DISTRIBUTION OF SPEYERIA-DIANA (LEPIDOPTERA, NYMPHALIDAE) IN THE HIGHLANDS OF ARKANSAS, MISSOURI AND OKLAHOMA, WITH COMMENTS ON CONSERVATION

Information from recent field observations, museum specimens, collecto rs' lists and published records is provided to update knowledge on the distribution and habitat associations of the Diana fritillary in the Interior Highlands of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Speyeria diana has been observed at 11 localities since 1980 and nine localities pri or to 1980, the earliest of which is a Missouri state record from 1819 . Two records are known from Missouri and two from Oklahoma since 1980 , the remaining recent records are from Arkansas. Extant populations o f the Diana fritillary in the Interior Highlands are few in number and most appear to consist of small numbers of individuals. These populat ions appear to be isolated from those in the southern Appalachians due to the species' extirpation from the middle portion of its historical range. Conservation efforts should focus on identifying and preservin g habitats occupied by females, since they occupy a more limited range of habitats than males.