Family MYRMELEONTIDAE

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Introduction

Myrmeleontidae, or antlions and owlflies, are by far the most diverse family of Neuroptera in Australia, and many species remain to be described. Most are found in the dryer regions of the continent, where the ground-dwelling larvae occur in litter and sand, with some (Myrmeleon Linnaeus, 1767 and its allies) forming the well-known conical pits associated with the family.

Phylogenomic data has revealed that owlflies, previously recognised as family Ascalaphidae, are in fact derived antlions and are now considered as subfamily Ascalaphinae within the Myrmeleontidae (Machado et al. 2019). This phylogenomic work also lead to the reclassification of the family, including many reinstated tribes.

General References

Hölzel, H. 1972. Die Neuropteren Vorderasiens. IV. Myrmeleonidae. Beiträge zur Naturkundlichen Forschung in Südwestdeutschland 37: 3-103

Machado, R.J.P., Gillung, J.P., Winterton, S.L., Garzón-Orduña, I.J., Lemmon, A.R., Lemmon, E.M. & Oswald, J.D. 2019. Owlflies are derived antlions: anchored phylogenomics supports a new phylogeny and classification of Myrmeleontidae (Neuroptera). Systematic Entomology 44: 418-450 (phylogenomic analysis and reclassification of the family, including the sinking of Ascalaphidae to the myrmeleontine subfamily Ascalaphinae)

Markl, W. 1954. Vergleichend-morphologische Studien zur Systematik und Klassifikation der Myrmeleoniden (Insecta, Neuroptera). Verhandlungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Basel 65: 178-263

New, T.R. 1982. A reappraisal of the status of the Stilbopteryginae (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontoidea). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 21: 71-75

New, T.R. 1985a. A revision of the Australian Myrmeleontidae (Insecta: Neuroptera). I. Introduction, Myrmeleontini, Protoplectrini. Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 104: 1-90

New, T.R. 1985b. A revision of the Australian Myrmeleontidae (Insecta: Neuroptera). II. Dendroleontini. Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 105: 1-170

New, T.R. 1985c. A revision of the Australian Myrmeleontidae (Insecta: Neuroptera). III. Distoleontini and Acanthaclisinae. Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 106: 1-159

Riek, E.F. 1976. The family Stilbopterygidae (Neuroptera) in Australia. Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 15: 297-302

Stange, L.A. 1976. Classificacion y catalogo mundial de la tribu Dendroleontini con la redescripcion del genero Voltor Navás (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae). Acta Zoologica Lilloana 31: 261-322

History of changes