REVIEW OF THE CONIOPTERYGIDAE (NEUROPTERA) 
OF NORTH AMERICA WITH A REVISION OF THE 
GENUS ALEUROPTERYX ' 
By Victor Johnson * 2 
Introduction and Review of Literature 
The smallest members of the Neuroptera belong to the family 
Coniopterygidae, which has several characteristics unusual within 
the order. The wings have reduced venation with few cross-veins 
and without the terminal branching of longitudinal veins found in 
other families. Coniopterygids produce a characteristic waxy secre¬ 
tion from wax glands on the head, thorax and abdomen which gives 
them their common name “dusty-wings”; no other neuropterans 
produce wax. Another unusual feature is the presence of a scler- 
otized penis in several genera and species. The only other neurop¬ 
terans with a sclerotized penis are some species of Mantispidae 
(Tjeder 1956). 
The first major U.S. work on this group was a Nearctic revision 
by Banks (1906) who reported seven U.S. species and provided a key 
to genera based on wing venation. Because wing venation is not 
always bilaterally symmetrical, a single specimen may key out to 
different genera depending upon the wing used. The family re¬ 
mained in a state of confusion until Meinander (1972) published his 
world revision, in which he described 22 new species from North 
America. He described an additional nine species in 1974 and four 
more in 1975. Henry (1974) recorded the introduction and establish¬ 
ment of Aleuropteryx juniperi Ohm from Europe into the eastern 
part of the United States. Johnson (1976) described the genus 
‘This paper (No. 80-7-205) is published with the approval of the Director of the 
Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and is based on research performed in 
partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree in Entomology. 
2 Former research associate in the Department of Entomology, University of 
Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546. Present address: USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Box 
182729, Erlanger, Kentucky 41018. 
To simplify information in this publication, trade names of some products are 
used. No endorsement is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products not 
named. 
Manuscript received by the editor February 2, 1981. 
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