Neuroptera, Hemerobiiformia, Ithonioidea, Polystoechotidae, †Polystoechotites, P. lewisi

The holotype counterpart, and only, specimen of the extinct species Polystoechotites lewisi from the fossil outcrops in Republic, Ferry County Washington. This species is 49.5 +/-.05 million years old placing it in the late Ypresian, of the Eocene. This specimen is an incomplete hind wing, missing the base, and thus gender is not identifiable. The part(other side of the fossil) for this specimen is deposited in St Cloud State University, Minnesota.

The area it this time was dominated by flora and fauna which are the early precursors of the Eastern US and Eastern Asian hardwood forests, while possessing elements of the current conifer forests still present in the region. The environment which this specimen lived in was upland subtropical/temperate forests surrounding a lake/string of lakes which were the southernmost in a string of lakes which extended 1000km into Central British Columbia.

The family Polystoechotidae is now found only in North, Central and South America and the genus Polystoechotites is entirely extinct. The family contains four modern species in three genera.