; M and Cu branches almost 
parallel and probably simple; CuA soon after its origin connected 
with M by a short cross vein; iA with 4 long branches; 2A short, 
simple. Cross veins near the posterior margin sigmoidal, almost 
parallel with the longitudinal axis. 
Holotype: no. 33/1974 (obverse and reverse). Paleontological 
Institute of Charles University, Prague. 
The Problem of Recognizing Generalized Megasecoptera 
Before this new material from Moravia was made known, mega- 
secopteran wings were readily separated from those of the Palaeo- 
dictyoptera by the crowding of Sc and R towards the costal margin, 
the basally narrowed wings, and the simplified venation (Carpenter, 
1963). However, with the presence of a rather broad subcostal area 
in Ancopteridae, Aleetoneuridae, Engisopteridae and Hanidae, and 
the richly branched venation in Caulopteridae, Arcioneuridae and 
Engisopteridae, the recognition of primitive Megasecoptera becomes 
more difficult. This is true especially for fragmentary wings, in 
which the proximal, narrow part may not be preserved. 
For identifying Megasecoptera with a generalized venation, the 
most reliable criteria are as follows: long, nearly homonomous wings; 
a narrow anal area; at least a partial crowding of Sc and R towards 
the costal margin; and the wing conspicuously broad at about mid- 
wing but narrowed both proximally and distally. An irregular and 
