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Body length 11.5mm Chrysopidae, >1300 species in >80 genera.
Balcony, attracted from surrounding countryside by night light. Limestone outcrop in foothills of Los Serranos mountains.
Hi David, Chrysoperla carnea has not been a valid species for some 20 years, evidence has been accumulating that ‘C. carnea’ is not a single species, but rather a complex of several to many remarkably similar, cryptic species (Tauber & Tauber, 1973a). This widespread mega-species is now more accurately called the carnea-group, one of four such species-groups into which Chrysoperla has recently been divided (Brooks, 1994).
Recent laboratory studies (2012) have shown that perhaps only 30% of those seen are even in the Chrysoperla Genus. Since this has only been determined by laboratory testing it is unlikely that even genus can be determined from just a photograph. Note also that this specimen, like most of those found here, is shorter than the minimum of 12mm quoted for C. carnea. It is therefore likely to remain unidentified until some specimens from here have been taken away for analysis.
Wikipedia, as is often the case, is sadly rather a long way from the truth. I am only quoting what the scientists are saying.