For the remaining Chrysopinae species, you need to look at features of the wing and the wing venation.
To start with, you need to look at the wing length and shape of the costal margin.
If your wing margin is straight and the forewing is less than 16 mm see below, if your wing is concave and straight an over 16 mm or greater click here.
For a straight costal margin and wing less than 16 mm your options are:
Apertochrysa flavifrons, Cunctochrysa cosmia, Cunctochrysa albolineata, Chrysopidia ciliata
To further refine your options you can look at the colour of the basal costal crossvein and the crossvein SCRCV (basal subcostal radial crossvein).
If the basal costal crossvein is pale and SCRCV is dark see below, if your basal costal crossvein is dark and SCRCV is usually pale (can be dark) click here.
Cunctochrysa albolineata
This species has a pale basal costal crossvein and dark SCRCV, other diagnostic features are given in the below image. With this, and other similar species, you need to look at the hairs on the costal crovssveins to help with identification.
Chrysopidia ciliata
Again the hairs on the costal crossveins are a useful diagnostic feature as well as an absence of a pale thoracic stripe.
If the basal costal crossvein is dark and the SCRCV is usually pale (can often be dark) see below.
Apertochrysa flavifrons
Defining features are shown below, check all four wings if you have trouble locating the dark spot at the base of the Costa.
Cunctochrysa cosmia
Diagnostic features shown below, this species does not have spots at the base of the Costa.
For insects with a concave or straight wing and wing length 16mm or over, your options are:
Nineta flava, Nineta pallida, Nineta inpunctata
If your wing costal margin is concave (see below image) you have Nineta flava, see below. If it is straight click here.
Nineta flava
The concave costal margin is very distinctive for this species, this is more obvious in males and less obvious in females, so care is needed.
For insects with a straight costal margin, you have two options:
Nineta pallida and Nineta inpunctata
Nineta pallida
Defining features of the species in the image below.
Nineta inpunctata
Defining features of the species below. There is only one record of this species therefore if you find this species please retain a voucher specimen.
