Rediscovery of Polystoechotes punctata (Fabricius, 1793) (Neuroptera: Ithonidae) in Eastern North America

Polystoechotes punctata (Fabricius, 1793) (Neuroptera: Ithonidae) was formerly widespread across North America, but was extirpated from eastern North America by the 1950s. We report a specimen collected from Fayetteville, Arkansas, which represents a new state record and the first specimen recorded in eastern North America in over fifty years. We also reexamine a previously published dataset and discuss the history of P. punctata in eastern North America. The importance of community science efforts are discussed and compared with museum holdings. We propose that P. punctata may have always been uncommon in eastern North America, or at least when insect collecting began in earnest in the late 1800s, and support our case by examining collection effort in other insects. This discovery suggests there may be relictual populations of this large, charismatic insect yet to be discovered.

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Work Title Rediscovery of Polystoechotes punctata (Fabricius, 1793) (Neuroptera: Ithonidae) in Eastern North America
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Michael J. Skvarla
  2. J. Ray Fisher
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Date November 30, 2022
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.124.2.332
Deposited March 18, 2024

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  • Added Creator Michael J. Skvarla
  • Added Creator J. Ray Fisher
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    Description
    • Polystoechotes punctata (Fabricius, 1793) (Neuroptera: Ithonidae) was formerly widespread across North America, but was extirpated from eastern North America by the 1950s. We report a specimen collected from Fayetteville, Arkansas, which represents a new state record and the first specimen recorded in eastern North America in over fifty years. We also reexamine a previously published dataset and discuss the history of P. punctata in eastern North America. The importance of community science efforts are discussed and compared with museum holdings. We propose that P. punctata may have always been uncommon in eastern North America, or at least when insect collecting began in earnest in the late 1800s, and support our case by examining collection effort in other insects. This discovery suggests there may be relictual populations of this large, charismatic insect yet to be discovered.
    • _Polystoechotes punctata_ (Fabricius, 1793) (Neuroptera: Ithonidae) was formerly widespread across North America, but was extirpated from eastern North America by the 1950s. We report a specimen collected from Fayetteville, Arkansas, which represents a new state record and the first specimen recorded in eastern North America in over fifty years. We also reexamine a previously published dataset and discuss the history of _P. punctata_ in eastern North America. The importance of community science efforts are discussed and compared with museum holdings. We propose that _P. punctata_ may have always been uncommon in eastern North America, or at least when insect collecting began in earnest in the late 1800s, and support our case by examining collection effort in other insects. This discovery suggests there may be relictual populations of this large, charismatic insect yet to be discovered.
  • Updated

Version 2
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  • Deleted Giant_lacewing_AR_record_4.0_-_Skvarla_Fisher_Giant_Lacewing_editor_copy_20220817_changes_accepted.docx
  • Added Giant lacewing AR record 4.0 - Skvarla_Fisher_Giant_Lacewing_editor_copy_20220817 changes accepted - with figs.docx
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