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The southern African genera Nemopterella Banks, 1910 and Nemia Navás, 1915 (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) are revised. Nemopterella is split into three genera: Nemopterella sensu stricto with type species Nemopteryx africana Leach, 1815 (= Nemopterella africana), Afroptera gen. nov., with type species Nemopterella munroi Tjeder, 1967, and the monotypic genus Siccanda gen. nov., with type species Nemopterella arenaria Tjeder, 1967. Eight new species are described in Afroptera gen. nov.: A. acuta Abdalla Mansell sp. nov., A. alba Mansell Abdalla sp. nov., A. brinkmani Abdalla Mansell sp. nov., A. balli Abdalla Mansell sp. nov., A. cylindrata Abdalla Mansell sp. nov., A. folia Abdalla Mansell sp. nov., A. koranna Mansell Abdalla sp. nov., A. maraisi Abdalla Mansell sp. nov., as well as two new species in the genus Nemopterella: N. kabas Mansell Abdalla sp. nov., and N.cedrus Mansell Abdalla sp. nov.

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The southern African species of Syngenes Kolbe, 1897, are revised and compared with their Afrotropical congeners. Three species occur in the region: S. longicornis (Rambur, 1842) and two new species, S. medialis and S. scholtzi, described and illustrated below. A key to the Afrotropical taxa is provided. The larva of S. longicornis is illustrated. The genus is widespread in the Afrotropical Region and extends to the Middle East and Oriental Region. Syngenes species are typically broad-winged antlions, with irregular bifurcate and biaereolate cells between the costa and subcostal veins, which distinguish them from other members of the tribe Acanthaclisini.

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The genus Crambomorphus McLachlan, 1867, is revised. It now comprises six species, four from the western regions of southern Africa and two from Madagascar. Two new species, C. kalaharicus and C. namibicus, are described and illustrated, and a new combination is proposed for Palpares karrooanus Péringuey. Larvae of the two new species are described and illustrated.

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 Afrotropical Psychopsidae Handlirsch are revised based on morphology. Molecular data from a previous study enables updated taxonomy in this revision, and morphology corroborates phylogenetic divergences. The genus Silveira was found to form a lineage separate from Zygophlebiinae based on molecular data and six morphological synapomorphies. In this revision, Silveira is moved to a new subfamily, leaving only Cabralis and Zygophlebius in Zygophlebiinae. Two new species of Cabralis are described. Afrotropical Psychopsidae now comprise ten species, three genera and two subfamilies. A dichotomous key to these taxa is provided, along with a web link to a fully-illustrated and interactive multi-access LUCID v3 key. High resolution images and distribution maps are provided for all species.

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A new species of Pamexis Hagen, Pamexis hantam, from the Calvinia District, Northern Cape Province, South Africa, is described and illustrated. It is the second lichenophilous species to be recorded in the family Myrmeleontidae. A review is provided of its known habitat and behavior. Immature stages are unknown.

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A new species of Solter Navás is described from South Africa, representing the first record of this genus from Africa south of the equator. This is a significant extension to the known distribution range of this predominantly Palaearctic genus. The species  described here is characteristically reddish brown with a banded abdomen, and was recorded at three localities in arid rocky areas in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.

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Nemopteridae are a charismatic family of lacewings characterised by uniquely extended hind wings. They are an ancient widespread group in the drier regions of the world. The family comprises two subfamilies, Crocinae (thread-wings) and Nemopterinae (spoon- and ribbon-wings). The present distribution of the family has been largely influenced by the vicariant events of plate tectonics, resulting in relict populations in some parts of the world and extensive evolutionary radiations in others, particularly southern Africa where the vast majority of the species are endemic to the Western and Northern Cape Provinces of South Africa. This study aimed to establish the validity of the 11 currently recognised genera and infer their biogeographic history using molecular sequence data from four gene regions. The hypothesis that the Cape nemopterines co-evolved with certain taxa in the Cape Floristic Region was also tested. Phylogenetic analysis supports seven of the 11 currently recognised genera. The crown age of the Nemopterinae is estimated to be at ca. 145.6 Mya, indicating that the group has been present since the late Jurassic. Most of the genera appear to have diversified during the middle Eocene and into the middle Miocene (ca. 44-11 Mya) with recent rapid radiation of several of the genera occurring during the late Miocene (ca. 6-4.5 Mya). While these data support an initial radiation with the Rushioideae (Aizoaceae) it is recommended that further study including observations and gut content be carried out.

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The Afrotropical Mantispidae genera have previously been neglected and are poorly known. The genera are revised and redescribed. A new genus Afromantispa Snyman and Ohl is described with Afromantispa tenellacomb. n.as type species. Perlamantispa (Handschin, 1960) is synonymised with Sagittalata Handschin, 1959. The new combinations within the genus include Sagittalata austroafricacomb. n., Sagittalata bequaerticomb. n., Sagittalata dorsaliscomb. n., Sagittalata girardicomb. n., Sagittalata nubilacomb. n.,Sagittalata perlacomb. n.,Sagittalata pusillacomb. n., Sagittalata similatacomb. n., Sagittalata royicomb. n., Sagittalata tinctacomb. n. andSagittalata vasseicomb. n. An illustrated key to the genera Afromantispagen. n., Sagittalata Handschin, 1959, Mantispa Illiger, 1798, Cercomantispa Handschin, 1959, Rectinerva Handschin, 1959, Nampista Navás, 1914, and Pseudoclimaciella Handschin, 1960 is provided. The wing venation of Mantispidae is redescribed. Similarities between the genera are discussed. Subsequent studies will focus on revising the taxonomic status of species, which are not dealt with in this study.

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Searching for indicator taxa representative of diverse assemblages, such as arthropods, is an important objective of many conservation studies. We evaluated the impacts of a wide gradient of disturbance in Gabon on a range of arthropod assemblages representing different feeding guilds. We examined 4 x 10(5) arthropod individuals from which 21 focal taxa were separated into 1534 morphospecies. Replication included the understory of 3 sites in each of 4 different stages of forest succession and land use (i.e., habitats) after logging (old and young forests, savanna, and gardens). We used 3 complementary sampling methods to survey sites throughout the year. Overall differences in arthropod abundance and diversity were greatest between forest and open habitats, and cleared forest invaded by savanna had the lowest abundance and diversity. The magnitude of faunal differences was much smaller between old and young forests. When considered at this local scale, anthropogenic modification of habitats did not result in a monotonous decline of diversity because many herbivore pests and their associated predators and parasitoids were abundant and diverse in gardens, where plant productivity was kept artificially high year-round through watering and crop rotation. We used a variety of response variables to measure the strength of correlations across survey locations among focal taxa. These could be ranked as follows in terms of decreasing number of significant correlations: species turnover > abundance > observed species richness > estimated species richness > percentage of site-specific species. The number of significant correlations was generally low and apparently unrelated to taxonomy or guild structure. Our results emphasize the value of reporting species turnover in conservation studies, as opposed to simply measuring species richness, and that the search for indicator taxa is elusive in the tropics. One promising alternative might be to consider "predictor sets" of a small number of taxa representative of different functional groups, as identified in our study.

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