| Summary: | The species diversity of insects is extraordinarily rich, but still has been insufficiently explored or underestimated particularly for uncommon groups. The pleasing lacewings (Dilaridae) are a little known family of Neuroptera with distinct sexually dimorphic antennae. The species diversity of pleasing lacewings was recently found to be severely underestimated and requires a comprehensive investigation, as well as systematic reviews. Here, we report on 12 new species of the pleasing lacewing genus <i>Dilar</i> Rambur, 1838, from the Oriental region, namely <i>D. forcipatus</i> sp. nov. and <i>D. laoticus</i> sp. nov. from Laos (new country record of <i>Dilar</i>); <i>D. malickyi</i> sp. nov., <i>D. phraenus</i> sp. nov. and <i>D. rauschorum</i> sp. nov. from northern Thailand; <i>D. striatus</i> sp. nov. from northern Vietnam; <i>D. cangyuanensis</i> sp. nov., <i>D. daweishanensis</i> sp. nov., <i>D. nujianganus</i> sp. nov., <i>D. weibaoshanensis</i> sp. nov., <i>D. yucheni</i> sp. nov., and <i>D. zhangweiae</i> sp. nov. from Yunnan and Tibet, both in southwestern China. The new species of <i>Dilar</i> display several types of wing marking patterns, and the morphology of the male genitalia is highly diverse. A comprehensive examination of the species diversity and distribution of <i>Dilar</i> concluded that Yunnan (southwestern China) represents a biogeographic region with high endemism and the richest species diversity. The potential correlation between vertical distribution and geographical latitude in <i>Dilar</i> was also analyzed.
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