Overwintering stages of Sisyra iridipennis A. Costa, 1884 (Neuroptera Sisyridae)

Sisyra iridipennis has a Western Mediterranean distribution throughout the Iberian Peninsula, Maghreb and Sardinia. Little is known about its life history. To determine the overwintering stages of this species, a series of surveys were carried out at Riu Bunnari (Sassari, NW Sardinia). In the period between November and February, S. iridipennis was found exclusively as a first instar larva. This spongillafly lives in environments characterized by strong summer dryness, in which the host sponge Ephydatia fluviatilis (Linnaeus,1758) (Porifera Spongillidae) exhibits a summer quiescence. It is possible that the life history strategy utilised by S. iridipennis has evolved to track this com- monly occurring poriferan.