Bittacus occidentis Walker, 1853

Stark, Bill P., Lago, Paul K., Harrison, Audrey B. & Smith, William E., 2016, A Preliminary Annotated Checklist of Mississippi Mecoptera (Insecta), Insecta Mundi 2016 (469), pp. 1-15 : 2

Bittacus occidentis Walker

Bittacus occidentis Walker, 1853: 469 . Erie [Pennsylvania]

Bittacus arizonicus Banks, 1911: 350 . Palmerlee, Arizona, syn. ( Carpenter, 1931)

Distribution. AL, AR, AZ, DC, DE, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NC, NE, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA.

Published Mississippi Records. Fig. 46 in Webb et al. (1975) shows Mississippi in the range of this species, but Penny (2013) does not include Mississippi in the states from which records occur.

New Mississippi Records. Oktibbeha Co., Ag. Col., 4 July 1922, H. M. Harris, 1 ♀ (MEMU). Same location, 1920, S.R. Cooley, 1 damaged specimen (MEMU).

Comments. These specimens were identified by G.W. Byers in the 1970s. The first specimen listed is intact and in good condition. The second specimen has pest damage, the left hind wing has an apical crossvein, although the other wings do not, and the abdomen is missing. Numerous bittacid specimens have been collected in the vicinity of Starkville, yet this pair, collected in the 1920’s, are the only B. occidentis specimens known for the state.