Blind
Guides
Adranes
ant-loving beetles
Adranes is a genus of obligately myrmecophilous beetles in the rove beetle family Staphylinidae. These small beetles are entirely dependent on ants of the genus Lasius, living as inquilines within their nests. The six described species share extreme morphological adaptations for this lifestyle, including complete eyelessness, reduced mouthparts, and highly modified antennae. They are known from North America, with species distributed across the United States and Pacific coast regions.
Brachyceridae
Brachyceridae is a family of weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) containing at least 150 genera. The family has been treated historically as a subfamily of Curculionidae, but is now recognized as distinct. Some constituent genera, such as Absoloniella, contain blind, wingless species restricted to Mediterranean regions. The family belongs to the superfamily Curculionoidea, placing it among the true weevils.
Campodea
two-pronged bristletails
Campodea is a genus of small, white, ancestrally wingless hexapods in the order Diplura, commonly called two-pronged bristletails. The genus contains at least 130 described species, with Campodea staphylinus being the most widely known and studied. These blind soil-dwelling arthropods possess remarkable regenerative capacity for lost appendages, including their long antennae. As sister group to Insecta (sensu stricto), Campodea serves as a key reference taxon for understanding early hexapod evolution and the genomic origins of insect innovations.
Cixius yufengi
Cixius yufengi is a species of planthopper in the family Cixiidae, described by Tsaur in 1993. The species belongs to a genus of small, often inconspicuous insects that feed on plant sap. Very little specific information is available about this particular species.
planthopperCixiidaeCalifornia-endemicTsaur-1993AuchenorrhynchaFulgoromorphasap-feederHemipterainsectarthropodHexapodaAnimaliaEukaryotaDelphacoideaCixiinaeCixiiniCixiusspeciesacceptedGBIFCatalogue-of-LifetaxonomydistributionCaliforniaUSAUnited-StatesNorth-Americaendemicinvertebratehemipterantrue-bugbuginsectaanimalhexapodeukaryotearthropodacixius-yufengiyufengiTsaur1993scientific-namecanonical-nameauthorshiprankstatusgenusspecific-epithetclassificationtaxonomy-matchexactkingdomphylumclassorderfamilydistribution-recordsBuglifeendemic-speciesBritish-endemicsIvell's-Sea-AnemoneEdwardsia-ivelliWidewater-LagoonSussexextinctlikely-extinctnot-seen-in-over-forty-years19731983dance-flyPoecilobothrus-majesticusEssex1907Caledonian-PlanthopperCixius-caledonicusnot-seen-for-70-yearsManx-Shearwater-FleaCeratophyllus-fionnus1960sTurk's-Earth-CentipedeNothogeophilus-turkiIsles-of-ScillyIsle-of-Wight1988never-seen-againconservationJames-Harding-MorrisbookBritish-endemic-invertebratesCraig-MacadamCeltic-WoodlouseMetatrichoniscoides-celticusWaleswestern-fringes-of-England1980sChater's-BristletailDilta-chateriiridescentjumping-powers1990sLundy-Cabbage-Flea-BeetlePsylliodes-luridipennisLundy-IslandDevonco-endemismLundy-Cabbageendemic-plantLundy-Cabbage-WeevilCeutorhynchus-contractus-pallipestaxonomic-uncertaintyHorrid-Ground-weaverNothophantes-horridusPlymouthdevelopmentNorthern-February-Red-StoneflyBrachyptera-putataScotlanddrummingabdomen-tappingBritish-Cave-ShrimpNiphargus-glennieiblindghostly-palecavesdamp-rock-fissurestemporary-puddleshumid-cavesrediscoveredprotectedsurvivalconservation-prioritiesglobal-responsibilityevolutionary-twistsecological-intriguehopenatural-heritageBack-from-the-BrinkRSPBBig-Garden-BirdwatchBSBINew-Year-Plant-Huntplantswildlifenaturecommunicationspublic-engagementcampaignsrare-speciesobscure-speciesoverlooked-speciesirreplaceable-specieslocal-wondersglobal-stakesisolationthousands-of-yearsmillions-of-yearsevolutionlandscapesRed-SquirrelHedgehogEuropeshared-speciesnowhere-elseno-backupno-second-chancescelebrationprotectioncherishrecogniseawarenesshabitat-protectionresearchforgotten-creaturesspotlightslipping-through-the-cracksunknown-to-publicrarely-surveyedbarely-hanging-onalready-goneuncomfortable-truthimportant-speciesleast-knownstrangedeeply-unsettlingsole-global-responsibilitylose-them-everywhereorganisationsfighting-to-changeextraordinary-workrarestmost-threatenedentirely-overlookedforgottenevolvedstep-with-Britain's-landscapesfamiliar-speciesshare-with-Europepopulation-overseasreintroducelose-themwrittenjourneyoverlookedirreplaceablefound-nowhere-else-on-Earthcall-to-recogniseprotectuniquely-oursavailable-nowbooksellersspecies-found-nowhere-else-on-Earthpassionate-nature-enthusiastlifelong-loveexploringnatural-worldtrekkingmountainsrare-flowersscouringfenselusive-mothsinvestigatingexotic-invertebrateshothousesfascinationunwaveringprofessional-lifeconservation-sectorhigh-impact-campaignsinspiredEngland's-rarestmost-obscure-speciesmissionBritain-and-Irelandfall-in-love-with-plantsSHAREFacebookLinkedInguest-blogauthorhow-many-speciesfound-only-in-Britainsimple-questioncomprehensive-listresearchingwriting2022referenceburied-in-booksscattered-across-internettucked-awayminds-of-species-expertsresultover-700-speciesat-least-another-100-subspeciesoccur-nowhere-else-on-Earthtotal-global-responsibilityvery-few-peoplename-even-a-single-onestruckmost-irreplaceable-specieslive-or-diedecisions-made-within-our-borderstop-of-conservation-prioritiescelebratedunderstoodset-outtell-their-storiesunique-invertebratesincredibly-fortunateBuglife's-Conservation-Directorfirst-timecompiling-report20-speciesfive-species-of-flyfour-species-of-beetletwo-stonefliesone-eachwoodlousecentipedemillipedefleabristletailspidershrimpsea-anemonetell-storiesgo-out-and-find-thempicked-fivetrack-downbumped-intocouple-moresearched-under-coastal-rocksexquisitepearly-translucenttiny-speciesbarely-2.5mm-longfirst-discoveredknown-only-from-Walesnearbysearched-dampferny-woodlandsalien-lookingastonishing-jumping-powersnamed-new-to-sciencetravelledDevon's-Lundy-Islandtry-and-seeparticularly-rare-pairingonly-known-exampleendemic-beetlepossibly-endemicspend-their-liveswintry-visitsearchelusive-and-threatenedfound-in-just-a-few-siteswithin-the-cityperpetually-under-pressureowes-its-survivaltireless-effortsguided-tourprime-Northern-February-Red-Stoneflyhabitatblew-my-mindmusical-prowessstoneflies-'drum'tapping-their-abdomensslithering-through-tightmuddyunderground-tunnelspersonal-favouriteutterly-gorgeousspends-its-lifechance-searchDevon-coastfirst-sightingalmost-thirty-yearsones-we've-lostimmediately-drawnonly-ever-knownunfortunatelyCraig's-reporthasn't-been-seenover-forty-yearsfirst-collectedlast-seenwithin-a-decadeknowing-this-species-existedgone-foreversadlynot-uncommon-themeendemic-invertebratesdiscoveredhasn't-been-foundover-a-century70-yearsdon't-think-anyonespottedsince-the-1960snot-long-afterfirst-describedfirst-foundstrange-and-uncomfortable-truthsome-of-the-most-important-speciesalso-some-of-the-least-knownby-definitionBritain's-sole-global-responsibilitylose-them-heredespite-that-significancethankfullyorganisations-fightingraising-awarenessrarest-and-most-threatenedotherwise-remainleading-edge-researchevolved-in-stepBritain's-landscapesthousandsunlike-more-familiar-speciesno-population-overseasnowhere-to-reintroducewhy-I-wrote-Endemicutterly-uniquemosseswoodlicebeetlesbuttercupsstories-full-ofright-attentionactionstill-be-savedheld-onpossiblewithin-our-reachall-good-booksellersoverlooked-and-irreplaceableBacks-Goldilocks-ButtercupHeather-StuckeyAbout-the-Authortrekking-up-mountainsscouring-fensinvestigating-exotic-invertebratesfascination-with-wildlifeRSPB's-Big-Garden-BirdwatchBSBI's-New-Year-Plant-HuntBack-from-the-Brink-projectcare-deeplycurrentlyensure-everyoneopportunitywork-with-BSBISHARE-ONCryptopidae
Bark Centipedes
Cryptopidae is a family of scolopendromorph centipedes characterized by complete absence of eyes (lacking ocelli) and possessing 21 pairs of legs as adults. The family is dominated by the genus Cryptops, which comprises over 150 species worldwide. Members are commonly known as bark centipedes and occur across diverse geographic regions, with some species showing strong synanthropic tendencies and human-mediated dispersal.
Glacicavicola bathyscioides
Idaho Ice Cave Beetle, Western Blind Cave Beetle
Glacicavicola bathyscioides is a small, eyeless cave beetle endemic to ice caves in the western United States. It exhibits classic troglobitic adaptations including complete blindness, elongated appendages with sensory setae, and a distinctive false physogastric abdomen. The species has been documented in lava tube ice caves in Idaho and a limestone cave in Wyoming, where it inhabits humid, cold environments with ice formations. Its life cycle is poorly understood, with no larval forms observed and an estimated three-year lifespan.
Motyxia
Sierra luminous millipedes, motyxias
Motyxia is a genus of blind, cyanide-producing millipedes endemic to three mountain ranges in California. All 11 species exhibit bioluminescence, making them one of only three known bioluminescent millipede groups worldwide. Adults range 3–4 cm in length with 20 body segments and prominent lateral keels (paranota). The genus was established by Chamberlin in 1941 and belongs to the tribe Xystocheirini within the family Xystodesmidae.
Omalonomus
Omalonomus is a genus of blind, wingless, lightly pigmented subterranean rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. The type species Omalonomus relictus was described in 1990 from the Cypress Hills of Alberta-Saskatchewan, Canada. Its highly modified morphology reflects adaptation to a hypogeous lifestyle. The genus is considered a preglacial relict, supporting evidence for ice-free refugia in the Cypress Hills during Pleistocene glaciation.
Platyarthrus
Platyarthrus is a genus of small, blind woodlice comprising over 30 described species. Members are obligate myrmecophiles, living almost exclusively within ant nests. The genus exhibits female-biased sex ratios in small populations. Body size in at least some species is dependent on host ant species.
Raymondionyminae
Raymondionyminae is a subfamily of small, primarily blind weevils within the family Brachyceridae. Members are characterized by reduced or absent eyes, an adaptation associated with subterranean or soil-dwelling habits. The subfamily includes at least four genera: Alaocybites, Gilbertiola, Schizomicrus, and Bordoniola. Most species are poorly known, with the majority of records coming from South America.
Schizomicrus caecus
Schizomicrus caecus is a species of weevil described by Casey in 1892. The specific epithet "caecus" (Latin for "blind") suggests possible eye reduction or loss, a trait associated with subterranean or cryptic lifestyles in some beetle groups. It belongs to the family Brachyceridae, a small family of weevils within the superfamily Curculionoidea. The species is known from North America, though detailed biological information remains limited.
Scolopocryptopidae
Scolopocryptopid Centipedes
Scolopocryptopidae is a family of blind centipedes in the order Scolopendromorpha, comprising more than 90 species. The family is distinguished from all other centipedes by having exactly 23 pairs of legs—a fixed trait that contrasts with the variable leg counts in other families. Members are eyeless and possess a distinctive gizzard with kinked, pineapple-shaped sieve projections. The family is most diverse in the Neotropical realm, with four recognized subfamilies: Ectonocryptopinae, Kethopinae, Newportiinae, and Scolopocryptopinae.