拟态是一种生物模拟另一种生物或环境中的其它物体从而使自身获得好处的现象,是昆虫在进化过程中特化出的一种极为重要和有效的防御策略。脉翅目昆虫是一类完全变态性昆虫,在其超过2.7亿年的演化历史中,出现了形态多样的翅斑。美翼蛉属BellinymphaWang,Ren,Liu,Shih&Engel,2010是脉翅目溪蛉科丽翼蛉亚科的一个绝灭属,发现于中国内蒙古道虎沟地区中侏罗世九龙山组地层。该属的发现代表了迄今报道的最古老的叶状拟态现象,也是唯一报道的昆虫模拟裸子植物或蕨类植物叶片。本文简要概述了脉翅目昆虫研究概况,总结了中生代脉翅目翅斑的多样性,对美翼蛉属进行了描述,并对其叶状拟态及其生物学意义进行了探讨。
Mimicry, the means by which an animal resembles another animal or object in order to mislead its natural enemies, is one of the most important and effective defensive strategies. The Neuroptera are an order of holometabolous insects with a diverse range of wing marking patterns in their over 270 million year history. Bellinympha Wang, Ren, Liu, Shih & Engel, 2010 is an extinct genus assigned to the Saucrosmylinae (Neuroptera, Osmylidae). Fossils of this genus date from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation in China. This genus represents the most ancient pinnate leaf mimesis so far discovered and the only documented example of insects mimicking the leaves of gymnosperm plants. We here review progress in research on the Neuroptera and summarize the diverse wing markings of Mesozoic lacewings. Bellinympha is reviewed and the biological significance of pinnate leaf mimesis is discussed.