Nemopteridae

Spoonwings or Nemopteridae are a family of neuropteran insects. They are also called thread-winged antlions. They are found in the Ethiopian, Palearctic, Australasian and Neotropical realms but absent in North America (though a fossil has been found in Colorado).[1]

Chasmoptera hutti

Nemopteridae
Temporal range: Aptian–Recent
Nemoptera sp. - Muséum of Toulouse
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Neuroptera
Suborder: Myrmeleontiformia
Family: Nemopteridae
Burmeister 1839
Subfamilies
  • Crocinae
  • Nemopterinae

Their flight is delicate and they have a circling flight to avoid walls when they are trapped indoors. The long streamer is conspicuous when the insects are flying and these are the elongated and spatulate hindwings.

Male Nemopterids have a bulla on the wing usually along the margin or wing base that is used to disperse pheromone.[1]

Taxonomy

There are two distinct subfamilies in the family Nemopteridae:

  • Crocinae, mostly nocturnal and crepuscular species with often a narrow habitat preference. They are found in arid desert zones and have a wide distribution along the southern fringes of the west Palearctic and Western Asia, as well as in dry Neotropical, Afrotropical, and Australian areas. Includes the following genera:
    • †Cretocroce Lu et al. 2019 Burmese amber, Myanmar, Cenomanian
    • Josandreva
    • Pterocroce
    • Concroce
    • Croce
    • Pastranaia
    • Veurise
    • Austrocroce
    • Carnarviana
    • Josandreva
    • Thysanocroce
    • Tjederia
    • Laurhervasia
    • Anacroce
    • Apocroce
    • Dielocroce
    • Necrophylus
    • Afghanocroce
    • Amerocroce
    • Moranida
  • Nemopterinae, diurnal, with a greater diversity. Genera include:

Other Nemopteridae genera include

  • Barbibucca
  • Brevistoma
  • Chasmoptera
  • Derhynchia
  • Halter
  • Halterina
  • Knersvlaktia
  • Lertha
  • Nemeura
  • Nemia
  • Nemopistha
  • Nemoptera
  • Nemopterella
  • Palmipenna
  • Parasicyoptera
  • Pterocroce
  • Savigniella
  • Semirhynchia
  • Sicyoptera
  • Stenorrhachus
  • †Roesleriana Martins-Neto 1997 Crato Formation, Brazil, Aptian
  • †Cratonemopteryx Martins-Neto 1992 Crato Formation, Brazil, Aptian
  • †Krika Martins-Neto 1992 Crato Formation, Brazil, Aptian

References
  1. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, 2nd edition. Volume 3, Insects, edited by Michael Hutchins, Arthur V. Evans, Rosser W. Garrison, and Neil Schlager. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 2003.


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