Ascalaphinae

Ascalaphinae is the type subfamily of the neuropteran owlfly family Ascalaphidae. Most species are found in the tropics. Their characteristic apomorphy is the ridge which divides each of their large compound eyes; they are thus sometimes known as split-eyed owlflies.

Ascalaphinae
Suhpalacsa subtrahens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Neuroptera
Family: Ascalaphidae
Subfamily: Ascalaphinae
Genera

Several, see text

Like the other owlflies, they are insectivores. Imagines are cumbersome fliers and lack the strong mouthparts of dragonflies (which owlflies resemble at first glance, despite being not at all closely related insects) or other decidedly predatory insects, they are restricted to small and defenseless prey. The larvae on the other hand resemble antlions in appearance and habits and are voracious ambush predators, able to tackle prey like ants that will not be eaten without a struggle.

The split-eyed owlflies form one of the two main lineages of living Ascalaphidae, the other being the Haplogleniinae which have unsplit eyes like their ancestors. The first fossil record of the Ascalaphinae dates to the Miocene, and the subfamily thus probably evolved in the latter half or towards the end of the Paleogene.[1]

Selected genera
Ascalaphus sinister male
Glyptobasis sp. male

Footnotes
  1. See references in Haaramo (2008)


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