Mantispa nana (Navás, 1912)

Howarth, Brigitte & Gillett, Michael, 2009, Increasing knowledge of the entomological fauna of the United Arab Emirates and the role of private collections, ZooKeys 31 (3), pp. 119-132 : 128

Mantispa nana (Navás, 1912) ( Neuroptera : Mantispidae )

Like many desert countries, the UAE is rich in species of nocturnal insects that belong to the order of nerve-winged insects or Neuroptera . Members of various families that include green lacewings ( Chrysopidae ), brown lacewings ( Hemerobiidae ), antlions ( Myrmeleontidae ), ribbon wings ( Nemopteridae ) and owl flies ( Ascalaphidae ) are all common at suitable sites ( Howarth and Gillett 2008) and can often be attracted in large numbers to light traps. More recently an insect belonging to a sixth family of this order, the Mantispidae or mantis flies, has been collected and identified. It is Mantispa nana and has been found at a number of sites, including Al Ain and Dubai and is a further new record for the UAE.