Investigating species relationships within the Myrmeleontini (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) using male terminalic morphology

With over 200 species and a worldwide distribution the Myrmeleontini is one of the most diverse and well-known tribes of antlions (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae). Members of this tribe are well-known for the extraordinary pit-building behaviors of their larval stages. However, although the group has been documented in the literature for centuries, the relationships among most of its species remain unclear. Recent phylogenetic studies have convincingly demonstrated that the largest genus of the tribe, Myrmeleon, is highly paraphyletic, with multiple other smaller genera interspersed within it. A robust phylogenetic analysis with broad, transcontinental, taxon sampling is needed to identify monophyletic groups within Myrmeleon in order to support a general reclassification of the tribe into a set of monophyletic subtaxa, and to support more detailed investigations of its fascinating pit-building behaviors. Preliminary studies have revealed that most continental Myrmeleon faunas can be divided into groups of apparently closely-related species on the basis of male terminalic traits. We present preliminary investigations into the highly diverse morphologies of the male terminalia of selected Myrmeleon species from around the world, and assess their potential for identifying monophyletic groups within the genus at intra- and intercontinental scales