Osmylidae

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Neuropterida
Ordo: Neuroptera
Subordo: Hemerobiiformia
Superfamilia: Osmyloidea

Familia: Osmylidae
Subfamiliae (8 + 1†): Eidoporisminae - Gumillinae - Kempyninae - Osmylinae - Porisminae - Protosmylinae - Spilosmylinae - Stenosmylinae - †Mesosmylininae
Overview of genera

†Allotriosmylus – Australysmus – Carinosmylus – Clydosmylus – Eidoporismus – †Enodinympha – †Ensiosmylus – †Epiosmylus – Euosmylus – †Euporismites – Euporismus – Glenosmylus – Grandosmylus – Gryposmylus – Gumilla – Heterosmylus – †Imanosmylus – Isostenosmylus – †Juraheterosmylus – †Jurakempynus – Kempynus – †Kolbasinella – Lahulus – †Lithosmylus – Lysmus – †Mesosmylidus – †Mesosmylina – †Mesosmylus – †Nilionympha – †Nuddsia – Oedosmylus – †Osmylochrysa – †Osmylidia – Osmylus – Parosmylus – Paryphosmylus – Phymatosmylus – Plethosmylus – Porismus‎ – †Protosmylina – †Protosmylus – †Pseudosmylidia – Sinosmylus – Sogjuta – Spilosmylus – Stenolysmus – Stenosmylus‎ – Stenosmylina – †Tenuosmylus – Thaumatosmylus – Thyridosmylus
Name
Synonyms

Epiosmylidae

References

Badano, D. & Winterton, S.L. 2017. New Philippine species of Spilosmylus Kolbe (Neuroptera, Osmylidae). ZooKeys 712: 29—42. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.712.19883. Reference page.
Dong, M., Xu, H., Wang, Y-J., Jia, C-F. & Liu, Z-Q. 2016. Revision of the genus Heterosmylus Krüger, 1913 from China (Neuroptera, Osmylidae). ZooKeys 637: 107–128. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.637.10310. Reference page.
Li, Q-H., Ren, D. & Wang, Y-J. 2018. Revision of the gumilline genus Nilionympha with a new species from the Middle Jurassic of China (Neuroptera: Osmylidae). Zootaxa 4399(1): 146–150. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4399.1.13 Reference page.
Makarkin, V.N. 2017. A remarkable new genus of Protosmylinae (Neuroptera: Osmylidae) from late Eocene Florissant, Colorado. Zootaxa 4268(4): 581–587. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4268.4.9. Reference page.
New, T.R., 1989: The genus Oedosmylus Krüger (Insecta : Neuroptera : Osmylidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 3 (2): 135 - 148. Abstract: DOI: 10.1071/IT9890135.
Wang, Y.; Liu, Z.; Ren, D. 2009: A new fossil lacewing genus and species from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. Acta palaeontologica polonica, 54 (3): 557–560. DOI: 10.4202/app.2008.0040
Wang, Y.; Liu, Z.; Ren, D.; Shih, C. 2010: A new genus of Protosmylinae from the Middle Jurassic of China (Neuroptera: Osmylidae). Zootaxa, 2480: 45–53. Preview
Yang, Q.; Makarkin, V.N.; Ren, D. 2010: Remarkable new genus of Gumillinae (Neuroptera: Osmylidae) from the Jurassic of China. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 103 (6): 855–859. DOI: 10.1603/AN10097

Osmylidae are a small family of winged insects of the net-winged insect order Neuroptera. The osmylids, also called stream lacewings[1] or giant lacewings[note 1],[2] are found all over the world. A common species through most of Europe is Osmylus fulvicephalus, and are the only family known within the suborder Osmyliformia.

Description and ecology

Adult osmylids are small to moderately-sized net-winged insects, with wingspans ranging from 1.4 to 3 cm. Smaller members resemble typical green lacewings, and larger species resemble antlions. Many species, namely those of the type genus Osmylus, have spotted wings. The thin antennae are short. They have two compound eyes, as well as three ocelli in between. Adult osmylids, like green lacewings (some of which are colloquially known as "stinkflies"), have prothoracal glands which produce foul-smelling compounds used to deter would-be predators.

Their larvae are superficially similar to those of spongillaflies (Sisyridae). They have peculiar mouthparts which look like a thin forceps with the ends bending outwards. The body is elongated and slender and terminates in two extensible graspers bearing tiny hooks; these are used to aid in locomotion and to grasp prey. The larvae are associated with damp, mossy habitats and are amphibious. They hunt small invertebrate prey, from which they suck the body fluids with their mouthparts.

The adults are diurnal or crepuscular weak-flying insects which mostly prey on small invertebrates, supplemented with some pollen. Eggs are deposited in damp places, usually near freshwater.

Wing of Osmylus fulvicephalus

Larva of Osmylus fulvicephalus

Systematics and taxonomy

The osmylids are rather nondescript as adults, but among the Neuroptera they were generally assigned to suborder Hemerobiiformia (lacewing relatives). The Sisyridae (spongillaflies) were formerly believed to be closely related, even a sister group. But as it seems they are well distinct, the presumed close relationship being mistaken due to their larvae's superficial similarity caused by convergent evolution. Later, the green lacewings (Chrysopidae) were held to be the osmylids' closest living relatives; together with some prehistoric lineages the Chrysopidae form superfamily Chrysopoidea which was considered sister to the presently monotypic Osmyloidea. However, mitochondrial DNA data found the Osmylidae to be basal to these as well as to the Myrmeleontiformia.[3] In other words, the osmylids may be the most ancient living lineage of Neuroptera. Fossils described in 2016 indicate they are of Jurassic or Early Cretaceous origin (see below). Their relationships to the numerous incertae sedis groups of Mesozoic Neuroptera can now be reinvestigated with regard to this hypothesis.[3]

The two subfamilies Eidoporisminae and Porisminae each contain only a single species, Eidoporismus pulchellus and Porismus strigatus, respectively. Both are endemic to Australia. Eight fossil genera have been assigned to the living subfamily Protosmylinae, with Protosmylus from middle Eocene Baltic amber,[4] as the type genus.[5] The genus Burmaleon was described from two fossils found in Cenomanian age Burmese amber and referred to subfamily Gumillinae, implying an Early Cretaceous or earlier age for the crown group radiation.[6]
Notes

Not to be confused with Ithonidae

References

Güsten, Robert (2003). "A checklist and new species records of Neuropterida (Insects) for Tunisia" (PDF). Kaupia: Darmstädter Beiträge zur Naturgeschichte. 12: 129–149. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
"Osmylidae". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
Yan, Y.; Wang Y; Liu, X.; Winterton, S.L.; Yang, D. (2014). "The First Mitochondrial Genomes of Antlion (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) and Split-footed Lacewing (Neuroptera: Nymphidae), with Phylogenetic Implications of Myrmeleontiformia". Int J Biol Sci. 10 (8): 895–908. doi:10.7150/ijbs.9454. PMC 4147223. PMID 25170303.
Engel, M.S.; Grimaldi, D.A. (2007). "The neuropterid fauna of Dominican and Mexican amber (Neuropterida, Megaloptera, Neuroptera)". American Museum Novitates (3587): 1-58. PDF fulltext
Makarkin, V.N.; Archibald, S.B.; Mathewes, R.W. (2021). "New Protosmylinae (Neuroptera: Osmylidae) from the early Eocene of western North America, with taxonomic remarks". Zootaxa. 4980 (1): 142–156.
Myskowiak, J.; Huang, D.; Azar, D.; Cai, C.; Garrouste, R.; Nel, A. (2016). "New lacewings (Insecta, Neuroptera, Osmylidae, Nymphidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Burmese amber and Crato Formation in Brazil". Cretaceous Research. 59: 214. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2015.10.029.