Megasecoptera

Megasecoptera is a Paleozoic insect order. There are 22 known families of megasecopterans, with about 35 known genera.

Overview

Like all other paleodictyopteroids, the megasecopterans had sucking mouthparts. The suctorial mouth parts were probably used to pierce plant casings and extract high-quality plant materials, such as spores and pollen.

Unlike some earlier insects, megasecopterans bore two pairs of wings, which were nearly of the same size. The wings probably were held horizontally, as in dragonflies (Odonata, Anisoptera). The wing bases tend to be very slender and petiolated, as in damselflies (Odonata, Zygoptera). The body was usually long and thin, although the genus Protohymen was rather stouter and shorter than a typical megasecopteran. Another distinctive feature was the presence of a number of fine processes projecting from the body, which in some cases could be longer than the body itself, forming long fringes on the insect's underside.

During their relatively brief period of existence, the Megasecoptera were rather successful. It has been estimated that this insect order accounted for 50% of the insect biomass in some locations, but the available evidence might be misleading..

Taxonomy

The following taxa are recognized as being included in the order Megasecoptera:

• Suborder †Eumegasecopterahide
• Family †Aykhalidae <small>Sinitshenkova 1993</small>
• Genus †Aykhal <small>Sinitshenkova 1993</small>
• Genus †Namuroptera <small>Pecharová et al. 2015</small>
• Genus †Sinopalaeopteryx <small>Pecharová et al. 2015</small>
• Family †Brodiopteridae <small>Carpenter 1963</small>
• Genus †Brodioptera <small>Copeland 1957</small>

Unattributed to a suborder

• Family †Alectoneuridae <small>Kukalová-Peck 1975</small>
• Genus †Alectoneura <small>Kukalová-Peck 1975</small>

• Family †Anchineuridae <small>Carpenter 1963</small>
• Genus †Anchineura <small>Carpenter 1963</small>

• Family †Ancopteridae <small>Kukalová-Peck 1975</small>
• Genus †Agaeoleptoptera <small>Beckemeyer and Engel 2011</small>
• Genus †Ancoptera <small>Kukalová-Peck 1975</small>

• Family †Arcioneuridae <small>Kukalová-Peck 1975</small>
• Genus †Anconeura <small>Kukalová-Peck 1975</small>
• Genus †Arcioneura <small>Kukalová-Peck 1975</small>

• Family †Aspidohymenidae <small>Martynov 1930</small>
• Genus †Aspidohymen <small>Martynov 1930</small>

• Family †Aspidothoracidae <small>Handlirsch 1919</small>
• Genus †Aspidothorax <small>Brongniart 1894</small>

• Family †Bardohymenidae <small>Zalessky 1937</small>
• Genus †Actinohymen <small>Carpenter 1962</small>
• Genus †Alexahymen <small>Kukalová-Peck 1972</small>
• Genus †Anthohymen <small>Hong 1985</small>
• Genus †Bardohymen <small>Zalessky 1937</small>
• Genus †Calohymen <small>Carpenter 1947</small>
• Genus †Microhymen <small>Yang et al. 2023</small>
• Genus †Paleohymen <small>Hong 1985</small>
• Genus †Sinohymen <small>Hong 1985</small>
• Genus †Sunohymen <small>Hong 1985</small>
• Genus †Sylvohymen <small>Martynov 1940</small>
• Genus †Taigahymen <small>Sinitshenkova 2019</small>

• Family †Brodiidae <small>Handlirsch 1906</small>
• Genus †Brodia <small>Scudder 1881</small>
• Genus †Eubrodia <small>Carpenter 1967</small>
• Genus †Piesbergbrodia <small>Pecharová et al. 2020</small>

• Family †Caulopteridae <small>Kukalová-Peck 1975</small>
• Genus †Cauloptera <small>Kukalová-Peck 1975</small>

• Family †Corydaloididae <small>Handlirsch 1906</small>
• Genus †Corydaloides <small>Brongniart 1885</small>

• Family †Dictyoneurellidae <small>Kukalová-Peck 1975</small>
• Genus †Dictyoneurella <small>Laurentiaux 1949</small>

• Family †Engisopteridae <small>Kukalová-Peck 1975</small>
• Genus †Engisoptera <small>Kukalová-Peck 1975</small>

• Family †Foririidae <small>Handlirsch 1919</small>
• Genus †Foriria <small>Meunier 1908</small>

• Family †Ischnoptilidae <small>Carpenter 1951</small>
• Genus †Ischnoptilus <small>Brongniart 1894</small>

• Family †Mischopteridae <small>Handlirsch 1906</small>
• Genus †Mischoptera <small>Brongniart 1894</small>
• Genus †Psilothorax <small>Brongniart 1894</small>

• Family †Moravohymenidae <small>Kukalová-Peck 1972</small>
• Genus †Issadohymen <small>Sinitshenkova and Aristov 2013</small>
• Genus †Moravohymen <small>Kukalová-Peck 1972</small>

• Family †Piesbergpteridae <small>Rosová et al. 2022</small>
• Genus †Piesbergptera <small>Rosová et al. 2022</small>

• Family †Protohymenidae <small>Tillyard 1924</small>
• Genus †Arroyohymen <small>Prokop and Kukalová-Peck 2017</small>
• Genus †Carbohymen <small>Pecharová and Prokop 2018</small>
• Genus †Ivahymen <small>Martynov 1932</small>
• Genus †Permohymen <small>Tillyard 1924</small>
• Genus †Protohymen <small>Tillyard 1924</small>

• Family †Scytohymenidae <small>Martynov 1937</small>
• Genus †Karoohymen <small>Riek 1976</small>
• Genus †Oceanoptera <small>Shcherbakov 2009</small>
• Genus †Scytohymen <small>Martynov 1937</small>
• Genus †Tshekardohymen <small>Rohdendorf 1940</small>

• Family †Sphecopteridae <small>Carpenter 1951</small>
• Genus †Cyclocelis <small>Brongniart 1894</small>
• Genus †Sphecoptera <small>Brongniart 1894</small>

• Family †Sphecorydaloididae <small>Pinto 1994</small>
• Genus †Sphecorydaloides <small>Pinto 1994</small>

• Family †Vorkutiidae <small>Rohdendorf 1947</small>
• Genus †Fragmohymen <small>Novokshonov 1995</small>
• Genus †Siberiohymen <small>Rohdendorf 1961</small>
• Genus †Vorkutia <small>Rohdendorf 1947</small>

• Family †Xenopteraidae <small>Pinto 1986</small>
• Genus †Sinitshenkovae <small>Nel et al. 2019</small>
• Genus †Xenoptera <small>Pinto 1986</small>

Unattributed to a family

• Genus †Adiaphtharsia <small>Handlirsch 1906</small>

• Genus †Lameereites <small>Handlirsch 1911</small>

References

Sources

Palaeos.com