Merope tuber Newman, 1838
Diagnosis: This species is unique among North American mecopterans. Its wings are broader than usual and have many more crossveins. The head lacks the elongate rostrum found in other North American species. There is no notal organ on the male third abdominal tergite, and the male basistyles and dististyles are quite elongate and tubular.
Distribution – Geographical: This species is widespread, but uncommon, throughout most of the eastern North America, from Maine to northern Florida, west to Ontario, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, and eastern Kansas.
Distribution – Temporal: Adults are collected from June to September.
Ecology: Most adults are collected in moist, low-lying areas near streams with high humidity.
Biology: This is the only family of North American Mecoptera in which nothing is known of the immature stages.
Notes: This family has a very disjunct geographical distribution. The only other species in the family is Austromerope poultoni Killington from Western Australia (Byers, 1973). These two species are often considered among the most primitive living Mecoptera (Penny, 1974).
References:
Byers, G.W. 1973. Zoogeography of the Meropeidae (Mecoptera). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 46:511-516.
Dunford, JC, PW Kovarik, LA Somma, D Serrano. 2007. First state records for Merope tuber (Mecoptera: Meropidae) in Florida and their biogeographical implications. Florida Entomologist. 90:581-584
Newman, E. 1838. Entomological Notes. Entomological Magazine.
Penny, N.D. 1975. Evolution of the extant Mecoptera. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 48:331-350.