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[Vol. 87 
neuropteran family Neurorthidae. The neurorthids, originally con¬ 
sidered (albeit doubtfully) by Parfin and Gurney (1956) to constitute 
a genus within the Sisyridae and later raised to the rank of 
subfamily by Nakahara (1958), were given family status by Zwick in 
1967. Using a cladistic analysis comparing larval features, Zwick 
concluded that the Neurorthidae and Osmylidae were more closely 
related to each other than either was to the Sisyridae. Lack of strong 
synapomorphic larval or adult characters between Sisyridae and the 
neurorthid-osmylid clade prevents conjecture about possible rela¬ 
tionships among the three families. 
Sisyrids pass their entire larval life as parasites on freshwater 
sponges (Porifera: Spongillidae), feeding with mouthparts modified 
into long thin stylets. Just prior to pupation the larvae swim actively 
at night to the shore, where they emerge and seek cryptic sites in 
which to construct their cocoons. Following a brief prepupal stage 
of about 48 hours, the larva pupates; several days later the pupa 
chews a hole in the inner and outer layers of the cocoon and, after 
crawling out through the hole so that the thorax is free, it emerges as 
an adult, leaving the pupal skin protruding from the cocoon. Upon 
mating, the female oviposits several hundred eggs, usually singly, in 
the cracks, crevices, and pits of objects that overhang water. Each 
egg is covered by a flat protective layer of silk. Upon hatching, the 
larvae drop directly into the water and seek a sponge colony on 
which to complete the life cycle. 
There are 45 described species of Sisyridae in four genera. Most 
species belong to the cosmopolitan Sisyra Burmeister (29 species) 
and the exclusively new world Climacia McLachlan (12 species). 
Despite their interesting sponge-associated life and their common 
occurrence, larvae of only eight species have been collected and 
studied. The larvae are not often found in entomological collections; 
when they are, they cannot be identified since diagnostic characters 
at the generic and species level are poorly known. This paper gives 
characters that can be used to identify to the generic level third 
instars of six new world temperate species and one neotropical 
species; a future paper will consider specific characters. Specimens 
examined: Sisyra vicaria Walker (Connecticut, N = 30), S. fuscata 
Fabricius (Alberta, N = 8), Climacia areolaris (Hagen) (Connecti¬ 
cut, N = 27), C. chapini Parfin and Gurney (New Mexico, N = 5), C. 
californica Chandler (California, N = 3), C. striata Parfin and 
Gurney (Panama, N = 1) and a Climacia species (Baja California, N 
