Weeleus

{{Short description|Species of insect}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2024}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Weeleus acutus (Walker, 1853) AMNZ75867.jpg

| image_caption =

| display_parents = 3

| genus = Weeleus

| parent_authority = Navás, 1912

| species = acutus

| authority = (Walker, 1853)

| synonyms =

{{Specieslist

|Myrmeleon acutus|Walker, 1853

}}

| synonyms_ref =

}}

Weeleus acutus is an antlion of the tribe Distoleontini, and the sole member of the genus Weeleus.{{Cite journal|last=New|first=Timothy R.|date=1983|title=Notes on the New Zealand antlion, Weeleus acutus (Neuroptera)|journal=New Zealand Journal of Zoology|volume=10|issue=3|pages=281–284|doi=10.1080/03014223.1983.10423915|issn=0301-4223|doi-access=free}} It is endemic to New Zealand,{{Cite web|url=http://www.nzor.org.nz/names/d33117b2-712f-422e-97f1-9b2016cafc44|title=Weeleus acutus (Walker, 1853)|website=www.nzor.org.nz|publisher=Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd|access-date=2017-08-15}} and is widely distributed, being recorded from Kerikeri to Wakatipu.{{Cite Q|Q89667602}} This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1853 from a specimen presented by Andrew Sinclair.{{Cite book|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/23928510|title=Catalogue of the specimens of neuropterous insects in the collection of the British museum.|last=Walker|first=Francis|publisher=The Trustees of the British Museum|year=1853|editor-last=Gray|editor-first=John Edward|location=London|pages=377|language=en|doi=10.5962/bhl.title.32920|access-date=3 September 2017|hdl=2027/uc1.b3993168}}

File:Weeleus acutus closed wings.jpg, Canterbury. Attracted to light at night.]]