Scorpionflies, hangingflies

Code QK999999

See Key to Families of Australian Aquatic Coleoptera and Mecoptera Larvae

The Mecoptera is an order of about 500 known species in 9 families. Holometabolous; adults with elongate hypognathous rostrum. Larvae with heavily sclerotised head capsule; mandibulate, with compound eyes; thoracic segments about equal; short thoracic legs with fused tibia and tarsus and single claw; prolegs usually on abdominal segments 1-8, terminal segment (10) either with paired hooks or a suction disk. Pupa immobile, exarate and mandibulate. Larvae are aquatic (lotic, cool temperate) only in the Gondwanan family Nannochoristidae (Code QK019999) .