Diversity and fossil record of larvae of three groups of lacewings with unusual ecology and functional morphology: Ithonidae, Coniopterygidae and Sisyridae

Haug, Joachim T.; Wal, Serita van der; Groehn, Carsten; Hoffeins, Christel; Hoffeins, Hans-Werner und Haug, Carolin (2022): Diversity and fossil record of larvae of three groups of lacewings with unusual ecology and functional morphology: Ithonidae, Coniopterygidae and Sisyridae. In: Palaeontologia Electronica, 25.2.a14

Abstract

Neuroptera is an ingroup of Insecta with a moderate species richness compared to several other ingroups of Insecta. While not as iconic as butterflies, mosquitoes, or beetles, there are some rather well-known forms, such as green lacewings, antlions, owlflies or mantis lacewings. All these have peculiar predatory larvae with prominent paired, venom-injecting sucking stylets formed by the upper and lower jaws. Three less well-known lineages of Neuroptera have larvae that are stronger derived in their appearance. The larvae of Sisyridae (spongilla lacewings) have very long and thin sty lets;they are aquatic and feed on sponges. The larvae of Coniopterygidae (dusty wings) have very small stylets that are often covered by a large labrum. The larvae of Ithonidae (moth lacewings) are grub-like (scarabaeiform) and possess stout mandibles. We discuss the overall known record of extant and fossil larvae of these three lineages and report some new fossil specimens. A quantitative analysis of the head and stylet shapes reveals that two distinct groups of extant larvae of Coniopterygidae can be differentiated, one with larger stylets and one with smaller stylets. Some obscure holometabolan larvae from the Cretaceous are quite similar in head and stylet shape to larvae of Coniopterygidae with short stylets.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Biologie
• Themengebiete: 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik > 570 Biowissenschaften; Biologie
• ISSN: 1935-3952
• Sprache: Englisch