Myrmeleon Linnaeus, 1767

Miller, Robert B. & Stange, Lionel A., 2012, The cave mouth antlions of Australia (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (250), pp. 1-65 : 42-43

Myrmeleon Linnaeus

Myrmeleon Linnaeus 1767: 913 . Type species: Myrmeleon formicarius Linnaeus , by original designation.

= Myrmeleonellus Esben-Petersen 1918: 17 . Type species: Myrmeleonellus pallidus Esben-Petersen , by original designation. Synonymy by New 1985: 10.

= Leptoleon Esben-Petersen 1918: 17 . Type species: Leptoleon regularis Esben-Petersen , by monotypy and original designation. Synonymy by New 1985: 10.

= Callistoleon Banks 1910: 42 . Type species: Myrmeleon erythrocephalum Leach , by original designation. New synonymy.

Diagnosis. Adult: antennae widely separated; ventral setae of distal tarsomere much shorter than diameter of tarsomere; distal tarsomere shorter than basal four tarsomeres together; female posterior gonapophysis usually less than twice as long as middle diameter.

Description. Adult: body 15- 40 mm, forewing 12-48 mm, hindwing 11-38 mm. Structure: vertex slightly to moderately raised; antennae widely separated with well developed club; distal tarsomere shorter than basal four tarsomeres; wings narrow to moderately broad, sometimes tapered; posterior Banksian line in forewing usually strongly developed, anterior Banksian line usually absent; hindwing with four or more presectoral crossveins; tibial spurs about equal in length to pretarsal claws; male pilula axillaris usually present; female posterior gonapophysis variable in length, usually slender, typically less than twice as long as middle diameter; anterior gonapophysis rounded; male ectoproct without postventral lobe, sometimes broadened ventrally; gonarcus arched, mediuncus usually well developed.

Larvae: legs short, hindcoxa less than four times greatest diameter of coxa.

Distribution. Afrotropical; Palaearctic; Oriental; Australian; Nearctic; Neotropical.

Biology. There is considerable diversity in habitat. Larvae have been found in lizard holes, organic matter in tree holes, in wind or water deposited sand, under rock overhangs or in cave mouths. Nearly all are similar in morphology and habits. Myrmeleon punctinervis Banks from Taiwan can move forwards and some larvae living in fine organic matter in tree holes are unable to dig under sand similar to one Mexican species that lives in dermestid skins and bat guano dust.

Discussion. Several species of Myrmeleon larvae were found in caves but the majority of them died before pupating. The following localities had cave inhabiting Myrmeleon . Queensland: Burra Creek, White Mts.; 21 Km. South Flinders, Slaty Creek. Northern Territory: Kakadu National Park; Devils Marbles; Kings Canyon National Park; New South Wales: 34 km. north Coonabarabran. We are synonymizing Callistoleon Banks with Myrmeleon because the type species of Callistoleon Banks is only a rather colorful species of Myrmeleon . The larvae of C. erythrocephalum build ordinary pitfall traps usually in the open and the legs and hindcoxae are shorter as is typical for the larvae of Myrmeleon .