The Florida Scorpionfly, Panorpa floridana Byers (Mecoptera: Panorpidae)

Authors

Louis A. Somma, University of Florida, GainesvilleFollow
James C. Dunford, University of Florida, Gainesville,Follow

Date of this Version

4-2009

Comments

Entomology Circular No. 420; Florida Dept. Agriculture & Con. Serv., Division of Plant Industry, 2009. Copyright (c) Louis Somma and James Dunford.

Abstract

The Florida scorpionfly, Panorpa floridana Byers, is a little-known insect, endemic to northern peninsular Florida (Byers 1993; Somma and Dunford 2008). Knowledge of this species of scorpionfly (Panorpidae) is limited to five specimens, the last one collected in 1982 (Byers 1993; Somma and Dunford 2008). The apparent scarcity of this species, lack of known or published observations on living individuals, and its superficial resemblance to stinging arthropods prompted us to prepare this circular.