Family CONIOPTERYGIDAE
Compiler and date details
T.R. New La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
Introduction
The 'dusty wings', or Coniopterygidae, are the smallest Neuroptera, and most species have wingspans of only 4—6 mm. Adults have reduced venation and gain their common name from the white or grey waxy covering on the wings and body. Coniopterygidae are predominantly arboreal.
Two subfamilies are widely distributed and occur in Australia. Coniopteryginae includes representatives of the widespread genus Coniopteryx Curtis, 1834 and the near-endemic Neosemidalis Enderlein, 1930. Heteroconis Enderlein, 1905, the major genus of Aleuropteryginae, is also diverse in New Guinea (New 1990) and the Oriental Region. Brucheiserinae do not occur in Australia. The world fauna has been monographed by Meinander (1972, 1990), and information on all described Australian taxa is included in those accounts. Very little biological information is available on Australian species and many are known only from few specimens.
General References
Meinander, M. 1972. A revision of the family Coniopterygidae (Planipennia). Acta Zoologica Fennica 136: 1-357
Meinander, M. 1990. The Coniopterygidae (Neuroptera, Planipennia). A check-list of the species of the world, descriptions of new species and other new data. Acta Zoologica Fennica 189: 1-95
New, T.R. 1990. The genus Heteroconis Enderlein (Insecta: Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) in New Guinea. Invertebrate Taxonomy 4: 665-684
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |