MYRMELEONTIDAE / ANTLIONSEmbedded in clear epoxy resin |
CLICK FOR DOWNLOAD --------------------------------- Classification KINGDOM : Animalia PHYLUM : Arthropoda CLASS : Insecta ORDER : Neuroptera SUPERFAMILY : Myrmeleontoidea FAMILY : MyrmeleontidaeCLICK FOR DOWNLOAD .............................. |
MYRMELEONTIDAE / ANTLIONS
Adult antlions resemble damselflies with long, clubbed antennae. They fold their wings over their backs at rest, and they are weak, nocturnal flyers that are attracted to lights. Antlions are in the order Neuroptera, the nerve-winged insects named for the network of veins in their wings. The ranks of neuropterans also include fishflies, Dobsonflies, lacewings and some real oddballs. There are about 100 antlion species in North America and some 2,000 total, in the world. They are known for the predatory habits of their larvae, which mostly dig pits to trap passing ants or other prey. In North America, the larvae are sometimes referred to as doodlebugs because of the marks they leave in the sand. The adult insects are less well known due to their relatively short lifespans compared to the larvae. Adults, sometimes known as antlion lacewings, mostly fly at dusk or after dark and may be mistakenly identified as dragonflies or damselflies. The adult has two pairs of long, narrow, multiveined, translucent wings and a long, slender abdomen. Although they somewhat resemble dragonflies or damselflies, they belong to a different infraclass of winged insects. Antlion adults are easily distinguished from damselflies by their prominent, apically clubbed antennae which are about as long as the head and thorax combined. Also, the pattern of wing venation differs, and compared to damselflies, the adults are very feeble fliers and are normally found fluttering about at night in search of a mate. Adult antlions are typically nocturnal, and rarely seen by day. Antlions have a worldwide distributio, primarily in dry, sandy regions. The greatest diversity occurs in the tropics, but a few species are found in cold temperate locations, one such being the European Euroleon nostras. They most commonly occur in dry and sandy habitats where the larvae can easily excavate their pits, but some larvae hide under debris or ambush their prey among leaf litter. Antlions can be fairly small to very large neuropterans, with wingspans ranging from 2 to 15 cm. The African genus Palpares contains some of the largest examples. Acanthaclisis occitanica is the largest European species, with an 11 cm wingspan, and most North American species approach this size.
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