“中生代的蝴蝶”--脉翅目丽蛉类昆虫

“Butterflies of the Jurassic”——kalligrammatid-like lacewings(Insecta:Neuroptera)

丽蛉类昆虫是脉翅目昆虫在中生代特有的一类绝灭昆虫,被誉为"中生代的蝴蝶",其体型巨大、脉序复杂,部分身体特征高度特化,与现代脉翅目昆虫表现出明显的差异,而其在脉翅目演化中的地位也是一直难以确定。同时,由于化石保存的局限性,该类昆虫多是依靠不完整的结构进行分类,缺少系统的总结和修订,也为该类群的深入研究带来了很大的困难。本文对中生代丽蛉类昆虫进行了总结,统计了至今全世界所发现的所有丽蛉类昆虫名录,概述了其研究历史,地质年代及地理分布,系统发育研究进展,功能形态学研究及生态学特性等问题,并提出了研究该类群有待解决的问题及研究展望。

Kalligrammatid-like lacewings is an extinct group of Neuroptera in Mesozoic, which are referred as the ＂butterflies of the Jurassic＂ With huge body, complex venation, parts of the body structures highly specialized, showed obvious differences with modern Neuropteran, and its position in the Neuroptera evolution also difficult to determine. Due to limitation of the fossil preservation, this group is mostly classified by incomplete structure, lack of systematic summary and revision, and brings great difficulties to further study this group. Herein, a list of kalligrammatid-like fossil insects found in the world is provided, and historical occurrences of kalligrammatid-like fossil are introduced. Geological age and geographical distribution, phylogenetic research process, morphological function and ecology features are summarized. Furthermore, this paper proposed the current obstacles need to be tackled and the expectation for the future studies.