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Antlion

Antlions
Temporal range: 251–0 Ma
Mesozoic – Recent
Distoleon tetragrammicus01.jpg
Adult Distoleon tetragrammicus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Neuroptera
Superfamily: Myrmeleontoidea
Family: Myrmeleontidae
Latreille, 1802
Subfamilies

Acanthaclisinae
Brachynemurinae
Dendroleontinae
Dimarinae
Echthromyrmicinae
Glenurinae
Myrmecaelurinae
Myrmeleontinae
Nemoleontinae
Palparinae
Pseudimarinae
Stilbopteryginae

Synonyms

Myrmeleonidae (lapsus)
Palaeoleontidae
and see text


Acanthaclisinae
Brachynemurinae
Dendroleontinae
Dimarinae
Echthromyrmicinae
Glenurinae
Myrmecaelurinae
Myrmeleontinae
Nemoleontinae
Palparinae
Pseudimarinae
Stilbopteryginae

Myrmeleonidae (lapsus)
Palaeoleontidae
and see text

The antlions are a group of about 2,000 species of insect in the family Myrmeleontidae, known for the fiercely predatory habits of their larvae, which in many species dig pits to trap passing ants or other prey. The adult insects are less well known, as they mostly fly at dusk or after dark, and may be mistakenly identified as dragonflies or damselflies; they are sometimes known as antlion lacewings, and in North America, the larvae are sometimes referred to as doodlebugs because of the strange marks they leave in the sand.

Antlions are worldwide in distribution. The greatest diversity occurs in the tropics, but a few species are found in cold-temperate locations, one such being the European Euroleon nostras. They most commonly occur in dry and sandy habitats where the larvae can easily excavate their pits, but some larvae hide under debris or ambush their prey among leaf litter.

Antlions are poorly represented in the fossil record. Myrmeleontiformia is generally accepted to be a monophyletic group, and within the Myrmeleontoidea, the antlions' closest living relatives are thought to be the owlflies (Ascalaphidae). The predatory actions of the larvae have attracted attention throughout history, and antlions have been mentioned in literature since classical times.


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Wikipedia

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