Nevrorthidae

Nevrorthidae
Nevrorthidae
Temporal range: Eocene–recent
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Infraclass: Neoptera
Superorder: Endopterygota or Neuropterida
Order: Neuroptera
Family: Nevrorthidae
Genera

Austroneurorthus
Nevrorthus
Nipponeurorthus
Synonyms

Neurorthidae (lapsus)
Nevorthiformia

The Nevrorthidae - often incorrectly spelled "Neurorthidae" - are a small family of winged insects of the order Neuroptera. They are a living fossil.

They were at one time placed in the Osmyloidea, with the Osmylidae and the spongillaflies (Sisyridae) as their closest relatives, but nowadays they are considered to be the most ancient lineage of living lacewings. Sometimes they are placed in a suborder Nevorthiformia, but the quite basal position of the family is probably better expressed by placing them directly in the Neuroptera, without assigning the subordinal rank.[1]

Apart from the mere three living genera, the fossil Rophalis from the Eocene has been described.[2]

Footnotes

  1. ^ See references in Haaramo (2008)
  2. ^ Engel & Grimaldi (2007)

References

  • Engel, Michael S. & Grimaldi, David A. (2007): The neuropterid fauna of Dominican and Mexican amber (Neuropterida, Megaloptera, Neuroptera). American Museum Novitates 3587: 1-58. PDF fulltext
  • Haaramo, Mikko (2008): Mikko's Phylogeny Archive: Neuroptera. Version of 2008-MAR-11. Retrieved 2008-APR-27.
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