Arizona
Guides
Schinia zuni
Schinia zuni is a small moth in the family Noctuidae, first described by McElvare in 1950. The species is known from a limited number of records in the southwestern United States, specifically Arizona and New Mexico. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 26 mm. Like other members of the genus Schinia, this species likely exhibits flower-associated behavior, though specific biological details remain poorly documented due to its rarity.
Schizogenius chiricahuanus
Schizogenius chiricahuanus is a ground beetle species in the family Carabidae, described by Whitehead in 1972. It belongs to the tribe Clivinini, a group of small to medium-sized carabids often associated with sandy or loose soil habitats. The species epithet references the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona, suggesting a geographic association with this sky island range. Like other members of Schizogenius, it likely exhibits fossorial (burrowing) adaptations.
Scleropogon huachucanus
Scleropogon huachucanus is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Hardy in 1942. The specific epithet references the Huachuca Mountains of Arizona, suggesting a southwestern U.S. distribution. Like other Asilidae, this species is presumed to be a predatory fly, though specific behavioral and ecological details remain poorly documented. The genus Scleropogon is characterized by distinctive morphological features including a bearded face and elongated body form.
Scobicia arizonica
horned powder-post beetle
Scobicia arizonica is a species of horned powder-post beetle in the family Bostrichidae, first described by Lesne in 1907. It is one of the powder-post beetles, a group known for their ability to reduce seasoned wood to a fine powder. The species is found in North America, with records from the southwestern United States including Arizona.
Scolops viridis
Green Dictyopharid Planthopper
Scolops viridis is a planthopper species in the family Dictyopharidae, first described by Ball in 1902. It belongs to the infraorder Fulgoromorpha, a group known for their distinctive head structures and jumping abilities. The species is recorded from the southwestern United States including Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. As a member of the Dictyopharidae, it shares family-level characteristics of having an elongated, often enlarged head structure.
Scoparia rigidalis
Scoparia rigidalis is a small moth in the family Crambidae, described by William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough in 1912. The species is known from Arizona in North America. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 22 mm and are active from August to September. The forewings display distinctive purplish-brown coloration with contrasting pale markings.
Smicraulax arizonicus
Smicraulax arizonicus is a species of true weevil in the beetle family Curculionidae, first described by Sleeper in 1954. The specific epithet "arizonicus" indicates its association with Arizona. It is known from North America, with its distribution centered in the southwestern United States. Like other members of the genus Smicraulax, it belongs to a group of small weevils whose biology remains poorly documented.
Sparkia immacula
Sparkia immacula is a noctuid moth and the sole member of its genus. It is found in the southwestern United States, specifically in Arizona and New Mexico. The genus was established by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1883. Very little biological information is available for this species.
Spathanus acuminatus
Spathanus acuminatus is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, first described by Baker in 1896 under the genus Athysanus. It belongs to the tribe Scaphoideini within the subfamily Deltocephalinae. The species has been documented from the southwestern United States, specifically Arizona and Texas. As a member of the leafhopper family, it is presumed to feed on plant sap using piercing-sucking mouthparts, though specific host plants have not been documented in the available sources.
Spectralia cuprescens
Spectralia cuprescens is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, originally described by Knull in 1940. The species is known from North America, with records from the southwestern United States including Arizona. Very little is documented about its biology, host associations, or specific habitat preferences beyond its general occurrence in xeric regions.
Sphaeropthalma pinalea
velvet ant
Sphaeropthalma pinalea is a species of velvet ant in the family Mutillidae, described by Schuster in 1958. Like other members of this genus, the females are wingless and ant-like in appearance, while males possess wings. The species is part of a diverse North American velvet ant fauna, with the genus Sphaeropthalma containing numerous species primarily distributed in western and southwestern United States.
Sphecomyia weismani
Sphecomyia weismani is a hoverfly species described in 2019, one of seven new species identified during a comprehensive revision of the genus Sphecomyia. It belongs to the S. pattonii species group, distinguished from other Sphecomyia by the absence of pruinose scutellar vittae. The species is a wasp mimic, exhibiting the characteristic large size and yellow-and-black coloration typical of this Holarctic genus. Like other members of subtribe Criorhinina, it likely develops in decaying wood or rot holes, though specific larval biology remains undocumented.
Sphinx oslari
Sphinx oslari is a species of sphinx moth in the family Sphingidae. It is one of numerous species in the genus Sphinx, which includes several North American hawkmoths. The species is poorly documented in available literature, with limited information on its biology, distribution, and ecology. Like other sphinx moths, adults likely have strong flight capabilities and are nocturnal or crepuscular in activity.
Spintherophyta arizonensis
Spintherophyta arizonensis is a small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Eumolpinae, described by Schultz in 1976. The genus Spintherophyta is most diverse in the Neotropics, with only four species occurring in North America north of Mexico. This species is one of the North American representatives of a predominantly Neotropical genus of globular, pollen-feeding leaf beetles.
Stahnkeus deserticola
A medium-sized scorpion in the family Vaejovidae, originally described from Arizona. The species epithet 'deserticola' indicates its association with desert habitats. It was transferred from the genus Vaejovis to the genus Stahnkeus based on phylogenetic and morphological studies. The genus Stahnkeus was established to accommodate a distinct lineage of vaejovid scorpions found in the southwestern United States and Mexico.
Stenamma chiricahua
Stenamma chiricahua is a species of ant in the family Formicidae, first described by Snelling in 1973. The species epithet refers to the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona, indicating its type locality and geographic association with this Madrean Sky Island range. As a member of the genus Stenamma, it belongs to a cryptic ant group known for occurring in cool, wet forest habitats at mid to high elevations. The Middle American clade of Stenamma, which includes this species, underwent a major taxonomic revision in 2013 that recognized 40 species, 33 of which were newly described, revealing a previously overlooked radiation of Neotropical ants.
Stenaspis solitaria
Stenaspis solitaria is a longhorn beetle species in the family Cerambycidae, described by Thomas Say in 1824. It occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico, where it has been collected from various woody hosts including Acacia species and Baccharis sarothroides. Field observations indicate adults are active during summer months, particularly July and August, and are often found by beating vegetation or sweeping flowering plants.
Stenaspis verticalis arizonicus
Stenaspis verticalis arizonicus is a subspecies of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Cerambycinae, tribe Trachyderini. It was described by Casey in 1912 and is known from the southwestern United States and Mexico. The subspecies is associated with desert scrub and woodland habitats, particularly in Arizona and adjacent regions. Adults have been observed on Baccharis sarothroides (desert broom), where mating pairs have been documented.
Stenelaphus
Stenelaphus is a monotypic genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) in the tribe Elaphidiini, containing a single species, Stenelaphus alienus. The genus was established by Linsley in 1936. Based on collection records from Arizona, adults have been observed at ultraviolet lights in montane canyon habitats during summer months, suggesting nocturnal activity patterns typical of many cerambycid beetles.
Stenopodius martini
Stenopodius martini is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described by Blaisdell in 1939. It belongs to the subfamily Cassidinae, a group commonly known as tortoise beetles or hispine beetles. The species is known from the southwestern United States. Its food plant remains unknown, though adults have been collected on Sphaeralcea species.
Stenopogon cazieri
Stenopogon cazieri is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Brookman in 1941. The genus Stenopogon belongs to the subfamily Stenopogoninae, a group characterized by distinctive morphological features and predatory habits. Like other asilids, this species is presumed to be an aerial predator of other insects. Very little specific information has been published about this particular species beyond its original description and taxonomic placement.
Stigmella variella
Stigmella variella is a pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae, characterized by its small size and leaf-mining larval habit. The species is known from California and Arizona, where larvae feed on three oak species. Adults have a wingspan of 5.5–7.5 mm. Two to three generations occur annually in California, with active leaf mines present from July to early September and February to April.
Stirellus catalinus
Stirellus catalinus is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, originally described as Penestirellus catalinus by Beamer & Tuthill in 1934. It belongs to the subfamily Deltocephalinae and tribe Eupelicini. The species has been documented in Arizona and Kansas, with records suggesting it may be active during winter months in mild conditions.
Stizoides foxi
Fox's stizoide
Stizoides foxi is a kleptoparasitic sand wasp in the family Crabronidae, one of only two Stizoides species occurring in North America. This species is restricted to Arizona and southward into Mexico, where it parasitizes the food caches of other solitary wasps. Like its congener S. renicinctus, females locate and excavate the burrows of host wasps, destroy the host egg, and replace it with their own egg to exploit the provisioned prey. The species was described by Gillaspy in 1963 and remains poorly known compared to its more widespread relative.
Strumigenys chiricahua
Strumigenys chiricahua is a species of trap-jaw ant described by Ward in 1988. The specific epithet references the Chiricahua Mountains, a mountain range in southeastern Arizona known for high endemism and biodiversity. The species belongs to a large genus of miniature predatory ants characterized by specialized mandible morphology. Like other members of Strumigenys, it likely possesses elongated mandibles capable of rapid closure to capture prey.
Styloxus bicolor
Red-necked Juniper Borer
Styloxus bicolor is a longhorn beetle (family Cerambycidae) native to western North America. It was described by Champlain and Knull in 1922. The species is commonly known as the Red-necked Juniper Borer and has been documented as a specialist on juniper hosts, particularly Juniperus monosperma. Its life history has been studied in northern Arizona, where it develops as a wood-borer in living juniper trees.
Synanthedon arizonensis
Arizona Clearwing Moth
Synanthedon arizonensis is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, known for its wasp-like appearance and diurnal activity. Like other members of its genus, it likely bores into woody plants as larvae. The species is native to the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico. It belongs to a group of moths that are generally not attracted to light traps, making them difficult to survey using standard moth-collecting methods.
Synecdoche tricolor
Synecdoche tricolor is a species of planthopper in the family Achilidae, described by O'Brien in 1971. The genus Synecdoche belongs to the tribe Plectoderini within the subfamily Myconinae. Members of the Achilidae are typically found in association with fungi, often in decaying wood or leaf litter habitats. The specific epithet "tricolor" likely refers to a three-colored pattern in the species' coloration.
Syrbula montezuma
Montezuma's Grasshopper, slant-faced grasshopper
Syrbula montezuma is a species of slant-faced grasshopper in the family Acrididae, subfamily Gomphocerinae. It is distributed across Central America and North America, including the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species is characterized by its slanted facial profile typical of the subfamily. It has been recorded in regions including Arizona and multiple ecological zones in Mexico.
Syssphinx montana
Montana Silkmoth
Syssphinx montana is a silkmoth in the family Saturniidae. Adults have a wingspan of 62–82 mm, with males smaller than females. The species is found in Mexico and rarely in southeastern Arizona. Adults are active from mid-July to early August and do not feed. Larvae feed on several leguminous host plants.
Systasea zampa
Arizona Powdered-Skipper
Systasea zampa, known as the Arizona Powdered-Skipper, is a spread-wing skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico, with records from Arizona and adjacent regions. The species is considered uncommon to rare in many parts of its range, with adults active in early spring. It is one of three species in the genus Systasea, all characterized by distinctive wing morphology.
Syzeton arizonae
Syzeton arizonae is a species of ant-like leaf beetle in the family Aderidae, described by Gompel in 2022. It is currently known only from Arizona, United States. As a member of Aderidae, it belongs to a family of small, elongate beetles often associated with decaying plant material and fungal growth. The species is recently described with limited published biological information available.
Tachardiella
lac scales
Tachardiella is a genus of lac scales (Hemiptera: Kerriidae) known from the southwestern United States and Mexico. Species in this genus are associated with specific host plants and serve as hosts for parasitoid wasps in the genus Tachardiobius (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). The genus is poorly studied, with limited biological and ecological documentation available.
Taedia fasciola
Taedia fasciola is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, first described by Knight in 1930. It is recorded from Arizona, USA. As a member of the genus Taedia, it belongs to a group of mirid bugs whose members are generally associated with vegetation, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Taedia maculosa
Taedia maculosa is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, first described by Knight in 1930. The species is known from the southwestern United States, particularly Arizona. As a member of the large and diverse Miridae family, it belongs to a group of true bugs commonly associated with vegetation.
Tallula baboquivarialis
Tallula baboquivarialis is a species of snout moth in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Epipaschiinae. Described by Barnes and Benjamin in 1926, this species is known from extremely limited records. Only one observation has been documented on iNaturalist, indicating it is rarely encountered or potentially underreported. The specific epithet references the Baboquivari Mountains in Arizona, suggesting a southwestern North American distribution.
Tanaostigmodes albiclavus
Tanaostigmodes albiclavus is a species of chalcid wasp in the family Tanaostigmatidae, first described by Girault in 1917. The species is known from the southwestern United States. Members of this family are gall wasps associated with plants, though specific host relationships for this species remain poorly documented.
Tarache huachuca
Tarache huachuca is a species of bird-dropping moth in the family Noctuidae, first described by Smith in 1903. The species belongs to the subfamily Acontiinae, a group known for their characteristic wing patterns that resemble bird droppings, providing camouflage against predators. It is assigned MONA/Hodges number 9113 in North American moth classification systems. The specific epithet refers to the Huachuca Mountains in southeastern Arizona.
Tecnophilus pilatei
Tecnophilus pilatei is a ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by Chaudoir in 1877. It belongs to the subfamily Lebiinae and tribe Lebiini. The species is known from the southwestern United States. Like other members of its genus, it is likely a nocturnal predator adapted to arid or semi-arid environments, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Tenthredo fernaldii
Tenthredo fernaldii is a species of common sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae. Like other members of the genus, it lacks the narrow 'wasp waist' characteristic of many Hymenoptera, with the abdomen attached broadly to the thorax. Adults are active in late summer and early autumn, and may be encountered on flowers or foliage. The species has been documented from the southwestern United States, with observations from Arizona.
Tetracis montanaria
Tetracis montanaria is a recently described geometrid moth species known only from a restricted high-elevation range in southeastern Arizona. Described by Ferris in 2010, it represents one of three new species added to the genus during a major taxonomic revision that synonymized Synaxis with Tetracis. The species inhabits montane aspen-coniferous forests at elevations between 2,440 and 2,715 meters. Adults are active in early autumn, with flight records from early October and possibly late September.
Tetragonoderus pallidus
Tetragonoderus pallidus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by George Henry Horn in 1868. The species is endemic to the Sonoran Desert region, occurring in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Records indicate presence in Arizona, California, and Mexico. As a member of the genus Tetragonoderus, it belongs to a group of small carabid beetles, though specific morphological and ecological details for this species remain limited in the available literature.
Tetraopes discoideus
Tetraopes discoideus is a small milkweed longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1847. Adults measure 7–9 mm in length, making this species notably smaller than congeners. The species is associated with milkweed plants (Asclepias spp.) throughout its range in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Adults have been observed resting, feeding, and mating on milkweed stems and flowers. Larvae develop by feeding on milkweed roots, either tunneling directly into large taproots or living in surrounding soil when roots are small.
Thasus
giant mesquite bug
Thasus is a genus of large, robust leaf-footed bugs in the family Coreidae, distributed from the southwestern United States through Mexico to South America. The genus includes species commonly known as giant mesquite bugs, which are strongly associated with mesquite trees (Prosopis spp.) where they feed on plant sap and complete their entire life cycle. Several species are notable for their substantial size, with males reaching over 35 mm in length and exhibiting sexually dimorphic hind leg morphology—males possess thickened, armed hind femora while females have more slender, banded legs. Some species are consumed as food in Mexico and represent examples of traditional entomophagy, though recent studies indicate potential health risks from bacterial contamination.
Thasus neocalifornicus
giant mesquite bug
Thasus neocalifornicus is a large, distinctive true bug in the family Coreidae, commonly known as the giant mesquite bug. The species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males possessing heavily armed, thickened hind legs compared to the more slender, red-and-black banded hind legs of females. It is associated with mesquite trees (Prosopis spp.) in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, where adults feed on sap and developing seeds. The species has been documented as a host for the egg parasitoid wasp Neorileya ashmeadi (family Eurytomidae).
Theridion arizonense
Theridion arizonense is a species of cobweb weaver spider in the family Theridiidae, described by Herbert W. Levi in 1957. The specific epithet suggests an association with Arizona, though detailed information about this species remains limited in the available literature. As a member of the genus Theridion, it shares the general characteristics of small to medium-sized theridiid spiders that construct irregular, three-dimensional webs.
Thyreodon rivinae
Thyreodon rivinae is a species of ichneumon wasp described by Porter in 1980. The genus Thyreodon belongs to the family Ichneumonidae, one of the largest families of parasitoid wasps. Members of this genus are known from the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico. The species is poorly documented in scientific literature, with limited published information on its biology and ecology.
Thyreodon umbrifer
Thyreodon umbrifer is a species of ichneumon wasp described by Porter in 1989. The genus Thyreodon belongs to the family Ichneumonidae, one of the largest families of parasitoid wasps. Very little published information exists about this specific species. A specimen initially identified as possibly belonging to this genus was observed in Arizona, where experts noted difficulty distinguishing Thyreodon from related genera in the southwestern United States. The genus is poorly known taxonomically, and species-level identification requires specialist examination.
Tibicinoides catalina
Tibicinoides catalina is a cicada species in the family Cicadidae, originally described as Okanagana catalina by Davis in 1936. The specific epithet 'catalina' likely refers to the Santa Catalina Mountains in southern Arizona, a region with notable cicada diversity. Like other cicadas, this species has piercing-sucking mouthparts and undergoes subterranean nymphal development before emerging as adults. The genus Tibicinoides is part of the tribe Tibicinini within the subfamily Tibicininae.
Tinea unidentified-az
Tinea unidentified-az is a member of the fungus moth family Tineidae, a lineage that predates many more recognizable moth species. The genus Tinea includes several species with specialized larval habits, most notably the casemaking clothes moth (Tinea pellionella), whose larvae construct portable silk tubes incorporating food debris and frass. Tineid moths as a group are characterized by their ability to exploit keratinaceous materials and other organic substrates. This particular taxon designation suggests an unidentified or undescribed species from Arizona, though specific details remain undocumented.