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Neuroptera

Introduction

The Order Neuroptera erected by Linnaeus (1758) was then represented by a heterogeneous group compris~g Plecoptera, Isoptera, E.mbioptera, Corrodentia, Mallophaga, Mecoptera and Tricboptera besides true Neuroptera. The oldest fossil, described by Tillyard (1932) under the name Permoberotha vilosa (Family Permoberothidae), was discovered in the lower•Permian rocks of Kansas in America. After a study of Permian Neuroptera and Megaloptera, Tillyard came to the conclusion that the family Berothidae is the oldest amongst the existing families of Neuroptera (s. str.).

The neuropterans are valuable allies of man. The order includes quite a large number of species which are predacious in their larval and adult stages. The larvae of the species belonging to families Hemerobiidae, Chrysopidae and Coniopterygidae are predacious on the various stages of small Hemiptera, Thysanoptera, Psocoptera, small Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, mites etc. These active predators destroy the agri-horticultural pests like aphids, coccids, thrips, moths and mites and thus, are beneficial to mankind. So, some neuropterans are being used in biological control of insects. Though in India this type of work has not received much attention but, a number af species have been used in other counUies, e.g., Chrysopa carnea Stephens is successfully used in California in the control of J>ear-Orchid pest, Pseudococcus meritimus. U.S. Department of Agriculture introduced a Palaearctic stock of C. carnea ieto the United States for control of alfalfa aphids. Besides being predators, some of the specica; of the family Mantispidae parasitize the egg capsules ofspiders.

Classification

On the basis of morphological and biological features, subdivision of the order Neuroptera has been done by various authors. Imms (1925) and Tillyard (1926) considered two suborders, Megaloptera and Planipennia. Handlirsch (1925), Brues and Melander (1932) and Essig (1942) splitted Neuroptera into three orders, Megaloptera, Raphidoidea and Neuroptera (s. SIr.) (planipennia). Tjeder (1957) retained Megaloptera and Pl~ipennia as suborders. The order Neuroptera as conceived today consists of about twenty families, namely, Corydalidae, Sialidae, Raphididae, Inocellidae, Ithonidae•, Coniopterygidae, Dilaridae, Berothidae, Polystoechotidae* , Sisyridae, Hemerobiidae, Psychopsidae* t Osmylidae, Mantispidae, Chrysopidae, Myiodactylidae*, Nymphidae*, Nemopteridae, Ascalaphidae and Myrmeleontidae. Numerically, more than 5000 species are known from the whole world. However, some of the families (marked *) are not represented in India.

Historical Resume

i) Pre-1900

Westwood (1848) ~ade some contributions to the family Mantispidae and Ascalaphidae from India. Walker (1853) published a catalogue of the neuropterous insects in the collection of the British Museum, from which he described and refelTed to many species ofNeuroptera belonging to different'families from India. MacLachlan (1867) published. new genera and species of insects and revised Walker's British Museum catalogue as far as the end of the genus Myrmeleon. In this revisionary work specially ofthe fainily Myrrneleontidae he tried to disassociated several species described under the genus Myrmeleon and new genera were established for the concerned species.

MacLachlan (1869) worked on the genus Chauliodes and its allies with notes and descriptions and also gave description of some new species of the family Dilaridae and Osmylidae. His attempt to classify the family Ascalaphidae (1871) with generic descriptions as well as information on some of the Indian species is a valuable contribution.

ii) 1901-1947

This period may be regarded as the significant period in the history of Indian Neuropterology, as a large number of taxa were described during this period. At the Indian Museum, Calcutta, efforts were made to identify the collections lying in the Museum (Needham, 1909). Navas (1905¬1935) discovered quite a large number of new genera and species ~longing to different families. Banks (1910-1939) contributed a lot of information including the descriptions of new taxa of different families, namely, Coniopterygidae, Sisyridae, Chrysopidae, Mantispidae, Mynneleontidae and Ascalaphidae from India. Dover (1921) published an account of the neuropteran insects -of Barkuda Island. Fraser (1922) published on the Ascalaphidae in the collection of the Indian Museum. Withycombe (1925) contributed a monograph of Indian Coniopterygidae. Kimm~s (1935-1943) published significant account on some of the Indian genera and species of tile family Hemerobiidae and Osmylidae. 

iii) 1948-1990

The period between 1943 to 1970 may be called as a -period of stagnation in the field of Research on Indian Neuroptera. During this period only a few species were dealt with, by the scientists working outside India in their revisionary works. In this con-text, Kimmins (1949 and 1955), Nakahara (1960-1963), Holzel (1971-72) and Meinander (1972) may be referred to. Ghosh (1968-1989) has published a number of papers on this subject, with descriptions of more than 20 new species and a new genus. Ghosh & Sen (1977) contributed a checklist of Indian Planipennia.

The specimens of Neuroptera collected from Himalayan ecosystem, Desert ecosystem, terrestrial ecosystem of Peninsular India and Insular ecosystem have been studied by Ghosh (1965 to date). Studies on the collections from Eastern India, i.e~ Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim have -been undertaken and the accounts of the species belonging to the families Mynneleontidae (1984), Ascalaphidae (1988) have been published and a paper on Chrysopidae is in press. ¬

A check-list on Mynneleontidae from Orissa was published (Ghosh, 1987) and another on West Bengal is in press. The studies on the Neuroptera of northern peninsular and north-western Himalayan parts of India, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa have been published (Ghosh, 1983), besides, that of Himachal Pradesh (i977), Rajasthan (1977), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1980) and Laqcadive Island (1981).

There is a need to further explore neuropteran fauna from different States and Union Territories including the Insular regions of India.

Estimation of Taxa

From a total of about twenty families known from the world, thirteen families are represented in India. The National Collections of Zoological Survey of India comprise material of two families of Megaloptera and eleven families of Planipennia. A total of 315 species are known from India. This includes about 25 species of Megaloptera and about 290 species of Planipennia.

Expertise India

In ZSI

S. K. Ghosh, ZSI, M-Block, New Alipur, Calcutta 700 053.

Abroad

H. Holzel, Annenheim 160, A 9520 Sattendorf, Austria. [Megaloptera &Chrysopidae]. H. Aspock, Hygien -Institut der Universitat, Kinderspitalgasse 15, A 1095, Wien, Austria. [Megaloptera &Planipennia]. Zeleny, Czechoslovakia Academy of Sciences, Department of Insect Toxicology, U Sala-mounky, 41, 15800 Praha 5, Czechoslovakia. [Chrysopidae]. L. A. Stange, Florida Department of Agriculture and consumer services, Division of Plant Industry, Doyle Conner Building, 1911, S.W. 34th Street, P.O ..Box 1269/Gainsville 32602 Florida, U.S.A. [Myrmeleontidae]. M. Meinander, Universitaties Zoologiska Museum Entomologiska Avdelningen, N. Jarnvagatan -13 SF. 00100, Helsingfors 10. [Coniopterygidae]. M. M. Principi, Instituto de Entomologia, Via Filippo RE 6, Univ. Boigna, 40126, Italy. [Chrysopidae]. P. A. Adams, Dept. of Biological Sciences, California State University, Fullerton, California-92634, U.S.A. [Myrmeleontidae, Chrysopidae]. T. R. New, Department of Zoology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia 3083. [Chrysopidae and Hemerobiidae]. V. J. Monserrat, Universidad De Alcala de Henares Facultad de Ciencia, Departmento De Biologia Animal, Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Spain. [Hemerobiidae].

Selected References

Ghosh, S. K. &Sen, S. 1977. Check-list of Indian Planipennia (Order Neuroptera). Rec. Zool. Surv. India. 73 : 277-326.

Ghosh, S. K. 1984. Contribution to the taxonomical studies of Neuroptera (Suborder Planipennia) from Eastern India. I. Family Myrmeleontidae. Rec. Zool. Surv. India. Occ. Pap., S2 : i-vi + 1-63, 66 figs. &2 pis. Killington, F. J. 1936. A monograph of British• Neuroptera. 1 : 269 pp.; 2 : 306 pp. Ray Society, London. Meinander, M. 1972.A revision of the family Coniopterygidae (planipennia). Acta Zool. Fennica, 136 : 1-357.

Tjeder, B. 1961. Neuroptera -Planij>ennia. The lace-wings of Southern Africa. 4. Family Hemerobiidae. South African Animal Life. 8 : 246-408. Tjeder, B. 1966. Neuroptera -Planipennia. The lace-wings of Southern Africa. 5. Family Chrysopidae. South African Animal Life. 12 : 228-534. Walker, F. 1853. Sialides -Nemopterides. Catalogue of the specimens of neuropterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. 2. B : 193-476. Van Der Weele, H. W. 1908. Ascalaphiden. Monographisch Bearbeitet. Cat. Coil. Selys, 3 : 1-326. Van Der Weele, H. W. 1910." Megaloptera (Latreille). Cat. Coil. Selys, 5 (1) : 1-93.