Hemerobius pulchellus Von Block, 1799 (p. 118)
Coniopteryx pulchella (Von Block, 1799)
Hemerobius pulchillus Von Block, 1799 (plate 3, figure 11) (original misspelling)
Note: this taxon is a nomen dubium and its identity is unclear.
Although it has been described in the genus Hemerobius, Aspoeck et al.
(2001) propose that the description and figures by Von Block (1799)
clearly show that the species belongs to the Coniopterygidae, but
otherwise cannot be assigned to a genus or even species. Indeed, the
figures given by Von Block show a species of Coniopterygidae, but
unfortunately the two separate drawings of the animal (one prepared with
spread wings, the other in natural posture) do not agree in the details
of the venation. This indicates that Von Block was not aware of the
fact that the venation is important for the identification of the
species, and that the venation was only tentatively drawn in with the
purpose of showing that "the wings have veins". Thus, the
venation shown by Von Block cannot help to identify the genus or
species. However, the shape of the hindwings rules out the genus
Conwentzia (broad in Hemerobius pulchellus, but narrow in Conwentzia).
In addition, the peculiar shape of the forewings shown by Von Block (the
hind margin is drawn out) fits best with the genus
Coniopteryx. Therefore, I tentatively place this taxon in the genus
Coniopteryx; the name is probably a senior synonym of any of the other
German Coniopteryx species.
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