Family SYNLESTIDAE

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Family SYNLESTIDAE

Malachites, Relics, Sylphs

Compiler and date details

September 2014 - ABRS

31 December 1999 - W.W.K. Houston, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra, ACT, Australia J.A.L. Watson, CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, ACT, Australia Updated (1999) by A.A. Calder, CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, ACT, Australia

Introduction

The family Synlestidae has often been referred to as the Chlorolestidae, a name based on that of the oldest genus included, but its correct name is Synlestidae (Theischinger & Watson 1985). It is a small family, including seven genera and 33 species (Davies 1981; Bridges 1994). The Australian and southern African genera, with more than 20 species, appear to be closely allied (Watson 1981); the remaining genera are primarily Asian. We recognise one subfamily in Australia: the Synlestinae (Episynlestes, Synlestes), in which the discoidal cells are normal and intercalary veins are present. The subfamily Chorismagrioninae is now regarded as a separate family (Bechly 1996). Theischinger & Watson (1985) have reviewed Episynlestes. Three species-group taxa of Synlestes (nigrescens, tillyardi, weyersii) are more closely interrelated than any is to the remaining species (Theischinger & Watson, unpublished data). The status of some populations of the weyersii complex is not well understood (cf. Theischinger & Watson 1979), but no undescribed species have been recognized. Fraser (1956) described the larvae of Episynlestes cristatus, the latter as Synlestes tropicus (Theischinger et al. 1993). Theischinger et al. (1993) provided a key to last instar larvae/exuviae of Australian Synlestidae and Hawking & Theischinger (19999) give an illustrated key to the larvae of the New South Wales species.

Previously recognised Chorismagrionidae are now combined with Synelistidae, following Bybee et al. (2008) and Theischinger and Endersby (2009).

Diagnosis

Adult: two antenodal crossveins; postnodal crossveins more or less aligned with crossveins behind them; discoidal cell with very acute distal angle; an oblique vein variably present, or absent, between R3 and IR3; origin of IR3 near or beyond nodus; supplementary intercalary longitudinal veins present or absent; CuP curving sharply forward from origin at tip of discoidal cell.

Larva: labium flat, of moderate length, lacking major setae, palps slightly broadened, end hook well developed, incurved, median lobe cleft, prominent; gills lamellate, short, rounded at tips, denodate, faces of lamellae held upright.