Micromus posticus (Walker)

LeSage, Laurent, Savard, Karine & Klimaszewski, Jan, 2013, Potential indicator species of climate changes occurring in Quebec, Part 1: the small brown lacewing fly Micromusposticus (Walker) (Neuroptera: Hemerobiidae), Biodiversity Data Journal 1, pp. 970-970 : 970

Rank: SpeciesType of treatment: Redescription or species observationextantHabitat: terrestrialRoot classification: 8Feeds on: soft-bodied insects

Micromus posticus (Walker)

Materials

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: Reid; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; county: Frontenac; municipality: St. Lawrence Islands National Park; locality: Cedar Island ; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 31.VIII.1976; year: 1976; month: 8; day: 31; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: J. Denis; individualCount: 2; sex: 1 male, 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; county: Grenville; municipality: near Kemptville; locality: Flint Hill Forest ; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: JKC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: S. & J. Peck; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 male; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; county: Lanark; municipality: near Carleton Place; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: JKC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: S. Peck; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 male; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; county: Leeds; municipality: Chaffeys Locks; locality: Queen\'s University Biological Station ; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: JKC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: J.R. Vockeroth; individualCount: 2; sex: 1 male, 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; county: Leeds; municipality: Lyndhurst; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 10.VII.1958; year: 1958; month: 7; day: 10; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: Reid; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 male; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; county: Leeds; municipality: St. Lawrence Islands National Park; locality: Aubrey Island ; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 15.IX.1976; year: 1976; month: 9; day: 15; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: Reid; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; county: Leeds; municipality: St. Lawrence Islands National Park; locality: McDonald Island ; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 10.IX.1976; year: 1976; month: 9; day: 10; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: Reid; individualCount: 2; sex: 1 male, 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; county: Leeds; municipality: St. Lawrence Islands National Park; locality: Thwartway Island ; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 19.VIII.1976; year: 1976; month: 8; day: 19; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: Reid; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 male; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; county: Leeds; municipality: St. Lawrence Islands National Park; locality: Mulcaster Island ; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: JKC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: W.L. Putman; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; county: Lincoln; municipality: Niagara-on-the-Lake; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 17.X.1932; year: 1932; month: 10; day: 17; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: W.L. Putman; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; county: Lincoln; municipality: Vineland; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 14.IX.1929; year: 1929; month: 9; day: 14; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: J.A. Hall; individualCount: 1; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; county: Simcoe; municipality: Norfolk; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 23.VII.1936; year: 1936; month: 7; day: 23; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: J.R. Vockeroth; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 male; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; municipality: Ottawa; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 18.X.1961; year: 1961; month: 10; day: 18; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: J.R. Vockeroth; individualCount: 1; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; municipality: Ottawa; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 27.VIII.1961; year: 1961; month: 8; day: 27; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: S. Peck; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 male; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Ontario; municipality: Rideau Ferry; locality: Big Rideau Lake ; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: JKC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: B. Bendel; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Beauharnois; municipality: Beauharnois; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: LEM

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: L. LeSage; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 male; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Gatineau; municipality: Aylmer; verbatimLocality: Klock road; verbatimCoordinates: 45 24 N 75 50 W; verbatimCoordinateSystem: degrees minutes; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 8.XI.2011; year: 2011; month: 11; day: 8; habitat: resting on the wall siding of a house surrounded by mixed forest; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: L. LeSage; individualCount: 2; sex: 1 male, 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Gatineau; municipality: Aylmer; verbatimLocality: Klock road; verbatimCoordinates: 45 24 N 75 50 W; verbatimCoordinateSystem: degrees minutes; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 2.XI.2011; year: 2011; month: 11; day: 2; habitat: resting on the wall siding of a house surrounded by mixed forest; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: J.R. Vockeroth; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Gatineau; municipality: Old Chelsea; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 17.X.1961; year: 1961; month: 10; day: 17; Record Level: institutionCode: CNC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: D.N. Duffy; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Île-de-Montréal; municipality: Baie-d\' Urfé; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: LEM

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: E.A. Monroe; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Île-de-Montréal; municipality: Montréal; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: LEM

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: J.A. Garland; individualCount: 6; sex: 2 males, 4 females; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Île-de-Montréal; municipality: Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: LEM

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: M. Javahary; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Île-de-Montréal; municipality: Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 1.XI.1983; Record Level: institutionCode: LEM

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: R.L. Manuel; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 male; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Île-de-Montréal; municipality: Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: LEM

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: A.C. Sheppard; individualCount: 5; sex: 2 males, 3 females; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Île-Jésus; municipality: Laval; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: LEM

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: A.T. Finnamore; individualCount: 4; sex: 1 male, 3 females; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Rouville; municipality: Mont-Saint-Hilaire; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: LEM

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: B. Landry; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 male; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Terrebonne; municipality: Sainte-Thérèse; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Event: eventDate: 30.V.1985; year: 1985; month: 5; day: 30; Record Level: institutionCode: JKC

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: R.L. Manuel; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 male; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Vaudreuil; municipality: Île-Perrot; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: LEM

Type status: Other material Occurrence: recordedBy: V.R. Vickery; individualCount: 1; sex: 1 female; lifeStage: Adult; Taxon: scientificName: Micromusposticus (Walker); kingdom: Animalia; phylum: Arthropoda; class: Insecta; order: Neuroptera; family: Hemerobiidae; genus: Micromus; specificEpithet: posticus; scientificNameAuthorship: (Walker); Location: continent: North America; country: Canada; countryCode: CA; stateProvince: Québec; county: Vaudreuil; municipality: Île-Perrot; locality: Pincourt ; Identification: identifiedBy: Jan Klimaszewski; Record Level: institutionCode: LEM

Diagnosis

Body length: 6-7.5 mm; wing span: 10-20 mm. Head, body and appendages yellow to brownish, wings brownish (Fig. 1). Fore wing with radial sector (Rs) bearing 4 main veins; distance between the inner gradate cross-veins not more than their length (Fig. 2a); hind wing hyaline without maculation (Fig. 2b). Male ectoproct with a styliform and slightly dorsally produced ventral lobe (Fig. 2c); gonarcus with two spine-like anterior structures with and lateral triangular indentation and a broadly oval dorsal projection (Fig. 2d). For more details and extensive description see Klimaszewski and Kevan (1988).

Discussion

The status of so called "rare" species is often difficult to establish in fall occurring species because very little collecting is made in September, and almost never in November or December. Consequently, a proportion of the apparent rarity of a species may not be real but due to the lack of appropriate collecting events. Nevertheless, Micromus posticus seems truly rare since only 49 specimens (Ontario, 23 specimens; Québec, 26 specimens) were collected in these two provinces over the last 100+ years, on the basis of specimens housed in public collections (Table 1).

Although Micromus posticus has been reported from British Columbia and Yukon, the majority of the known collection sites, are located along the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River system ( Klimaszewski and Kevan 1988). In Ontario, all known localities are spread between Lake Erie and Ottawa. In Québec, the known distribution of this species is restricted southwest to the vicinity of Aylmer, and eastwards to around Montréal Island (Fig. 3). Aylmer represents a new locality record for Québec.

The collection dates on the 2nd and 8th November for Aylmer specimens constitute new collecting records for this species. In comparison, the latest previously known specimen was collected on November 1st, 1983 (Table 1). However, it must be pointed out that its collection locality, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, is 148 km east of Aylmer and represents on average warmer area. The latest capture, in Old Chelsea, a village 12 km north of Aylmer, took place on October 17. In Ottawa, 11.5 southeast of Aylmer, the latest known specimens was captured on October 15, 1961. In conclusion, our collecting of Micromus posticus in Aylmer, November, was 1-7 days later than any of the known specimens collected from Québec and 16-22 days later than those collected in the neighbouring localities. According to Woodall et al. (2009), the northward migration of trees in the eastern United States is currently underway. In regards to insects, the relaxed cold limitations should favour some pests ( Diffenbaugh et al. 2008), but native species should be favoured as well. If this anticipated scenario of species changing their distribution limits northwards continues, Micromus posticus will fly over the latitudes of Aylmer or Montréal more often and will get permanently established there in a near future.