Coastal-endemic
Guides
Agrotis gravis
Agrotis gravis is a noctuid moth species described by Grote in 1874. It is restricted to a highly specialized coastal habitat, occurring exclusively on sandy ocean beaches with foreshore dunes along the Pacific coast of North America. The species has been documented from British Columbia southward through California, with 22 iNaturalist observations recorded. Its narrow ecological niche and specific substrate requirements make it vulnerable to coastal habitat disturbance.
Atrytonopsis loammi
Loammi skipper, southern dusted skipper
Atrytonopsis loammi, commonly known as the Loammi skipper or southern dusted skipper, is a small hesperiid butterfly found in coastal regions of the southeastern United States. The species has been subject to taxonomic debate, with some authors treating it as a subspecies of Atrytonopsis hianna, and the North Carolina barrier island population described separately as Atrytonopsis quinteri. Adults are active in two distinct flight periods during spring and mid-summer to late summer. The larvae feed specifically on Schizachyrium littorale, a coastal grass species.
Coelus
Dune Beetles
Coelus is a genus of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) endemic to coastal dune habitats along the Pacific Coast of North America. Species within this genus are restricted to sandy beach and dune ecosystems, with some members showing island endemism. The genus includes both mainland and Channel Island species, with documented phylogeographic structure among island populations. Coelus species are part of the tribe Coniontini within the subfamily Pimeliinae.
Coelus globosus
Globose Dune Beetle
Coelus globosus is a coastal sand-dwelling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae, commonly known as the Globose Dune Beetle. It occupies a narrow geographic range along the Pacific coast from northern California to Baja California, with additional populations on most of the Channel Islands. The species is restricted to active coastal dune systems, where it inhabits foredunes and sand hummocks.
Enteucha gilvafascia
Enteucha gilvafascia is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Nepticulidae. It is restricted to coastal southern Florida, where it completes two generations annually. The species is entirely dependent on seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera) for larval development, with larvae creating distinctive mines within the leaves.
Eucalantica polita
Eucalantica polita is a micro-moth in the family Yponomeutidae, first described by Walsingham in 1881. It represents one of the few Nearctic species in the genus Eucalantica, which is otherwise predominantly Neotropical in distribution. The species is restricted to Pacific coastal regions of western North America.
Gryllus thinos
Texas Beach Field Cricket
Gryllus thinos is a field cricket species described in 2019 from Texas coastal habitats. Commonly known as the Texas Beach Field Cricket, it inhabits sandy beach environments, distinguishing it from other Gryllus species that typically occupy inland grasslands and fields. The species is characterized by its specialized coastal habitat association and relatively recent taxonomic recognition.
Nebria diversa
sea beach gazelle beetle
Nebria diversa is a coastal ground beetle endemic to sandy Pacific beaches of western North America. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged), restricting dispersal to coastal habitats. The species is nocturnal and occupies a narrow ecological niche beneath driftwood and debris on open sandy shorelines.
Photedes enervata
many-lined cordgrass moth, many-lined photedes
Photedes enervata is a noctuid moth occurring in Atlantic coastal marshes of North America. The species was transferred from Hypocoena to Photedes based on morphological and genetic evidence. Larvae are specialist feeders on Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass), tying them to salt marsh ecosystems. Adults are rarely encountered away from coastal wetland habitats.
Poanes aaroni
Aaron's Skipper, Saffron Skipper
Poanes aaroni, commonly known as Aaron's Skipper or the Saffron Skipper, is a North American skipper butterfly restricted to salt marshes along the Atlantic coast. The species exhibits vivid orange coloration with broad black wing borders. It has a highly specialized ecological relationship, with larvae feeding exclusively on smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). Four subspecies are currently recognized, reflecting geographic variation across its limited coastal range.
Psammopolia arietis
Psammopolia arietis is a noctuid moth restricted to Pacific Coast sand beaches from Mendocino, California to south-western Alaska. Adults fly from late July to early September. The larvae inhabit sand dunes and feed on specific coastal plants including beach pea, seashore knotweed, and yellow sand-verbena. The species is absent from the inland Strait of Georgia, indicating a strict dependence on outer coastal habitats.
Tinea occidentella
Western Clothes Moth
Tinea occidentella is a keratophagous moth species in the family Tineidae, native to coastal California and northern Baja California. Despite its common name "western clothes moth," it does not feed on clothing but instead consumes keratin from mammalian carnivore scat and bird of prey pellets. The species is tightly restricted to fog-influenced coastal environments where high humidity allows larvae to obtain water from atmospheric moisture absorbed by their fur and feather diet.