Alderflies, dobsonflies, snakeflies, lacewings and antlions (EE, pp. 174-187)

We are entering a new Subdivision - the Endopterygota! this group contains the most ‘advanced’ and most successful insect orders young stages are called larvae - look different from the adults they become their wings develop internally (endopterygote) metamorphosis is complete (holometabolous) transformation from larva to adult takes place during the pupal stage

Phylogeny of Hexapoda from p. 52 Megaloptera Raphidioptera Neuroptera

Megaloptera Common name: Alderflies and dobsonflies (300 known world species (0.03%)) Derivation: Gk. megalo - large; pteron - a wing Size: Body length 10-150 mm; wingspan 18-170 mm Metamorphosis: Complete (egg, larva, pupa, adult) Distribution: Widespread, but mainly temperate regions Number of families: 2

Key Features acquatic larvae adults always near water

Megaloptera(conspicuous jaws, but adults do not feed) often referred to as toe-biters

Megaloptera(only two families) the alderflies (Sialidae)

Megaloptera(only two families) the dobsonflies (Corydalidae)

Megaloptera(not good flyers - flutter weakly and alight readily) two pairs of wings with .... hind wings are .... hind wings usually....

What about mating?(mating takes place on marginal vegetation or on the ground) females produce a large number of eggs that stick to reeds or other plants hanging over the water some male dobson flies (e.g. Protohermes) attach a jelly-like, external spermatophore to the genitalia of the female Protohermes

What about the larvae?(all megalopteran larvae are aquatic and predacious) they have simple or branched, abdominal gills (similar in appearance to water beetle families when young larvae hatch, the drop or crawl into the water using their well- developed legs

Raphidioptera Common name: Snakeflies (200 known world species (0.02%)) Derivation: Gk. rhaphe - a needle; pteron - a wing Size: Body length 6-28 mm Metamorphosis: Complete (egg, larva, pupa, adult) Distribution: Northern hemisphere Number of families: 2

Key Features ‘long-necked’ in woodland

Raphidioptera (how do they differ from Megaloptera?) larvae are completely terrestrial the adult stage feeds

What else do we know? (snakeflies are not particularly well studied) they are found in wooded areas especially among rank vegetation adults and larvae like to feed on aphids and other soft-bodied insects several hundred eggs are laid, in groups of up to 100, in slits and cracks in tree bark or rotting timber

Neuroptera Common name: Lacewings, antlions, and their relatives (5000 known species (0.5%)) Derivation: Gk. neuron - sinew, nerve; pteron - a wing Size: Body length 2-90 mm; wingspan 5-150 mm Metamorphosis: Complete (egg, larva, pupa, adult) Distribution: Worldwide Number of families: 18

Key Features elongate... prominent.... wing venation ....

Neuroptera (noted for elaborate venation pattern on the wings) ascalaphid myrmeleonid myrmeleonid spoonwing (nemopterid)

Neuroptera (occur worldwide, but many families have restricted regions) majority are predacious (as larvae and adults) mainly active in the evening or after dark some species look like other groups ascalaphid mantispid mantispid

Larval morphology (varied and very much linked with lifestyle) free-living hunters are slender with longish legs, and often have an adhesive disc-like structure on the last two abdominal segments (for clinging to foliage) pit-building or ambushing species tend to be fat and squat with short legs, very large jaws and extended necks

Antlion larvae (larvae live at the bottom of conical pits with only jaws showing)

Larval morphology (strong, sickle-shaped mouthparts are highly modified sucking tubes)

More about the larvae (interesting gut morphology and development) eggs laid on a stalk the hindgut is not united with the midgut, only fluids are expelled and any solid material is passed as meconium when the adult first emerges (the guts join up in the adult) generally mature after 3 instars - pupate inside a spherical, silk coccon

Neuroptera (many are directly and indirectly beneficial in controlling insect pests) green lacewings (Chrysopidae) are voracious predators of aphids, thrips, psyllids, scale insects, coccids and mites