Notoptera

Definition

A clade of wingless polyneopteran insects comprising two relict lineages: Grylloblattidae (ice crawlers) of cold montane habitats in the Northern Hemisphere and Mantophasmatidae (gladiators or heelwalkers) of southern Africa. Formerly treated as separate orders, these groups are now united by molecular and morphological evidence as suborders within Notoptera, representing a rare surviving branch of basal polyneopteran diversification.

Etymology

From Greek notos (back, south) + pteron (wing), referring to the wingless condition and Gondwanan distribution of constituent lineages.

Example

Molecular phylogenies placing Grylloblattodea and Mantophasmatodea as sister taxa led to their formal recognition as suborders of Notoptera, a clade whose modern relict distribution spans cold temperate peaks and African scrub.

Synonyms

• Xenonomia

Related Terms

• Polyneoptera
• Grylloblattodea
• Mantophasmatodea
• aptery
• relict distribution
• winglessness

Usage Notes

Notoptera is treated as an order-rank clade in current classifications, though some sources retain Grylloblattodea and Mantophasmatodea as separate orders; the synonym Xenonomia (from Greek xenos, strange + nomos, dwelling) emphasizes the unusual habitats of both groups. The name has also been applied to an unrelated plant genus (Asteraceae), which should not be confused with the insect clade.