2016-description
Guides
Aphonopelma chiricahua
Chiricahua Tarantula
Aphonopelma chiricahua is a tarantula species endemic to the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona. It was described in 2016 during a comprehensive revision of the genus Aphonopelma, which revealed significant previously unrecognized diversity in the southwestern United States. Like other Madrean Sky Island endemics, this species occupies isolated montane habitats and represents part of the exceptional biodiversity found in this region.
Aphonopelma icenoglei
Aphonopelma icenoglei is a species of tarantula in the family Theraphosidae, described in 2016 from California. It is one of 14 new Aphonopelma species identified during a comprehensive taxonomic revision that reduced the previously recognized 55 U.S. species to 29 well-defined species. The species is named in honor of William Icenogle, who contributed specimens and locality data to the study. Like other members of the genus, it is a ground-dwelling burrower native to the southwestern United States.
Aphonopelma johnnycashi
Johnny Cash Tarantula
Aphonopelma johnnycashi is a North American tarantula species described in 2016 from specimens collected near Folsom State Prison in California. The species was named in honor of Johnny Cash, the country music singer known as "The Man in Black," referencing both the location and the mature male's solid black coloration. It is one of 14 new species described in a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus Aphonopelma, which nearly doubled the number of recognized species in the southwestern United States.
Habronattus gilaensis
Habronattus gilaensis is a species of jumping spider in the family Salticidae, described by Maddison & Maddison in 2016. The genus Habronattus is notable for having approximately 100 species concentrated in North America, with the highest diversity in the southwestern United States. Members of this genus are small, ground-dwelling spiders with elaborate courtship behaviors involving both visual and acoustic signals.
Paraheraeus
Paraheraeus is a genus of seed bugs in the family Rhyparochromidae, established in 2016. It belongs to the tribe Myodochini, a diverse group of ground-dwelling true bugs. The genus was erected to accommodate species previously placed in related genera, reflecting refined understanding of relationships within the Rhyparochrominae. As a recently described genus, its species-level taxonomy and biology remain incompletely documented.
Perdita hippolyta
Perdita hippolyta is a species of mining bee in the family Andrenidae, described by Portman and Griswold in 2016. Like other members of the genus Perdita, it is a solitary bee. The genus Perdita is known for containing some of the smallest bees in North America, with many species exhibiting extreme host-plant specialization. As a recently described species, detailed natural history information remains limited.
Prionus geminus
Prionus geminus is a longhorned beetle species in the subfamily Prioninae, described in 2016 from material collected in the Great Plains region of North America. It belongs to the subgenus Homaesthesis, a group of grassland-associated Prionus species whose biology remains poorly documented. The species is part of a genus whose larvae are subterranean root feeders, though specific host associations for P. geminus have not been established.
Rhyopsocus quercus
Rhyopsocus quercus is a species of psocid described by Mockford in 2016, belonging to the family Psoquillidae. The specific epithet 'quercus' suggests an association with oak (Quercus), though the nature of this relationship remains to be fully documented. As a member of the order Psocodea, this species is part of a group of small, often overlooked insects that occur in diverse terrestrial habitats.
Selenacentrus wallacei
Selenacentrus wallacei is a treehopper species in the family Membracidae, described by Morris and Dietrich in 2016. It represents the sole species of the monotypic genus Selenacentrus. The species was discovered among mislabeled specimens in multiple museum collections and is known from Texas and northern Mexico. Its taxonomic placement required the establishment of a new genus due to unique morphological characteristics that do not align with any recognized tribes within the subfamily Centrotinae.
Taracus carmanah
Taracus carmanah is a species of harvestman (Opiliones: Ischyropsalidoidea: Taracidae) described in 2016 from Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The species name refers to Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park, a protected old-growth forest area on southwestern Vancouver Island. It was described as part of a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus Taracus, which included redescription of all previously named species and description of eight new species across western North America.
Taracus spesavius
Taracus spesavius is a harvestman species described in 2016 from Nevada, United States. It belongs to the family Taracidae, a group of small to medium-sized ischyropsalidoid harvestmen found in western North America. The species was established during a comprehensive revision of the genus Taracus that expanded the known distribution of the genus to include Nevada and several other western states and Canadian provinces.
Taracus taylori
Taracus taylori is a species of harvestman (Opiliones: Taracidae) described from Nevada in 2016. It belongs to the genus Taracus, a group of ischyropsalidoid harvestmen found in western North America. The species was established during a comprehensive revision of the genus that redescribed all previously named species and described multiple new species.
Taracus ubicki
A small harvestman species in the family Taracidae, described from California in 2016 as part of a major revision of the genus Taracus. The species is one of eight new Taracus species described in that work, expanding known diversity in western North American ischyropsalidoid harvestmen.