Coastal-dunes
Guides
Ablautus schlingeri
Oso Flaco Robber Fly
Ablautus schlingeri, commonly known as the oso flaco robber fly, is a small predatory fly in the family Asilidae. The species is endemic to California and has been documented at Oso Flaco Lake and surrounding dune habitats. It faces potential threats from sand mining operations that degrade its specialized sandy habitat. The species was described by Wilcox in 1966 and remains relatively poorly known.
Anthophora bomboides
Bumble-bee-mimic anthophora, Bumblebee-like Digger Bee, Stanford bumble bee digger
Anthophora bomboides is a solitary ground-nesting bee native to North America. Females construct distinctive turreted nests in sandy substrates, particularly coastal sand cliffs. The species exhibits Batesian mimicry of bumblebees, specifically resembling Bombus vosnesenskii in coloration. Research has documented unique microbial symbioses, with bacteria and fungi proliferating during larval diapause and potentially enhancing overwintering survival.
Aptostichus
Aptostichus is a genus of mygalomorph trapdoor spiders in the family Euctenizidae, described by Eugène Simon in 1891. The genus contains 41 described species distributed primarily in southern California, with some species extending into northern California, Mexico, and the Channel Islands. These spiders are notable for constructing silk-lined burrows with thin wafer-like trapdoors, though unlike some related genera, they do not seal side chambers with additional trapdoors. Several species have been named after prominent figures, reflecting both scientific interest and public engagement in arachnology.
Aptostichus simus
Southern Coastal Dune Trapdoor Spider
Aptostichus simus is a medium-sized mygalomorph trapdoor spider endemic to coastal sand dune habitats of California and Baja California, Mexico. This fossorial species constructs deep, silk-lined burrows with camouflaged trapdoor lids made of sand and silk, typically situated at the base of native dune vegetation. Recent integrative taxonomic research using genomic data has revealed significant cryptic diversity within this species complex, including the description of a new cryptic species, A. ramirezae, from Moss Landing State Beach. The species exhibits deep genetic divergence dating to 2-3 million years ago despite morphological homogeneity, with populations showing extreme habitat specificity that makes them vulnerable to coastal habitat degradation.
Arctosa perita
Sand Bear Spider
Arctosa perita is a wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, commonly known as the sand bear spider. It is native to Europe, North Africa, Turkey, the Caucasus, and Russia, and has been introduced to Canada. The species is adapted to dry, sandy habitats where it constructs burrows.
Arctosa sanctaerosae
Santa Rosa Wolf Spider
Arctosa sanctaerosae is a wolf spider endemic to the secondary dunes of white sandy beaches along the Northern Gulf Coast of the United States. The species is nocturnal and burrow-dwelling, with discrete generations. It has experienced significant habitat degradation and fragmentation due to coastal development and tourism over the last century, resulting in reduced gene flow and smaller effective population sizes across five identified population clusters. Hurricanes pose additional natural disturbance, with population recovery influenced by dune height and vegetation density.
Ceropales bipunctata
two-spotted spider wasp, kleptoparasitic spider wasp
Ceropales bipunctata is a diurnal, obligate kleptoparasitic spider wasp that cannot capture its own prey and must rely on provisions stolen from other spider wasps. The species is notable for its distinctive cream-colored spots on the thorax and its specialized parasitic lifestyle targeting the book lungs of spiders captured by host wasps. It occurs in two recognized subspecies with different geographic distributions and leg coloration.
Chaetocnema rileyi
Boca Chica flea beetle
Chaetocnema rileyi, known as the Boca Chica flea beetle, is a rare flea beetle species endemic to a single dune system at Boca Chica Beach in Texas. Adults inhabit sedge stems in beachside dunes, while larvae live underground feeding on root portions of host plants. The species faces conservation threats from nearby SpaceX rocket launch activities, which may kill beetles through thermal exposure from engine plumes or damage dune vegetation through debris impacts.
Chrysobothris seminole
Chrysobothris seminole is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described in 2007 as part of a revision of the Chrysobothris femorata species-group. It is notable as the only member of this species-group associated with a non-woody host plant. The species has a highly restricted distribution in the southeastern United States and is considered rare, with only a few individuals documented at its type locality.
Copablepharon fuscum
sand-verbena moth
Copablepharon fuscum, commonly known as the sand-verbena moth, is a noctuid moth species restricted to sandy ocean beaches along the Pacific coast of North America. The species was described in 1996 by Troubridge and Crabo. Adults have a wingspan of 35–40 mm. The larvae are specialized feeders on Abronia latifolia (yellow sand-verbena), a coastal dune plant. The species has a very limited geographic range and is considered at risk due to habitat loss and degradation of coastal dune ecosystems.
Geopsammodius hydropicus
Atlantic dune tiny sand-loving scarab
Geopsammodius hydropicus is a small dung beetle species in the subfamily Aphodiinae, commonly known as the Atlantic dune tiny sand-loving scarab. The species is associated with sandy coastal habitats in the southeastern United States. It belongs to a genus whose members are specialized for life in sandy substrates.
Habropoda miserabilis
silver digger bee
Habropoda miserabilis, commonly known as the silver digger bee, is a solitary ground-nesting bee native to western North America. This species was historically abundant in coastal sand dune habitats but declined dramatically by the mid-20th century due to habitat loss from invasive plant encroachment. Recent habitat restoration efforts have enabled population recoveries at several sites. The species serves as a host for the parasitic blister beetle Meloe franciscanus, which has evolved sophisticated chemical mimicry to exploit the bee's mating system.
Pomachiliini
Pomachiliini is a tribe of click beetles (Elateridae) established by Candèze in 1859. The tribe includes the genus Isidus, whose species are specialized to coastal dune environments in the Mediterranean region. Isidus moreli, the best-studied member, is the only saproxylophagous elaterid known from Italian dunes and serves as an umbrella species for coastal conservation.