The Sisyridae Handlirsch, 1908, constitute a small Neuropterida family of about sixty worldwide distributed species (Monserrat, 1977, 1981; Rausch & Weißmair, 2007). Adults of Sisyridae are most often dull-coloured. They are morphologically well characterized by no true gradate transversal veins and few cross veins in the forewing, except in distal part of the costal area. Most of the costal cross veins are not forked; Sc is curved distally, confluing to R1

with which it fuses near the wing tip (fig. 1). The spongillaflies live near streams, ponds and lakes,

and their larvae are aquatic, predating on freshwater sponges by means of their conspicuous

very elongate, flexible, threadlike, thin sucking jaws (fig. 2).

Five genera are registered: the cosmopolitan Sisyra Burmeister, 1839, Climacia McLachlan,

1869, whose eleven species (all?) are confined to the New World; Sisyrella Banks, 1913, Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, 120 (1), 2015 : 19-24.

Fig. 1-2. – Sisyra. – 1, Forewing of Sisyra terminalis (after www. diptera. info/ forum). – 2, Larva of Sisyra sp. (after www. landcareresearch. co. nz).