螳蛉类昆虫是脉翅目中一个特殊的类群，其前足多特化为捕捉足，地质历史可追溯至侏罗纪。螳蛉类昆虫中高级阶元系统发育关系存在较大争议，早期演化历史还不清楚，化石类群缺少统一的分类体系，捕捉足的起源与取食习性的演化还不明确。本项目拟以中国和缅甸中生代螳蛉类化石为主要研究材料，综合化石形态学证据，现代形态学证据，现代分子生物学证据，古今结合，全证据构建其系统发育树，厘清螳蛉类高级阶元的系统发育关系，构建符合自然历史的化石类群分类体系，在此基础上探寻捕捉足这一重要形态结构的起源、演化及其与环境变迁的内在联系。研究成果将为脉翅目的系统演化研究提供重要线索和直接证据。

Raptorial forelegs have been observed in three neuropteran families: Mantispidae, Rhachiberothidae, Dipteromantispidae, which, along with Berothidae, are inferred to have formed a clade within Neuroptera, the mantispid-like lacewings. However, the phylogenetic relationships within this clade are debatable, as well as some fossil subgroups assigned to these families, such as Mesomantispinae, Mesithoninae, Paraberothinae. These problems result in difficulty and controversy of assignment of fossil taxa, and a variety of hypotheses regarding the origin of raptorial forelegs in Neuroptera. In this proposal, 1) a comprehensive investigation of fossil mantispid-like lacewings will be performed, based on abundant fossil specimens. 2) A total-evidence phylogenetic analysis and Bayesian divergence time estimates on familial and subfamilial level of the mantispid-like lacewings will be conducted, including fossil and recent material from each family of the clade. 3) Functional morphology and geometric morphometric analysis will be conducted, in order to study patterns of evolutionary diversification in raptorial forelegs. In combination with stratigraphic information of fossil mantispid-like lacewings, an evaluation of relationship between foreleg modification and the corresponding environment will be made. The results of this proposed study will be valuable references for future taxonomic study of fossil mantispid-like lacewings, phylogeny of Neuroptera, and reconstruction of palaeoenvironment.