taxonID	type	description	language	source
03A55E298A36FFD637B817497D9AFE56.taxon	type_taxon	Type genus: Nemoptera Latreille, 1802.	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A36FFD637B817497D9AFE56.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Forewing basally wide (not narrow); at least five presectoral crossviens present. Hindwing spoon- or ribbonlike, distal part dilated in some species; vein M present. Male gonocoxites 9 posteriorly fused into a single lobe.	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A36FFD637B817497D9AFE56.taxon	discussion	Remarks: Based on the phylogeny herein reconstructed, the subfamily Nemopterinae can be divided into two monophyletic groups, i. e. the long-abdomen (LA) group and the shortabdomen (SA) group. The LA group can be distinguished by the abdomen longer than the head plus thorax, the male gonocoxites 9 anteriorly not protruding ventrad in lateral view, and the male gonostyli 11 laterally protruding as a pair of processes. Notably, the LA group includes two genera that lack a specialized rostrum (Derhynchia and Stenorrhachus), and the female of Stenorrhachus walkeri (McLachlan, 1885) has the forewing reduced into a stub. The LA group is widely distributed in arid and warm areas. The SA group can be distinguished by the abdomen nearly as long as the head plus thorax at most, the male gonocoxites 9 anteriorly protruded ventrad in lateral view, and the male gonostyli 11 fused as a single linguiform structure. Some genera of the SA group (Afroptera, Knersvlaktia, Nemopterella, Palmipenna, and Siccanda) are equipped with pleuritocavae on abdominal segment 5, which function for releasing pheromones (Tjeder 1967). The SA group is endemic to the continent of southern Africa but always in arid areas. The two Oligocene fossil genera, † Marquettia and † Paleonemia, might belong to the LA group because of their long abdomen, although we could not test their phylogenetic positions further owing to lack of sufficient morphological characters preserved in these fossils. Besides, the North American † M. americana seems to be closer to the Australian Chasmoptera rather than Sicyoptera, as mentioned by Sole et al. (2013) based on the dark body, the relatively small eyes, the forewing only with two anal veins, the doubled hindwing dilations, and the male ectoproct possibly with elongate posterior lobe.	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A34FFD6365115CF7BDAFBB8.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: D 68 EE 67 D-F 1 E 6 - 4826 - 9 BE 5 - 4 DA 9 ECBE 7 B 47	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A34FFD6365115CF7BDAFBB8.taxon	type_taxon	Type species: Nemopistha sinica Yang, 1986.	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A34FFD6365115CF7BDAFBB8.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Body brown and pale yellow. Head hairless; diameter of male eye nearly equal to head width; clypeus nearly as long as frons; antenna longer than half length of forewing; scape and pedicel hairless; flagellum with a few short setae. Pronotum laterally with some black setae; meso- and metathorax with some short coniform setae. Forewing mostly hyaline; subcostal area pale yellow; basal five mediocubital crossveins each suffused with a brown marking; first cup-a 1 crossvein suffused with a marking; RP originating from midlength of forewing. Hindwing basal c-sc and m-av crossveins each suffused with a brown marking; medially with a brown marking; distal part weakly dilated nearly at distal one-third, with a dark brown marking; apical part hyaline. Abdomen long, nearly twice as long as head plus thorax, male abdominal segments 3 – 8 each ≥ 1.5 times as long as wide. Male sternum 9 bifurcated on distal half and with slender setae; triangular in lateral view; twice as long as ectoproct. Male posterior gonocoxites 9 widely falcate in lateral view, distal part rounded in caudal view; gonostyli 11 shaped as a pair of upcurved short structures, gonocoxites 11 medially with a small process between gonostyli 11.	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A34FFD6365115CF7BDAFBB8.taxon	etymology	Etymology: The generic epithet is a combination of the Latin ‘ Sina ’ (China) and ‘ Nemoptera ’ (the type genus of Nemopteridae), in reference to the occurrence of the new genus only in China.	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A34FFD6365115CF7BDAFBB8.taxon	distribution	Distribution: China.	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A34FFD6365115CF7BDAFBB8.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology: The two species of Sinonemoptera inhabit the Nujiang dry hot river valley in northwestern Yunnan and southeast Tibet. The adult emergence period ranges approximately from April to July. The plants that the adults visit for pollen-feeding and the larval biology are completely unknown. Both species are nocturnal, and the diurnal windy, dry, and hot river valley areas might limit their daytime activity. We observed that this genus was active at night, when the river valleys are relatively not windy.	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A34FFD6365115CF7BDAFBB8.taxon	discussion	Remarks: Based on our careful re-examination and comparison between all African Nemopistha species [including the holotypeandadditionalspecimensofthegenustype Nemopistha imperatrix (Westwood, 1867)] and Nemopistha sinica, we consider that the latter species should not be placed in Nemopistha. In Nemopistha sinica, the markings on the mediocubital area are present only on the basal five crossveins, the hindwing is dilated nearly at the distal one-third, the apical part of the hindwing is slender, and the distal half of male sternum 9 is bifurcated; in the African Nemopistha species, the markings on the mediocubital area are present on at least seven crossveins, the hindwing is dilated nearly at the distal one-quarter, the apical part of the hindwing is wider, and the distal half of male sternum 9 is not bifurcated with the distal margin protruded. In addition, Nemopistha is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa except for Nemopistha sinica, which is restricted to the dry and hot river valley of the Nujiang River in southwestern China. Hence, we establish a new genus, Sinonemoptera gen. nov., and transfer Nemopistha sinica to this new genus as the type species, i. e. Sin. sinica comb. nov.	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A34FFD734DB10797C66FD82.taxon	description	(Figs 1 A, 2 A, C, E, F, 3 A – D, 4 A – E, 5 f, k, 6 C, D, I, 9, 10 F; Supporting Information, Fig. S 1)	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A34FFD734DB10797C66FD82.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Vertex dark brown, frons and rostrum pale brown; antenna three-quarters of length of forewing; rostrum nearly as long as head width. Pronotum laterally with some long setae. Mesoprescutum generally dark brown, lateral margin with some black setae; mesonotum mostly dark brown; mesoscutellum pale brown on posterior margin, with some coniform setae; metanotum medially pale brown and laterally dark brown. Hindwing medially with a dark brown marking; distal part slightly dilated, concave on fused point of Sc and RA, with a dark brown marking, dilated part with subcostal and radial space dark brown. Male tergum 8 elongate in lateral view; sternum 9 distally black. Male posterior gonocoxites 9 distally sclerotized in lateral view, relatively slender in caudal view; gonostyli 11 subtriangular in dorsal view; gonapophyses 11 truncate on posterior margin.	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A34FFD734DB10797C66FD82.taxon	description	Redescription Size: Head width, 1.82 – 1.93 mm; forewing length, 26.01 – 26.53 mm; hindwing length, 58.12 – 60.03 mm. Head: Vertex slightly raised, dark brown. Antenna three-quarters of length of forewing; scape and pedicel ventrally pale brown, dorsally dark brown; flagellomeres each generally dark brown, distally pale brown. Frons pale brown; anterior tentorial pit dark brown. Gena length nearly two-thirds of head width. Clypeus pale brown. Labrum pale brown to brown, distal margin truncate. Cardo pale brown, with some short setae. Stipe pale brown, distally with some long black setae. Maxillary palpus pale brown on palpomere 1, other palpomeres dark; labial palpus generally dark. Mandibles pale brown, elongate. Rostrum nearly as long as head width (Fig. 2 A, C). Thorax: Pronotum twice as long as wide, laterally with some long black setae; mostly dark brown, medially and laterally pale brown. Mesoprescutum generally dark brown, lateral margin with many black setae, other part with many short coniform setae; mesonotum mostly dark brown; mesoscutellum mostly dark brown, posterior margin pale brown. Metanotum bald, medially pale brown and laterally dark brown (Fig. 2 C). Meso- and metapleurae generally pale brown. Ventral part of thorax with some short, pale brown setae. Legs: Slender, pale brown. Coxa with a dark brown marking; femur and tibia each with a pair of longitudinal dark brown stripes; tibial spurs short coniform; tarsomeres 2 – 4 with some stout setae ventrally; claws dark brown, slightly curved. Wings: Forewing mostly hyaline, apex rounded. Pterostigma pale. Costal crossveins not forked; basal costal crossveins suffused with dark markings; subcostal area pale yellow; 15 – 16 presectoral crossveins present; RP with six to seven branches; basal five mediocubital crossveins each suffuses with a brown marking; first cup-a 1 crossvein suffused with a marking (Figs 1 A, 2 E; Supporting Information, Fig. S 1). Hindwing slender, nearly three times as long as forewing; basally generally hyaline; basal c-sc and m-av crossveins each suffused with a brown marking; medially with a dark brown marking; pterostigma distinct, pale; distal part slightly dilated, concave near fusion of Sc and RA, with a dark brown marking; dilated part with subcostal and radial space dark brown; apical part hyaline (Figs 1 A, 2 F, 7 I; Supporting Information, Fig. S 1). Abdomen: Dark brown; long, nearly twice as long as head plus thorax; male abdominal segments 3 – 8 each distally pale brown, longer than two-thirds width. Male genitalia: Tergum 8 elongate in lateral view; sternum 9 bifurcated on distal half and with slender setae, distally black; subtriangular in lateral view (Fig. 3 C, D). Anterior gonocoxites 9 slender, slightly curved in lateral view; posterior gonocoxites 9 widely falcate, distally sclerotized in lateral view, slender and distally rounded in caudal view. Gonocoxites 11 widely arched, medially with a small process between gonostyli 11; anterior membranous part of gonocoxites 11 with some long setae; gonostyli 11 shaped as a pair of upcurved short processes, subtriangular in dorsal view. Gonapophyses 11 nearly rectangular, posterior margin truncate in cephalic view; lateral membranous part of gonapophyses 11 with some long setae (Fig. 4 A – E). Ectoproct subtriangular in lateral view, distal margin rounded, with some long setae (Fig. 3 A). Female genitalia: Gonocoxites 9 with many short setae, rounded in lateral view. Ectoproct semicircular in lateral view, distal margin rounded, with some short setae (Zhou and Zhu 1992).	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A34FFD734DB10797C66FD82.taxon	materials_examined	Type material: Holotype ♂ [terminalia lost], CHINA: Yunnan, Nujiang, Lushui, Manyun agricultural science station, 880 m, 27 April 1980 (CAU). Additional material examined: Two ♂, CHINA: Yunnan, Baoshan, Longyang District, Mangkuan Township, 750 m, 15 May 2021 (CAU).	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A34FFD734DB10797C66FD82.taxon	distribution	Distribution: China (Yunnan).	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A35FFD934F4161C79EBF93D.taxon	description	(Figs 1 B, 2 B, D, G, H, 3 E – H, 5 f – j, 7 E) urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: D 61 D 45 A 8 - 6449 - 4 FD 6 - 828 C- 2664 BD 6 F 640 E Diagnosis: Head generally pale brown; antenna two-thirds of length of forewing; rostrum nearly as long as half of head width. Pronotum laterally with some short setae. Mesoprescutum, mesonotum, and mesoscutellum medially pale brown and laterally dark brown; mesoscutellum laterally with a few short setae; mesonotum with a few short coniform setae; mesoscutellum naked, posterior margin pale brown. Metanotum generally pale brown. Hindwing medially with an indistinct brown marking; distal part hardly dilated, with a brown marking, dilated part with subcostal and radial space hyaline. Male tergum 8 short in lateral view; sternum 9 distally pale brown. Male posterior gonocoxites 9 distally membranous in lateral view; gonostyli 11 digitiform in dorsal view. Gonapophyses 11 rounded on posterior margin. Redescription Size: Head width, 2.18 – 2.34 mm; forewing length, 14.18 – 15.12 mm; hindwing length, 34.77 – 35.79 mm. Head: Head generally pale brown. Vertex slightly raised, pale brown. Antenna two-thirds of length of forewing; scape and pedicel ventrally pale brown, dorsally dark brown; flagellum generally brown. Frons pale brown; anterior tentorial pit pale brown. Gena length nearly half of head width. Clypeus pale brown. Labrum pale brown to brown, distal margin truncate. Cardo pale brown, with some short setae. Stipe pale brown, distally with some long black setae. Maxillary palpus pale brown; labial palpus generally brown. Mandibles pale brown, elongate. Rostrum nearly as long as half of head width (Fig. 2 B, D). Thorax: Pronotum 0.5 times as long as wide, laterally with some short black setae; mostly dark brown, medially and laterally pale brown. Mesoprescutum, mesonotum, and mesoscutellum medially pale brown and laterally dark brown; mesoscutellum laterally with a few short setae; mesonotum with a few short coniform setae; mesoscutellum naked, posterior margin pale brown. Metanotum bald, generally pale brown (Fig. 2 D). Meso- and metapleurae generally pale brown. Ventral thoracic setae sparce. Legs: Slender, pale brown. Coxa pale brown, without marking; femur and tibia each with a pair of longitudinal brown stripes; tibial spurs short coniform; tarsomeres 2 – 4 with some stout setae ventrally; claws dark brown, slightly curved. Wings: Forewing mostly hyaline, apex rounded. Pterostigma pale. Costal crossveins not forked; basal costal crossveins suffused with dark markings; subcostal area pale yellow; 13 – 14 presectoral crossveins present; RP with five branches; basal five mediocubital crossveins each suffused with a brown marking; first cup-a 1 crossvein suffused with a marking (Figs 1 B, 2 G). Hindwing slender, nearly thrice as long as forewing; basally generally hyaline; basal c-sc and m-av crossveins each suffused with a brown marking; medially with an indistinct brown marking; pterostigma distinct, pale; distal part hardly dilated, with a brown marking, dilated part of sc-r and r-m cells hyaline; apical part hyaline (Figs 1 B, 2 H). Abdomen: Dark brown; long, nearly twice as long as head plus thorax; male abdominal segments 3 – 8 each distally pale brown, longer than two-thirds width. Male genitalia: Tergum 8 short in lateral view; sternum 9 bifurcated on distal half and with slender setae, distally pale brown; subtriangular in lateral view (Fig. 3 E – H). Anterior gonocoxites 9 slender, not curved in lateral view; posterior gonocoxites 9 widely falcate, distally membranous in lateral view, wide and distally rounded in caudal view. Gonocoxites 11 narrowly arched, medially with a small prominence between the paired gonostyli 11; anterior membranous part of gonocoxites 11 with some long setae; gonostyli 11 shaped as a pair of upcurved short processes, digitiform in dorsal view. Gonapophyses 11 weakly sclerotized, nearly rectangular, posterior margin rounded in cephalic view; lateral membranous part of gonapophyses 11 with some long setae (Fig. 4 F – J). Ectoproct ovoid in lateral view, distal margin with some long setae (Fig. 3 E).	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A35FFD934F4161C79EBF93D.taxon	description	Type material: Holotype ♂, CHINA: Tibet, Nyingchi, Zayu County, Cawarong Township, 1800 – 1950 m, 1 June 2021, Hong Liu & Yuchen Zhao (IZCAS). Paratypes 31 ♂: 1 ♂, same information as holotype (IZCAS); 2 ♂, same locality as holotype, 11 July 2022, Hongbin Liang (IZCAS); 28 ♂, same locality as holotype, 28 – 29 June 2023, Yuchen Zheng & Baozhi Ge (CAU).	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
03A55E298A35FFD934F4161C79EBF93D.taxon	description	Distribution: China (Tibet). Remarks: This new species can be distinguished readily from Sin. sinica by the relatively prominent eyes, the head generally pale brown, the rostrum relatively short (nearly equal to half of head width), the thorax medially pale brown in dorsal view, the hindwing distal part hardly dilated, the male tergum 8 short, the male distal sternum 9 pale brown, the male posterior gonocoxites 9 distally membranous in lateral view and wide in caudal view, the male gonostyli 11 digitiform in dorsal view, and the male gonapophyses 11 rounded on the posterior margin. This new species is restricted to the Nujiang dry and hot river valley of Zayu section from Tibet, with medium elevation (1800 m), whereas Sin. sinica comb. nov. is restricted to the Nujiang dry and hot river valley of Baoshan to Lushui section from Yunnan, with lower elevation (750 – 880 m).	en	Zheng, Yuchen, Liu, Xingyue (2025): A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203: 1-23, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026
