Iciliidae

Iciliidae is a poorly understood and potentially obsolete taxonomic grouping, sometimes referred to as a family of fossil insects. Its exact classification and validity are highly debated within the entomological and paleontological communities. Historically, the name has been associated with fossil insect wings found in specific geological formations, primarily from the Mesozoic era.

The defining characteristics and relationships of purported Iciliidae members are unclear due to the fragmentary nature of the fossil record. The classification has often relied on wing venation patterns, which can be subject to convergent evolution and therefore unreliable indicators of true phylogenetic relationships. Furthermore, some researchers believe that the fossils assigned to Iciliidae might represent members of other, better-defined insect groups, or that the family is polyphyletic, meaning its members do not share a common ancestor.

The original description and subsequent interpretations of Iciliidae have been challenged over time, and modern phylogenetic analyses using cladistic methods and more complete fossil specimens have frequently failed to support its validity as a distinct family. As a result, the name "Iciliidae" is often considered a nomen dubium (a doubtful name) and its use is generally discouraged in contemporary entomological research. More detailed studies and discoveries of more complete specimens are needed to clarify the taxonomic status of the fossils that have been historically associated with this name. In current practice, researchers tend to re-evaluate and assign these fossils to other existing, or newly defined, insect families and orders based on more robust evidence.