Afrotropical-origin
Guides
Agonoscelis puberula
African cluster bug
Agonoscelis puberula, commonly known as the African cluster bug, is a stink bug species in the family Pentatomidae. Native to Africa, it has established populations in the Western Hemisphere following introduction events. The earliest confirmed record in the Americas dates to 1978 from Cuba, predating the 1985 record previously considered the first. The species is now present throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and North America. Its spread to Cuba has been hypothesized to relate to Cuban military engagement in Angola during the Cold War.
Onthophagus depressus
scarab beetle
Onthophagus depressus is a dung beetle species in the family Scarabaeidae, originally described from Africa and now established in Australia and the southeastern United States as an introduced species. It belongs to a genus well-studied for sexual selection and horn polymorphism in males, though specific behavioral studies for this species are limited. The species has been recorded in carrion-associated beetle communities, suggesting broader feeding ecology than strict dung specialization.
Syritta
Syritta is a genus of hoverflies (family Syrphidae) with approximately 18 recognized species. The genus likely originated in the Afrotropical region, where the majority of species diversity occurs. Only six species are known from the Palearctic region, with two species—S. flaviventris and S. pipiens—occurring in North America, probably introduced by humans. S. pipiens is the most widespread and commonly encountered species, distributed across Eurasia and North America.