Nemopteridae
Encyclopedia
Spoonwings or Nemopteridae are a family of neuroptera
n insect
s. They are also called Thread-winged Antlions. Their flight is delicate and they have a circling flight to avoid walls when they are trapped indoors. The long streamer is conspicuous when the insects are flying and these are the elongated and spatulate hindwings.
They are found in the Ethiopian, Palearctic
, Australasian
and Neotropical regions but absent in North America
(a fossil has been found in Colorado
).
Male Nemopterids have a bulla on the wing usually along the margin or wing base that is used to disperse pheromone
.
Neuroptera
The insect order Neuroptera, or net-winged insects, includes the lacewings, mantidflies, antlions, and their relatives. The order contains some 6,010 species...
n insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s. They are also called Thread-winged Antlions. Their flight is delicate and they have a circling flight to avoid walls when they are trapped indoors. The long streamer is conspicuous when the insects are flying and these are the elongated and spatulate hindwings.
They are found in the Ethiopian, Palearctic
Palearctic
The Palearctic or Palaearctic is one of the eight ecozones dividing the Earth's surface.Physically, the Palearctic is the largest ecozone...
, Australasian
Australasia ecozone
The Australasian zone is an ecological region that is coincident, but not synonymous , with the geographic region of Australasia...
and Neotropical regions but absent in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
(a fossil has been found in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
).
Male Nemopterids have a bulla on the wing usually along the margin or wing base that is used to disperse pheromone
Pheromone
A pheromone is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting outside the body of the secreting individual to impact the behavior of the receiving individual...
.
Taxonomy
There are two distinct subfamilies in the Nemopteridae family:- Crocinae, mostly nocturnal and crepuscular species with often a narrow habitat preference. They are found in arid desert zones and have a wide distribution along the southern fringes of the west PalearcticPalearcticThe Palearctic or Palaearctic is one of the eight ecozones dividing the Earth's surface.Physically, the Palearctic is the largest ecozone...
and Western Asia, as well as in dry Neotropical, Afrotropical, and Australian areas. Includes the following genera:- Josandreva
- Pterocroce
- Nemopterinae, diurnal, with a greater diversity. Genera include:
- Barbibucca
- Lertha
- NemopteraNemopteraNemoptera is a Palearctic genus of insects of the family Nemopteridae or spoonwings. All species are diurnal with an exclusively floral diet, preferring to fly in open spaces in full sunshine while visiting flowers. They can be recognized by their very long hind wing prolongations.There are three...
- Nemopterella