Ascalaphus placidus (Gerstaecker, 1894) (1893?)
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
Conservation Status
Last record: 1912 or later (Wen-chu & Chung, 2016)
Rediscovered in: 2015/2016 (Wen-chu & Chung, 2016)
Distribution & Habitat
Taijiang National Park, China [but likely to be more widespread]
"The Ascalaphus placidus was mostly found in the park’s wetlands. First discovered by Hans Sauter in 1912 in what is now the city’s Anping District (安平), it has not been seen for the past century, Chang said, adding that it is possible the species is restricted to the Taijiang area."
(Wen-chu & Chung, 2016)
"Distribution currently unclear because of likely misidentifications in the literature involving the similar species dicax. According to Abrahám 2008 r#14316:69, placidus is likely widspread in southeastern Asia (e.g., China, Laos, Thailand)"
Source: https://lacewing.tamu.edu/SpeciesCatalog/SimpleRecord?CombObjID=17357
Biology & Ecology
Hypodigm
Media
References
Original scientific description:
Gerstaecker, [C. E.] A. (1893). Ueber neue und weniger gekannte Neuropteren aus der familie Megaloptera Burm. Mitt[h]eilungen aus dem Naturwissenschaftlichen Verein für Neu-Vorpommern und Rugen 25: 93-173.
Other references:
Ábrahám, Levente. (2008). Ascalaphid studies VII. On the ascalaphid fauna of Taiwan (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae). Natura Somogyiensis 12: 63-77. http://dx.doi.org/10.24394/NatSom.2008.12.63
Esben-Petersen, P. (1913). H. Sauter's Formosa-Ausbeute. Planipennia II, Megaloptera and Mecoptera. Entomologische Mitteilungen 2: 222-228, 257-265.
Stange, L. A. and Wang, H. Y. (1998). Guide book to insects in Taiwan. 18. Neuroptera, Megaloptera, Raphidioptera. - Hsu Hsin Books Ltd. Co., Taipei, Taiwan. 278 pp.
Wen-chu, Tsai and Chung, Jake. (2016, March 2). Project rediscovers three rare insect species in Taijiang. Taipei Times. Available at: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/03/02/2003640641 [18 March 2016]
https://extinctanimals.proboards.com/thread/20729/ascalaphus-placidus