Diaphanopterodea

Diaphanopterodea; Temporal range: Late Carboniferous to Late Permian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Superorder:	†Palaeodictyopteroidea
Order:	†Diaphanopterodea; Handlirsch, 1919
Families
	Rohdendorf, 1961; Prokop & Nel, 2011; Tillyard, 1924; Zalessky, 1937; Zalessky, 1937; Handlirsch, 1906; Tillyard, 1937; Tillyard, 1932; Kukalova-Peck & Brauckmann, 1990; Rohdendorf, 1962; Handlirsch, 1911; Pinto & Adami-Rodrigues, 1997;

The Diaphanopterodea or Paramegasecoptera are an extinct order of moderate to large-sized Palaeozoic insects. They are first known from the Middle Carboniferous (late Serpukhovian or early Bashkirian in age), and include some of the earliest known flying insects.

Overview[]

Despite their very early appearance in the insect fossil record, they represent a specialised group of Palaeodictyopteroidea (Palaeozoic beaked insects), unique among representatives of that group in having evolved the ability to fold their wings over their thorax and abdomen in a manner similar to, but not homologous with, the Neopteran insects. The nymphs also had an unusual appearance, being covered in numerous hairlike filaments.^[1]

Diaphanopterodea are distinguished by a number of other characteristics, and are generally considered to be a monophyletic group. About ten families are known. The group died out at the end of the Permian period, victims of the End-Permian mass-extinction, without leaving any descendants.

References[]

^ Hoell, H.V.; Doyen, J.T. & Purcell, A.H. (1998). Introduction to Insect Biology and Diversity (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 322. ISBN 0-19-510033-6.

Carpenter, F. M. 1992. Superclass Hexapoda. Volume 3 of Part R, Arthropoda 4; Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America.
Grimaldi, David & Engel, Michael S. (2005-05-16). Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-82149-5.

External links[]

Diaphanopterodea at the Tree of Life project (list of taxa)

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[IIBD-1] Hoell, H.V.; Doyen, J.T. & Purcell, A.H. (1998). Introduction to Insect Biology and Diversity (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 322. ISBN 0-19-510033-6.

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