Rediscovered-species
Guides
Agonum albicrus
A ground beetle in the Platyninae subfamily described by Dejean in 1828. Long thought restricted to Mount Vernon, Alabama, but subsequent surveys revealed a much broader distribution across the eastern United States. The species was not studied again until Lindroth's work in 1955 and 1966, then rediscovered in multiple states starting in 2008.
Andrena rehni
Rehn's Miner Bee
Andrena rehni is a solitary, ground-nesting miner bee native to eastern North America. The species is oligolectic, specializing on pollen from Castanea species including American chestnut and Allegheny chinkapin. Following the functional extinction of American chestnut due to chestnut blight, the bee became increasingly rare and was not documented for nearly a century until its rediscovery in 2018. It has since been recorded in multiple states after long absences.
Dictya disjuncta
Dictya disjuncta is a poorly known marsh fly (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) described by Orth in 1991. The species remained obscure until its rediscovery, which prompted the first comprehensive description of all life stages including egg, larval instars, puparium, and adult. Like other sciomyzids, it is associated with marshy or wetland habitats. The detailed life cycle description represents a significant contribution to knowledge of this rarely encountered species.
Fitchiella robertsonii
ball-nosed planthopper
Fitchiella robertsonii is a rare, diminutive planthopper historically known from fewer than 20 collection sites across North America. The species was considered potentially extinct until its rediscovery in Iowa tallgrass prairie in 2008, with subsequent 12-year research yielding 219 specimens—representing 90% of all known collections. Adults measure less than 5 mm but can leap 35 inches in a single jump, roughly 250 times their body length. The species exhibits both brachypterous (short-winged, flightless) and macropterous (long-winged) forms.