antlions, Latreille, 1802

Petersen, Nicholas Hüsig, Nielsen, Ole Fogh & Vilhelmsen, Lars, 2022, Presence of populations of antlions (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) in Denmark correlates with presence of aeolian sand, Journal of Natural History 55 (45 - 46), pp. 2831-2847 : 2835-2836

Keys to identification of antlions in Denmark

Adults:

1. Wings with dark spots ( Figures 1 (c) and 2).................................................. Euroleon nostras

- Wings without dark spots ( Figure 3 (a,c))..................................................................................... 2 2. Pronotum with large, bright spots ( Figure 3 (b)). Length of forewings> 35 mm. Eltringsham’s organ in males absent.................................................. Myrmeleon formicarius

- Pronotum with small, bright spots. Length of forewings <35 mm. Males with Eltringham’s organ at base of hindwings ( Figure 3 (d))............................ Myrmeleon bore

Larvae (Figure references to Friheden 1973 [F73]; Badano and Pantaleoni 2014 [BL14]):

1. Labial palp with three segments (F73, fig. 3). Freshly collected larva (BL14, fig. 29) greyish to pale brown. Ventral side of the head with a pair of median dark spots. No spots on the lower half of the ventral side of the head. Hind legs without dark spots on coxa and femur..... ....................................................................................... Myrmeleon bore

- Labial palp with four segments (F73, figs 2, 4, 5, 6) ............................................................... 2

2. Mandibles with dolichasters (see below) between base and first tooth (F73, fig. 7). Distal half of 8th abdominal sternite with several short, black spines, without setae (F73, fig. 13; BL14, fig. 6C). Freshly collected larva (BL14, fig. 26) dark brown. Hind legs with two dark spots, one on coxa and one on femur................ ................................................................................................................ Myrmeleon formicarius

- Mandibles without dolichasters between base and first tooth (F73, fig.). The distal half of 8th abdominal sternite with a few black spines and numerous bristles (F73, fig. 15; BL14, fig. 6I). Freshly collected larva reddish brown. Several oval and elongated dark spots on the ventral side of the head, both on the upper and lower half. Hind legs without dark spots on coxa and femur.......................................................... Euroleon nostras

Figures

Figure 1. Euroleon nostras (Geoffroy in Fourcroy, 1785),collected in the summer 2020 on Bornholm. a). Pupa. b). Larva. c). Adult. Not to scale. Live images by Line Kraemer/Bugdex.

Figure 3. Myrmeleon spp., adults (NHMD). Scales = 1 cm. a, b). Myrmeleon formicarius (Linnaeus, 1767). c, d). Myrmeleon bore (Tjeder, 1941), male. Red arrow = bright spot on pronotum. Green arrow = Eltringham’s organ.