蛇蛉目是完全变态类昆虫中的古老珍稀类群，具有重要的系统地位；蛇蛉幼虫和成虫均为捕食性，在农林害虫生物防治方面具有重要应用价值。中国是世界蛇蛉目分布与分化中心之一，具有大量特有现生属种，并且在中生代地层中具有丰富且保存精美的化石。然而中国蛇蛉目的分类长期缺乏系统研究，物种多样性被严重低估，分类体系混乱。本项目基于丰富的现生及化石蛇蛉材料，对我国现生蛇蛉及化石蛇蛉进行全面的系统分类修订，阐明物种多样性及地理分布格局，建立我国蛇蛉目分类鉴定体系；在此基础上，运用支序系统学和分子系统学方法，以现生的盲蛇蛉科和已灭绝的中蛇蛉科为代表，结合形态及分子数据重建其属间系统发育，进而修订分类系统，并解析我国蛇蛉目中生代-现代区系间的演替过程，阐明现代物种多样性的形成机制。研究结果对深入理解蛇蛉目的起源演化及该类群保护利用具有重要意义。

Raphidioptera (snakeflies) represent a relict and scarce lineage of Holometabola, being at a significant phylogenetic status. All snakeflies are predacious at both larval and adult stages, which make them as important natural enemy to be used in the agricultural and forestry pest biocontrol. China is one of the centres of distribution and divergence of world snakeflies, with abundant endemic taxa as well as exquisitely perserved fossils from the Mesozoic strata. However, the systematics of Chinese Raphidoptera is poorly studied, with badly underestimated species diversity and unclear classification system. Based on the rich collections of modern and fossil specimens, the present project aims to comprehensively revise the extant and extinct Raphidioptera from China, unravel their species diversity and distribution patterns, and establish the system of taxonomy and identification of Chinese Raphidioptera. Second, by using the cladistic and molecular systematic approaches, the present project will reconstruct the intergeneric phylogeny of the extant family Inocelliidae and the extinct family Mesoraphidiidae based on evidence from morphology and molecule, in order to reveal the evolutionary transition between the Mesozoic and modern snakefly fauna as well as the formation of extant species diversity. The result will be important for the understanding of the evolution of Raphidioptera and will be helpful for the conservation and utilization of these insects.