New collections and records for earwigflies and scorpionflies (Mecoptera: Meropeidae and Panorpidae) in Florida

I add new collection and phenological data on the North American earwigfly, Merope tuber Newman, and new county records for the red scorpionfly, Panorpa rufa Gray, and veined scorpionfly, Panorpa venosa Westwood, in Florida. Additionally, I report on a new Georgia county record for the extralimital species, Panorpa ferruginea Byers, the ferruginous scorpionfly, and speculate on its potential occurrence in Florida

Etymology of the earwigfly, Merope tuber Newman (Mecoptera: Meropeidae): Simply dull or just inscrutable?

The naturalist Edward Newman did not provide an etymology for the mecopteran Merope tuber when he described it in 1838. In 1872 Asa Fitch asserted that the genus was named after Merope one of the Pleiades sisters of Greek mythology; however, he provided no reason for his assumption. We researched several etymological alternatives. We concur with Fitch and conclude that Newman did indeed name the genus Merope after the dullest of the Pleiades sisters

First record for the recently discovered hangingfly Bittacus monastyrskiyi Bicha, 2007 (Mecoptera: Bittacidae) from Há Tay Province, Vietnam

I provide the first record for the recently described hangingfly, Bittacus monastyrskiyi Bicha, 2007, from Há Tay Province (Ba Vi National Park), Vietnam, along with new seasonal, altitudinal, and habitat data. This is the only described species of bittacid from Vietnam, and this new record extends its range 100 km northnorthwest from its type locality in Cuc Phuong National Park, Thanh Hoa Province

A state record for the Oconee scorpionfly, Panorpa oconee Byers (Mecoptera: Panorpidae), in Florida

I provide the first state record for the Oconee scorpionfly, Panorpa oconee Byers, from Putnam County, Florida. This is the southernmost record for P. oconee, extends its range 321 km south of its known distribution and, if valid, adds a seventh described species of panorpid, and twelfth mecopteran, indigenous to Florida

Records for Bittacus Hangingflies and Panorpa Scorpionflies (Mecoptera: Bittacidae and Panorpidae) in Florida

We provide new county records for four species of panorpids (Panorpa americana Swederus, Panorpa lugubris Swederus, Panorpa sp. undetermined, and one undescribed species from the Panorpa rufescens Rambur species group) and two species of bittacids (Bittacus pilicornis Westwood, Bittacus punctiger Westwood), and call attention to a previously published county record for another species, Panorpa rufa Gray, in Florida. Additionally, we reject a previously published record for the scorpionfly Panorpa claripennis Hine in Florida, which we overlooked in our 2008 preliminary checklist of Florida mecopterans. The record for P. lugubris in Miami-Dade County is the southernmost record for any panorpid in the continental United States

Preliminary Checklist of the Mecoptera of Florida: Earwigflies, Hangingflies, and Scorpionflies

We provide the first species checklist of Mecoptera indigenous to Florida, based upon preliminary data gathered primarily from specimens housed in the Florida State Collection of Arthropods. There are 11 described and one undescribed species of mecopterans, representing three families, inhabiting the state of Florida. These include the recently discovered meropeid (earwigfly), Merope tuber Newman, four species of bittacids (hangingflies), represented by the genus Bittacus Latreille, and 7 species (one undescribed) of panorpids (scorpionflies), represented by the genus Panorpa Linnaeus. We are not certain if one of these, Bittacus texanus Banks, is indigenous, represents a nonindigenous occurrence, or is simply erroneous. Two of the species on our list, Bittacus stigmaterus Say and Panorpa venosa Westwood, represent first state records and one species, Panorpa floridana Byers, is endemic. Six of the species which have been recorded in Florida, M. tuber, Bittacus punctiger Westwood, Panorpa rufa Gray, Panorpa pachymera Byers, Panorpa lugubris Swederus and P. venosa, represent the southernmost records for these species in the continental United States. Perceived diversity and abundance of mecopteran species in Florida are limited by climate, biogeography, and collection bias

Possible Addition of the Prairie Skink to the Diet of the Grackle

On 8 June 1984, at the intersection of California Street and the Union Pacific RR tracks, just west of Saddle Creek Road in Omaha, a Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscala) was seen flying approximately 2 m above the observer, with a large adult prairie skink, (Eumeces septentrionalis) (Reptilia; Sauria) in its bill. The Grackle had difficulty flying, since the skink was somewhat heavy and struggling violently, The Grackle dropped to the ground about 7 m away and released the lizard. The skink lay on its back, twitching slightly. The distal half of its tail was missing. The lack of male breeding colors and presence of a relatively stout abdomen during this season indicated that it was a gravid female. When I approached to within 3 m of the Grackle, it immediately grabbed the skink and flew away. This observation occurred at 1315. It is not known if the lizard was eventually ingested

\u3ci\u3eEumeces septentrionalis\u3c/i\u3e (Prairie Skink): Piscivory.

The prairie skink is a North American lizard characterized by a diet that is primarily insectivorous (Breckenridge 1943. Amer. MidI. Nat. 29:591-606). Fish have not been previously recorded as a food item (reviewed in Somma and Cochran 1989. Great Basin Nat. 49:525-534). On 3 June 1990 between 0930 and 1030 h, six Eumeces septentrionalis (three gravid females, one male, and two juveniles) were captured from amongst riprap and beneath stone slabs on the earthen dam forming the windward shoreline of Burchard lake, Pawnee Co., Nebraska (T.12N., R.10E., Sec. 4). The three females and one juvenile were placed in the same collecting bag. Within ca. 1 h a large fecal pellet was found in the bag. It contained the remains of a small fish (probably a cyprinid), represented by numerous small (ca. 2 mm diam), cycloid scales, two fin rays, and one partially digested amphicoelous vertebra. It was not possible to determine which lizard excreted the pellet

\u3ci\u3eElaphe bairdi\u3c/i\u3e (Baird’s Rat Snake): Drinking Behavior.

On 13 February 1988. at 1600 h. a captive-bred (hatched July 1985) male Elaphe bairdi (TL.136.9 cm, SVL .. 89.54 cm). maintained in a 50.5 x 25 x 30 cm terrerium was accidently splashed with water. As beads of water on the snake\u27s head rolled down to the upper labial sceles. swallowing was observed. The water on the labial scales was drawn Into the mouth while It was closed. This behavior lasted 42 sec. This behavior was repeated 23 out of 24 trials conducted during the next 24 days. The duration of swallowing wes 9-62 sec (avg 35.8, N = 25). Swallowing was observed when water touched the head, even though It did not always reach the mouth. During two of the trials the snake tilted Its head and rubbed its labial scales along its dorsum, sucking water droplets off Its body

James Davidson Fawcett (1933–2020): Imbibing with The Kiwi.

An obituary and summary of the life of James D. Fawcett (1933-2020), herpetologist and instructor and professor of Biology at University of Nebraska at Omaha 1972-2015. Includes bibliography of his works, list of master\u27s theses chaired, and recollections of former students