Overview

In the strict sense, as described above, the family probably contains only the endemic Australian genus Palaeoses (Turner 1922) with one named species, P. scholastica , from southern Qld and one unnamed species from North Qld. Ogygioses from Taiwan, Genustes from Assam and Osrhoes from Columbia are included in Palaeosetidae sensu lato but the monophyly of this assemblage is questionable (Kristensen 1978a; Nielsen and Scoble 1986). P . scholastica , a small, dark brown species less than 18 mm in wingspan, is taken by sweeping foliage in rainforest.

Description

Small; head with broad lamellar scales and scattered hair-scales; antennae covered with lamellar scales on proximal third, devoid of scales on distal two-thirds; mandibles and maxillae absent; labial palps short, 2-segmented; epiphysis absent; spurs absent; hind tibia not modified; wings aculeate; jugum small; fore wing with Sc forked, inter-M and M-CuA cross-veins absent, with one A vein; male with prominent protuberance with specialised scales on each side of abdominal segment 6.