Chasmoptera Explained

Chasmoptera is a genus in the Nemopteridae (the spoonwing family of insects). The genus, which consists of three species, is wholly confined to Western Australia.[1]

The genus was first described by William Forsell Kirby in 1900,[1] [2] and the type species is Chasmoptera huttii.[1]

A key feature of Chasmoptera is the "elaborate extended hindwings, with apical dilations arranged in a “ribbon” or “spoon” shape".

Description

Kirby describes the genus as follows (but only lists the one species, Chasmoptera huttii): Later work uses both wing and genital morphology to distinguish both species and genera.

Species

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Australian Faunal Directory: Chasmoptera. live. 2021-12-03. biodiversity.org.au. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20211203042912/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/Chasmoptera . 3 December 2021 .
  2. 456-464 [462]. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15629919.