SYSTEMATICS OF NORTH AMERICAN CHRYSOPID LARVAE: CHRYSOPA CARNEA GROUP (NEUROPTERA)

Abstract

Larvae of the family Chrysopidae possess characteristics useful in classification at the species, genus, and subfamily levels. This study, which initiates a comprehensive analysis of chrysopid larval systematics, describes the important external characteristics of the family and discusses those features which vary between taxa within the family.The carnea- group of the Chrysopa, subgenus Chrysoperla, includes six described North American species, most of which are important in pest management. This paper defines the series of characters unique to the larvae of this taxon, presents a key to all larval instars of the six species, and describes the three larval instars of each species, most of which were previously undescribed.