Family ITHONIDAE
Compiler and date details
T.R. New La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
Introduction
The primitive 'moth lacewings' derive their common name from their stout hairy bodies which give them a superficial resemblance to some small hepialid moths. The family is almost wholly Australian, and is represented elsewhere only by Oliarces Banks, 1908 in North America. Naradona Navás, 1930 may also belong to this family (Adams 1969). Adults often swarm, and larvae are subterranean, where they apparently feed on decaying plant material—a highly unusual habit in the order—and may take more than one year to develop.
The predominant genus is Ithone Newman, 1838, found mainly in sandy coastal areas. Australian Ithonidae were reviewed by Riek (1974), and little additional information has accrued since then.
General References
Adams, P.A. 1969. A new genus and species of Osmylidae (Neuroptera) from Chile and Argentina, with a discussion of Planipennian genitalic homologies. Postilla 141: 1-11
Riek, E.F. 1974. The Australian moth-lacewings (Neuroptera: Ithonidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 13: 37-54
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |