Mecoptera
Guides
Panorpa rosemaria
Panorpa rosemaria is a species of scorpionfly in the family Panorpidae, described by Bicha & Schiff in 2019. As a member of the genus Panorpa, it shares the characteristic "scorpion-like" appearance of males due to enlarged, upturned claspers at the tip of the abdomen. The species is part of the diverse Mecoptera order, which includes approximately 600 species worldwide. Like other scorpionflies, it likely inhabits moist woodland environments and exhibits scavenging behaviors.
Panorpa setifera
common scorpionfly
Panorpa setifera is a species of scorpionfly in the family Panorpidae, described by Webb in 1974. It belongs to the order Mecoptera, commonly known as scorpionflies due to the enlarged, upturned claspers of males that resemble a scorpion's stinger. The species is found in North America. Like other members of the genus Panorpa, it likely inhabits moist woodland environments where it scavenges on dead or dying soft-bodied insects.
Panorpa speciosa
common scorpionfly
Panorpa speciosa is a species of scorpionfly in the family Panorpidae, found in North America. As a member of the order Mecoptera, it shares the characteristic elongated rostrum and, in males, the recurved genital segment that gives scorpionflies their common name. The species was described by Carpenter in 1931. Like other Panorpa species, it inhabits moist woodland environments where it likely feeds on dead or dying soft-bodied insects.
Panorpa subfurcata
Forked Scorpionfly
Panorpa subfurcata is a species of scorpionfly in the family Panorpidae, commonly known as the Forked Scorpionfly. It is found in North America, with distribution records from the United States including Vermont. The species was first described by Westwood in 1846. Like other scorpionflies, males possess enlarged, curved genital claspers that resemble a scorpion's stinger, giving the group its common name. The species is part of the diverse genus Panorpa, which contains numerous North American species that can be challenging to distinguish without examination of male genitalia.
Panorpa submaculosa
common scorpionfly
Panorpa submaculosa is a species of scorpionfly in the family Panorpidae, first described by Carpenter in 1931. It belongs to the order Mecoptera, a small group of holometabolous insects commonly known as scorpionflies due to the enlarged, upturned claspers of males that resemble a scorpion's stinger. The species is recorded from North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain limited in the available literature. Like other members of the genus Panorpa, it likely inhabits moist woodland environments where adults feed opportunistically and larvae develop in soil and leaf litter.
Panorpa virginica
Virginia scorpionfly
Panorpa virginica is a scorpionfly species in the family Panorpidae, first described by Nathan Banks in 1906. It is one of approximately 30 species of Panorpa occurring in North America. Like other scorpionflies, it belongs to an ancient insect order characterized by distinctive elongated rostra and, in males, genital claspers that curve upward resembling a scorpion's stinger. The species occurs in forested habitats where adults are typically found on vegetation.
Panorpidae
scorpionflies, common scorpionflies
Panorpidae is the largest family of scorpionflies (order Mecoptera), comprising more than 480 species across approximately 70% of the order's diversity. Adults range 9–25 mm in length and possess four membranous wings, threadlike antennae, and elongated faces with chewing mouthparts. The family is characterized by males having enlarged genital claspers that curve upward like a scorpion's tail, giving the group its common name. The fossil record extends to the Eocene, with the extinct genus Baltipanorpa known from Baltic amber.
Panorpodidae
Short-faced Scorpionflies
Panorpodidae is a small family of scorpionflies containing 13 extant species in two genera. Brachypanorpa is restricted to the eastern and central United States, while Panorpodes occurs in East Asia (Japan, Korea) with one species in California. The family is distinguished from its sister group Panorpidae by notably short jaws, among the shortest of all mecopterans. Larvae possess smooth, glabrous mandibles without molar surfaces, indicating a diet distinct from the carrion-feeding larvae of related families.