PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 90(1). 1988. pp. 55-61 A REVIEW OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC GENUS AUSTROMEGALOMUS ESBEN-PETERSEN (NEUROPTERA: HEMEROBIIDAE) WITH A DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES FROM RAPA John D. Oswald Department of Entomology. Comstock Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-0999. Abstract.— The hemerobiid genus Austromegalonnts Esben-Petersen is reviewed. Aus-troniegaloDius and its type species A. brunncus are redescribed and A. insiilaniis is de-scribed as new. Figures, known distributions and a key to the two recognized species are provided. Several shared characters of the male ectoprocts, mediuncus and parameres suggest that the genera Austromcgalonius, Coiichopterella and Drepanacra are closely related. The genus Aiistromegalomiis Esben-Pe-tersen, 1935, was proposed to accommo-date the single species A. brunneus Esben-Petersen which was described in the same paper from three male specimens collected on the South Pacific island of Tahiti. Until now no additional specimens or species of Aiistromegalomiis have been recorded in the literature. In this paper Aiistromegalomiis iiisiilaniis is described as new, from 20 spec-imens collected on the island of Rapa lo-cated approximately 1 200 km (750 mi.) SSE of Tahiti, and the genus Aiistromegalomiis and the male of .1. brunneus are redescribed. As with many early hemerobiid descrip-tions, the original descriptions of Aiistro-megalomiis and A. brunneus are based al-most entirely upon venational characters. Aiistromegalomiis insulanus is shown here to exhibit a wide range of intraspecific vari-ation in a variety of forewing venational traits and venation is judged inadequate to confidently separate the two species. The descriptions presented here emphasize characters of the male genitalia. Intraindividual, as well as interindividu-al, variation in venational characters is common in Austromegalomus. In tabulat-ing the variability of several forewing ve-national traits, both forewings of each in-dividual were scored for each trait. Estimates of mean forewing length were based on mea-surements of a single forewing of each spec-imen. Consequently, the sample sizes given in the species descriptions for venational traits are twice those given for estimates of mean forewing lengths. Austromegalomus Esben-Petersen Aiistromegalomiis Esben-Petersen, 1935: 139. Type species: Austromegalomus brunneus Esben-Petersen, 1935: 140, by original designation. Diagnosis.— //f'aa'.' Temporal sutures well developed, marked internally by prominent costae; epicranial suture absent; labial palp three segmented, distal segment longest and with an apical subsegment, palpimacula present; maxillary palp five segmented, dis-tal segment longest and with an apical sub-segment. Forewing: Length 5-9 mm. hind margin rounded, apex broadly pointed; costal area
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