Megasecoptera is a Paleozoic insect order. There are 22 known families of megasecopterans, with about 35 known genera.
Overview Like all other paleodictyopteroids, the megasecopterans had sucking mouthparts. The suctorial mouth parts were probably used to pierce plant casings and extract high-quality plant materials, such as spores and pollen.
Unlike some earlier insects, megasecopterans bore two pairs of wings, which were nearly of the same size. The wings probably were held horizontally, as in dragonflies (Odonata, Anisoptera). The wing bases tend to be very slender and petiolated, as in damselflies (Odonata, Zygoptera). The body was usually long and thin, although the genus Protohymen was rather stouter and shorter than a typical megasecopteran. Another distinctive feature was the presence of a number of fine processes projecting from the body, which in some cases could be longer than the body itself, forming long fringes on the insect's underside.
During their relatively brief period of existence, the Megasecoptera were rather successful. It has been estimated that this insect order accounted for 50% of the insect biomass in some locations, but the available evidence might be misleading..
Taxonomy The following taxa are recognized as being included in the order Megasecoptera:
Suborder †Eumegasecopterahide Family †Aykhalidae Sinitshenkova 1993 Genus †Aykhal Sinitshenkova 1993 Genus †Namuroptera Pecharová et al. 2015 Genus †Sinopalaeopteryx Pecharová et al. 2015 Family †Brodiopteridae Carpenter 1963 Genus †Brodioptera Copeland 1957
Unattributed to a suborder
Family †Alectoneuridae Kukalová-Peck 1975 Genus †Alectoneura Kukalová-Peck 1975
Family †Anchineuridae Carpenter 1963 Genus †Anchineura Carpenter 1963
Family †Ancopteridae Kukalová-Peck 1975 Genus †Agaeoleptoptera Beckemeyer and Engel 2011 Genus †Ancoptera Kukalová-Peck 1975
Family †Arcioneuridae Kukalová-Peck 1975 Genus †Anconeura Kukalová-Peck 1975 Genus †Arcioneura Kukalová-Peck 1975
Family †Aspidohymenidae Martynov 1930 Genus †Aspidohymen Martynov 1930
Family †Aspidothoracidae Handlirsch 1919 Genus †Aspidothorax Brongniart 1894
Family †Bardohymenidae Zalessky 1937 Genus †Actinohymen Carpenter 1962 Genus †Alexahymen Kukalová-Peck 1972 Genus †Anthohymen Hong 1985 Genus †Bardohymen Zalessky 1937 Genus †Calohymen Carpenter 1947 Genus †Microhymen Yang et al. 2023 Genus †Paleohymen Hong 1985 Genus †Sinohymen Hong 1985 Genus †Sunohymen Hong 1985 Genus †Sylvohymen Martynov 1940 Genus †Taigahymen Sinitshenkova 2019
Family †Brodiidae Handlirsch 1906 Genus †Brodia Scudder 1881 Genus †Eubrodia Carpenter 1967 Genus †Piesbergbrodia Pecharová et al. 2020
Family †Caulopteridae Kukalová-Peck 1975 Genus †Cauloptera Kukalová-Peck 1975
Family †Corydaloididae Handlirsch 1906 Genus †Corydaloides Brongniart 1885
Family †Dictyoneurellidae Kukalová-Peck 1975 Genus †Dictyoneurella Laurentiaux 1949
Family †Engisopteridae Kukalová-Peck 1975 Genus †Engisoptera Kukalová-Peck 1975
Family †Foririidae Handlirsch 1919 Genus †Foriria Meunier 1908
Family †Ischnoptilidae Carpenter 1951 Genus †Ischnoptilus Brongniart 1894
Family †Mischopteridae Handlirsch 1906 Genus †Mischoptera Brongniart 1894 Genus †Psilothorax Brongniart 1894
Family †Moravohymenidae Kukalová-Peck 1972 Genus †Issadohymen Sinitshenkova and Aristov 2013 Genus †Moravohymen Kukalová-Peck 1972
Family †Piesbergpteridae Rosová et al. 2022 Genus †Piesbergptera Rosová et al. 2022
Family †Protohymenidae Tillyard 1924 Genus †Arroyohymen Prokop and Kukalová-Peck 2017 Genus †Carbohymen Pecharová and Prokop 2018 Genus †Ivahymen Martynov 1932 Genus †Permohymen Tillyard 1924 Genus †Protohymen Tillyard 1924
Family †Scytohymenidae Martynov 1937 Genus †Karoohymen Riek 1976 Genus †Oceanoptera Shcherbakov 2009 Genus †Scytohymen Martynov 1937 Genus †Tshekardohymen Rohdendorf 1940
Family †Sphecopteridae Carpenter 1951 Genus †Cyclocelis Brongniart 1894 Genus †Sphecoptera Brongniart 1894
Family †Sphecorydaloididae Pinto 1994 Genus †Sphecorydaloides Pinto 1994
Family †Vorkutiidae Rohdendorf 1947 Genus †Fragmohymen Novokshonov 1995 Genus †Siberiohymen Rohdendorf 1961 Genus †Vorkutia Rohdendorf 1947
Family †Xenopteraidae Pinto 1986 Genus †Sinitshenkovae Nel et al. 2019 Genus †Xenoptera Pinto 1986
Unattributed to a family
Genus †Adiaphtharsia Handlirsch 1906
Genus †Lameereites Handlirsch 1911
References
Sources Palaeos.com