The pleasing lacewings (Neuroptera: Dilaridae) of Africa: systematics, new distribution records, and biogeographical implications on the Old World fauna of the family

Abstract Dilaridae is a distinctive Neuroptera family with remarkable characters, such as sexually dimorphic antennae and the elongated ovipositor. This family comprises four genera and 115 so far described species, ranging across main zoogeographical realms except the Australian one. Due to limited dispersal capacity, dilarid species are often distributed in a relatively narrow area. Despite inhabiting diverse ecosystems, only two dilarid species have been known from Africa so far: one from northern Africa (western Palearctic realm) and one from southern Africa (Afrotropical realm). In this study, we provide re-descriptions and illustrations of the two African dilarid species, i.e., Dilar bolivari Navás, 1903, and Neonallachius krooni (Minter, 1986), with the first record of N. krooni from northern East-Africa. Additionally, we summarized all the records of the three genera of Dilaridae from the Old World and present the distribution map. Furthermore, we discuss the historical biogeography of the family.