Cosmopolitan
Guides
Cercyon nigriceps
Cercyon nigriceps is a water scavenger beetle (family Hydrophilidae) with a cosmopolitan distribution spanning the Palearctic, Nearctic, Afrotropical, Oriental, and Neotropical regions. Adults are frequently found in mammalian dung and rotting plant material. The species has a complex taxonomic history with numerous synonyms due to its wide geographic range and identification challenges.
Cercyon quisquilius
Cercyon quisquilius is a small water scavenger beetle in the family Hydrophilidae. Native to the Palearctic region, it has been introduced to multiple continents and is now cosmopolitan in distribution. The species is one of the most widely distributed members of the genus Cercyon, with established populations in the Americas, Australia, Africa, and various oceanic islands. It is frequently recorded in synanthropic habitats and has been used in phylogenetic studies involving DNA barcoding.
Ceropales
cuckoo spider wasp
Ceropales is a genus of kleptoparasitic spider wasps in the family Pompilidae, comprising approximately 30 described species distributed worldwide. These wasps are obligate cleptoparasites that exploit the prey of other solitary wasps rather than hunting spiders themselves. The genus originated in Eurasia approximately 10.6 million years ago and achieved its cosmopolitan distribution through multiple long-distance dispersal events across land bridges and oceanic barriers.
Chalarus
Chalarus is a genus of big-headed flies in the family Pipunculidae, established by Walker in 1834. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution with approximately 45 described species found across multiple continents. Chalarus species are primary parasitoids of typhlocybine leafhoppers (Cicadellidae), a relationship that has been documented through life history and oviposition studies. As members of Pipunculidae, they contribute to biological control of leafhopper populations in various ecosystems.
Chelifer
Chelifer is a genus of pseudoscorpions in the family Cheliferidae, established in 1762. The genus is currently monotypic, containing only Chelifer cancroides, the house pseudoscorpion, which is the most widely distributed pseudoscorpion species globally. All other species originally described in Chelifer have been moved to other genera, synonymized, or designated as nomina dubia or nomina nuda. The genus is characterized by distinctive morphological features including large setose tubercles on the carapace and specialized male genitalia structures.
Chelifer cancroides
House Pseudoscorpion
Chelifer cancroides, the house pseudoscorpion, is a small pseudoscorpion species measuring 2.5–4.5 mm in body length with pedipalps extending to 7–9 mm. It is the most widely distributed pseudoscorpion species globally, occurring across North America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Caribbean. The species is strongly synanthropic, frequently found in human dwellings, barns, and beehives, but also occurs in natural habitats including under tree bark, in caves, and in bird nests. It is harmless to humans and preys on small arthropods.
Chelisoches morio
black earwig
Chelisoches morio, commonly known as the black earwig, is a cosmopolitan earwig species in the family Chelisochidae. Adults are uniformly jet black and among the largest earwigs, reaching up to 36 mm in length. The species exhibits extended maternal care, with females guarding eggs and feeding first-instar nymphs before they disperse. Males possess distinctive widely separated, serrated cerci that differ markedly from female morphology. The species has been investigated as a potential biological control agent due to its predatory habits and high consumption rates of agricultural pests.
Chrysidoidea
Cuckoo Wasps and Allies
Chrysidoidea is a large, cosmopolitan superfamily of aculeate wasps comprising approximately 6,000 described species across seven extant families. The group includes three large, common families—Bethylidae, Chrysididae (cuckoo wasps), and Dryinidae—and four small, rare families—Embolemidae, Plumariidae, Sclerogibbidae, and Scolebythidae. All members are parasitoids or cleptoparasites of other insects. The superfamily is traditionally considered the basal taxon within Aculeata, with some species capable of stinging though their venom is harmless to humans. Members of Dryinidae and Embolemidae exhibit a unique life cycle where larvae begin development inside the host body and later form an external sac (thylacium) protruding from the host abdomen.
Chrysis angolensis
Chrysis angolensis is a cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae. Originally described from Angola, it has established populations across much of the world through human-mediated dispersal. The species is a documented parasite of mud dauber nests, with a known association to the black and yellow mud dauber Sceliphron caementarium. It has been recorded as introduced to French Polynesia and is well-established in North America.
Chrysotimus
Chrysotimus is a genus of long-legged flies (family Dolichopodidae) established by Loew in 1857. It has a cosmopolitan distribution with records from Europe, including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The genus is likely paraphyletic with respect to several geographically restricted genera such as Alishanimyia. Some species previously or alternatively placed in Chrysotimus have been reassigned to related genera like Guzeriplia.
Chydorus
Chydorus is a genus of small benthic-littoral cladocerans in the family Chydoridae, established by William Elford Leach in 1816. Species in this genus are characterized by rounded, often reticulated carapaces and are among the most common anomopods in freshwater systems worldwide. The genus exhibits cosmopolitan distribution with multiple centers of diversification in Europe and Asia, and includes ecologically significant species such as Chydorus sphaericus, which dominates eutrophic waters and plays important roles in food web dynamics involving cyanobacteria.
Ciidae
Minute Tree-Fungus Beetles, Shelf Fungus Beetles
Ciidae, commonly known as minute tree-fungus beetles or shelf fungus beetles, are a family of small beetles within the superfamily Tenebrionoidea. Adults and larvae inhabit fruiting bodies of bracket fungi (Polyporales), particularly Polyporaceae and Corticiaceae, where they burrow inside the fungal tissue. The family is most diverse in warmer regions but has a cosmopolitan distribution extending to northern latitudes including Scandinavia. Development from egg to adult can occur in as little as two months, and some species are parthenogenetic. A few species, notably Cis chinensis, are recognized as pests of commercially dried fungi.
Cimicinae
bed bug subfamily
Cimicinae is a subfamily of blood-feeding ectoparasites in the family Cimicidae, established by Latreille in 1802. The subfamily includes the most economically significant bed bug species, notably the cosmopolitan human parasites Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus. It represents one of six subfamilies in Cimicidae and occupies a central position in the family's phylogeny.
Clambidae
Minute Beetles, Fringe-winged Beetles
Clambidae is a family of minute beetles in the superfamily Clamboidea, comprising approximately 70 described species across five genera. Adults range from 0.7 to 2 mm in body length and exhibit distinctive fringe-winged morphology with long hairs lining the wing margins. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution excluding Antarctica, with the genus Clambus being the most widespread. Some species exhibit a conglobate body form capable of rolling into a ball.
Cloeon
Double-gilled Pond Creepers
Cloeon is a cosmopolitan genus of mayflies in the family Baetidae, commonly known as Double-gilled Pond Creepers. Species in this genus are aquatic as larvae (naiads) and inhabit diverse freshwater environments. At least one species, C. dipterum, is known to give birth to live naiads rather than laying eggs externally. The genus has been studied for its tolerance to environmental stressors including temperature and oxygen fluctuations.
Clogmia
drain flies, moth flies, filter flies, bathroom flies
Clogmia is a genus of small, non-biting drain flies in the family Psychodidae. Adults are 3–5 mm long with fuzzy, moth-like appearance due to dense hairs on wings and body. The genus includes the cosmopolitan species C. albipunctata, commonly known as the filter fly or bathroom fly, which frequently inhabits human dwellings. These flies are primarily nuisance pests associated with moist, decaying organic matter. Larvae play a documented role in sewage treatment as decomposers.
Clogmia albipunctata
Bathroom Moth Fly, Drain Fly, Filter Fly, Bathroom Moth Midge, Sewer Gnat, Sink Fly
Clogmia albipunctata is a small, non-hematophagous moth fly in the family Psychodidae with worldwide distribution in tropical and temperate regions. Adults measure 2.2–2.5 mm in body length with distinctive broad, hairy wings marked by black spots near the middle and white spots along the edges. The species is strongly associated with human dwellings, particularly bathrooms and kitchens, where larvae develop in moist, decaying organic matter within drains. Adults are weak fliers that rarely move from walls and live approximately 12 days. Though historically reported as a myiasis agent, critical review of evidence finds no incontestable documentation of true parasitism; reported cases typically involve facultative infestation of pre-existing cavities with decaying material rather than tissue invasion.
Clusiidae
druid flies
A family of small acalyptrate flies (approximately 3.5 mm) commonly known as druid flies. The family comprises 636 species in 14 genera across three subfamilies, with highest diversity in tropical regions. Adults are typically found on tree trunks, while larvae inhabit decaying wood. Several genera exhibit lekking behavior and territorial defense by males.
Coccotrypes dactyliperda
date stone beetle, button beetle, palm seed borer
Coccotrypes dactyliperda is a small scolytine weevil (1.8–2.3 mm) that spends nearly its entire life cycle inside palm seeds, particularly those of date palms (Phoenix dactylifera). Native to Africa and the Middle East, it has achieved cosmopolitan distribution through international trade in dates and horticultural palm seeds. The species is a significant agricultural pest, causing 20–40% yield losses in unprotected date plantations by attacking green, unripe fruit and causing premature fruit drop. It employs a haplodiploid sex-determination system with extensive inbreeding, enabling rapid population growth within individual seeds that can support 70–80 beetles through multiple overlapping generations.
Coccus hesperidum
brown soft scale
Coccus hesperidum, commonly known as the brown soft scale, is a polyphagous soft scale insect with a cosmopolitan distribution. It is a significant agricultural pest of citrus and greenhouse crops, feeding on plant phloem sap and excreting honeydew that promotes sooty mold growth. The species reproduces primarily through parthenogenesis, with females producing live young. It serves as host to numerous parasitoid wasps, which are important biological control agents.
Compsothrips
Compsothrips is a genus of thrips in the family Phlaeothripidae, subfamily Idolothripinae. The genus was established by Reuter in 1901 and contains approximately 26 described species distributed across multiple continents. Members of this genus are fungus-feeding thrips, a characteristic trait of the Idolothripinae subfamily. The genus shows considerable diversity in coloration and geographic distribution, with species recorded from North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Coproporus
Coproporus is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Tachyporinae, tribe Vatesini. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with records from North America, Europe, and South America. Taxonomic revision has clarified confused generic usage and resolved synonymies, particularly distinguishing Coproporus from the related genus Cilea. Nine species occur in North America north of Mexico, with additional species documented from Mexico, Panama, Argentina, and Brazil.
Coreidae
Leaf-footed Bugs, Squash Bugs, Twig-wilters, Tip-wilters
Coreidae is a large family of predominantly phytophagous sap-sucking insects within the suborder Heteroptera, comprising over 1,900 species in more than 270 genera. Members are commonly known as leaf-footed bugs due to the characteristic leaf-like expansions on the hind tibiae of many species. The family is cosmopolitan but most diverse in tropical and subtropical regions. Several species are significant agricultural pests, including Anasa tristis (squash bug) and Leptoglossus species that damage corn, citrus, and other crops. The family exhibits notable morphological diversity, with body lengths ranging from 7 to 45 mm and variable body shapes from broadly oval to elongated and slender.
Crossopriza
cellar spiders
Crossopriza is a genus of cellar spiders (family Pholcidae) described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1893. The genus comprises 24 species as of October 2025, with native distributions in Africa and Asia. The most widely known member, C. lyoni, has become cosmopolitan through human-mediated introduction and is now found globally in human dwellings.
Cryptolestes ferrugineus
rusty grain beetle, rust-red grain beetle
Cryptolestes ferrugineus, the rusty grain beetle, is a small lined flat bark beetle and major cosmopolitan pest of stored grain products. Native to Europe, it has achieved worldwide distribution through human commerce, infesting stored cereals, grain products, and dry plant materials. The species is characterized by rapid population growth, strong flight capability for dispersal between storage facilities, and cryptic behavior hiding in cracks and crevices. Its economic impact stems from direct feeding damage to grain germ and endosperm, contamination of products, and resistance to some insecticides.
Cryptophagus
silken fungus beetles
Cryptophagus is a genus of small beetles in the family Cryptophagidae, commonly known as silken fungus beetles. The genus has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution across all biogeographic realms. Members are fungivores that feed on fungal spores and hyphae, and are frequently associated with decaying organic matter, stored products, and animal nests. Some species are considered pests in food storage facilities, though they feed on mold growing on products rather than the products themselves. The genus contains numerous species, with significant historical taxonomic confusion.
Cryptophagus acutangulus
Acute-angled Fungus Beetle, Silken Fungus Beetle
Cryptophagus acutangulus is a small mycophagous beetle in the family Cryptophagidae, commonly known as the acute-angled fungus beetle or silken fungus beetle. The species has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, occurring across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, though it is most abundant in temperate and boreal forest zones. It feeds primarily on fungi, with larvae and adults consuming fungal spores and hyphae. The complete life cycle from egg to adult has been described, and the species plays a documented role in fungal spore dispersal through internal and external transmission mechanisms.
Ctenocephalides canis
dog flea
Ctenocephalides canis is a cosmopolitan flea species in the family Pulicidae that primarily infests domestic dogs and cats as an obligate blood-feeding ectoparasite. It is less adaptable and less widely distributed than the closely related cat flea (C. felis), infesting fewer host species and achieving lower prevalence in most regions. The species has been documented across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Central Asia, with notable populations in Ireland, Austria, Greece, Poland, New Zealand, Brazil, and Uzbekistan. It serves as a vector for parasitic worms and can cause allergic dermatitis in pets.
Cypha
Cypha is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) established by Leach in 1819. The genus contains multiple described species and has an almost cosmopolitan distribution. As members of the subfamily Aleocharinae and tribe Hypocyphtini, these beetles are part of one of the most species-rich lineages of rove beetles. The genus is distinguished from related taxa by specific morphological characters of the mouthparts and genitalia.
Deinodryinus
Deinodryinus is a genus of dryinid wasps established by Perkins in 1907. The genus contains at least five described species distributed across multiple continents, including Madagascar, Brazil, and Mexico. Members are parasitoid wasps, though specific host associations remain largely undocumented. The genus exhibits an almost cosmopolitan distribution pattern.
Dermestes ater
black larder beetle, incinerator beetle
Dermestes ater is a cosmopolitan dermestid beetle native to North America but now found nearly worldwide. Adults measure 7–9 mm with black or brown elytra covered in yellowish hairs; males are distinguished by a row of bristles along the abdomen. The species is a significant pest of stored products, feeding on dried animal and plant materials including cured meats, cheeses, leather, wool, and fish. It also functions as an occasional predator and scavenger, consuming dead insects, carrion, and even silkworm pupae. The beetle has forensic importance due to its presence on human corpses, and veterinary significance as a vector of parasites in poultry facilities.
Dermestes lardarius
larder beetle, moisture bug, bacon beetle
Dermestes lardarius, commonly known as the larder beetle or bacon beetle, is a cosmopolitan pest of stored animal products. Adults measure 7–9 mm and are distinguished by a broad yellowish band with three black dots across dark brown elytra. The species completes its life cycle in 40–50 days under optimal conditions but typically produces one generation per year. Both larvae and adults feed on dried meats, pet food, hides, feathers, cheese, and museum specimens.
Deuterixys
Deuterixys is a genus of braconid wasps established by Mason in 1981. The genus contains approximately 18 described species with a cosmopolitan distribution spanning most of the world. As members of Braconidae, species in this genus are parasitoid wasps. Specific biological details for individual species remain poorly documented in available literature.
Diaeretiella
Diaeretiella is a monotypic genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, subfamily Aphidiinae. The sole species, Diaeretiella rapae, is a cosmopolitan koinobiont endoparasitoid of aphids with documented occurrence in 87 countries. It has been recorded parasitizing approximately 98 aphid species across more than 180 plant species in 43 plant families, with particular association to cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae) on cruciferous crops. The genus is recognized as an important biological control agent in integrated pest management systems.
Dienerella filum
Common Plaster Beetle
Dienerella filum, known as the common plaster beetle, is a minute fungus beetle in the family Latridiidae. Adults measure 1.2–1.6 mm and are brown in colour. The species has near-cosmopolitan distribution and is strongly associated with human-built environments, particularly damp buildings with mould growth. It is flightless, lacking hind wings, and feeds exclusively on mould hyphae and spores.
Dinocampus
Dinocampus is a genus of braconid wasps in the subfamily Euphorinae. The genus contains at least 25 described species, with Dinocampus coccinellae being the most extensively studied. Members of this genus are endoparasitoids of lady beetles (Coccinellidae), exhibiting complex host manipulation behaviors including the induction of partial paralysis that causes hosts to guard developing wasp cocoons. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution and has been recorded from multiple continents.
Diochus
Diochus is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) with cosmopolitan distribution, though most species diversity occurs in the Neotropical region. The genus comprises over 80 described species organized into six species groups based on morphological characteristics. Taxonomic revision has synonymized some historically described species and clarified species boundaries through detailed morphological analysis.
Diopsoidea
Diopsoidea is a small but diverse superfamily of acalyptrate muscoid flies with cosmopolitan distribution, particularly abundant in tropical regions. The group has experienced taxonomic revision, with Strongylophthalmyiidae and Tanypezidae now placed in Nerioidea. The superfamily includes families such as Diopsidae (stalk-eyed flies), Psilidae, and Syringogastridae.
Diplazon
Diplazon is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Diplazontinae. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution with records from Europe, North America, and Asia. Species in this genus are known to parasitize syrphid fly larvae (hoverflies), with D. laetatorius being the most studied species. At least nine species occur in Japan alone, indicating substantial regional diversity.
Drosophila busckii
Busck's fruit fly
Drosophila busckii is a cosmopolitan fruit fly species that has evolved a unique ecological specialization among drosophilids: tolerance to and behavioral preference for dimethyldisulfide (DMDS), a neurotoxic sulfur volatile emitted by rotting vegetables and mushrooms. Native to North America, it has spread globally and is strongly associated with human environments as a commensal. The species uses DMDS as a key olfactory cue for locating food and oviposition sites, allowing it to exploit substrates toxic to competing drosophilid species. Its resistance mechanism likely involves insensitivity of the cytochrome c oxidase (COX) enzyme complex, the typical target of DMDS toxicity in other insects.
Drosophila hydei
Hydei Fruit Fly
Drosophila hydei is a vinegar fly in the family Drosophilidae, notable for possessing the largest recorded sperm of any Drosophila species at approximately 23 mm—over ten times the male body length. It is a member of the hydei species subgroup within the repleta species group. The species is widely used as a feeder insect in the pet trade and has contributed significantly to invertebrate genetics research through the Minos transposon, which has been developed into a versatile genetic tool for gene disruption across diverse arthropod genomes.
Drosophila melanogaster
vinegar fly, lesser fruit fly, pomace fly, banana fly
Drosophila melanogaster is a small dipteran fly native to sub-Saharan Africa that has become cosmopolitan through human association. The species is attracted to rotting fruit and fermenting beverages, earning it the common name 'vinegar fly'—a more accurate descriptor than 'fruit fly,' which properly refers to tephritid pests that damage intact fruit. Since 1901, D. melanogaster has served as the premier model organism for genetic research, contributing to fundamental discoveries in heredity, development, neurobiology, and circadian rhythms. Six Nobel Prizes have been awarded for research using this species. Its utility stems from a rapid 10-day generation time, high fecundity, simple genetics with only four chromosome pairs, and extensive genetic tools.
Dusona
Dusona is a large genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Campopleginae, with 442 described species. It is the most species-rich genus in its subfamily and has a cosmopolitan distribution. Members are morphologically distinctive within Campopleginae and primarily parasitize Lepidopteran larvae.
Eblisia
Eblisia is a genus of histerid beetles established by Lewis in 1889. The genus contains at least two described species and has been recorded across multiple continents, suggesting a broad geographic range. Members belong to the tribe Platysomatini within the subfamily Histerinae.
Echidnophaga gallinacea
hen flea, sticktight flea, stickfast flea
Echidnophaga gallinacea is a small, dark brown flea that parasitizes a broad range of bird and mammal hosts including poultry, dogs, cats, and occasionally humans. Adult females embed permanently into host skin—typically on bare areas of the head and face—using a serrated mouthpart to feed on blood, while males remain mobile. Heavy infestations cause ulceration, dermatitis, anemia, and can be fatal to young or small hosts. The species has spread globally through poultry farming and is now established across tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions.
fleaectoparasitepoultry-pestvectorinvasivecosmopolitanintegrated-pest-managementcage-free-poultrybackyard-chickenshematophagypermanent-attachmentsessile-femaleresilinjumpingctenidia-absentanaemiadermatitisulcerationRickettsiaBartonellaplaguediatomaceous-earthmaldisonpesticide-resistanceorganic-farminganimal-welfareeconomic-entomologyveterinary-entomologyhost-generalisturban-wildlife-interfacesynanthropicEdaphus
Edaphus is the largest genus in the rove beetle subfamily Euaesthetinae, comprising approximately 600 described species worldwide. The genus exhibits cosmopolitan distribution with particularly high diversity in the Palaearctic and Oriental regions. Members are small, typically soil-dwelling beetles associated with forest floor habitats. The Korean fauna has expanded from a single known species to six through recent systematic surveys.
Embolemus
Embolemus is a genus of small parasitoid wasps in the family Embolemidae, first described by Westwood in 1833. The genus contains approximately 32 extant species and numerous fossil species preserved in amber deposits from the Cretaceous and Eocene periods. Taxonomic debate persists regarding the status of Ampulicomorpha, which most authorities now treat as a junior synonym of Embolemus. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, with records from Europe, Asia, and other regions.
Empicoris
thread-legged assassin bug
Empicoris is a cosmopolitan genus of thread-legged assassin bugs in the subfamily Emesinae. These predatory true bugs are characterized by their elongated, slender legs and cryptic appearance. The genus contains at least 18 described species distributed worldwide. Empicoris species are nocturnal predators that frequent lights at night, likely hunting smaller insects attracted to artificial illumination.
Endrosis
white-shouldered house moth
Endrosis is a monotypic genus of concealer moths in the family Oecophoridae, subfamily Oecophorinae. The sole included species, Endrosis sarcitrella, is commonly known as the white-shouldered house moth. The genus was established by Hübner in 1825. Several additional species were historically described as members of this genus, but these have since been reclassified, leaving E. sarcitrella as the only confirmed species.
Entomobrya multifasciata
Entomobrya multifasciata is a cosmopolitan springtail species in the family Entomobryidae, first described by Tullberg in 1871. It is characterized by a distinctive wavy striped pattern and elongated body form. The species shows a notable preference for urban environments over wooded areas.