Cryptic
Guides
Thecesternus maculosus
bison dung weevil, bison snout beetle
Thecesternus maculosus is a species of broad-nosed weevil in the beetle family Curculionidae. It is one of seven species in the genus Thecesternus, collectively known as "bison dung weevils" or "bison snout beetles" for their historical association with bison dung as daytime shelter. The species is found in North America, particularly in the central and eastern United States and adjacent Canada. Like other members of its genus, it is nocturnal, flightless, and cryptic in appearance.
Thesiastes
Thesiastes is a genus of ant-loving beetles (myrmecophiles) in the rove beetle family Staphylinidae. The genus was established by Casey in 1893 and contains at least four described species distributed in North America. These beetles are members of the subfamily Pselaphinae, a diverse group of small, often cryptic beetles associated with leaf litter and ant colonies.
Thespidae
Thespidae is a family of mantises in the order Mantodea, primarily distributed in the Neotropical region with some Nearctic representatives. The family underwent significant taxonomic revision in 2019, when the subfamilies Haaniinae and Hoplocoryphinae were elevated to family level. Members of Thespidae exhibit diverse ecological adaptations, including cryptic grass-mimicry in some genera and leaf-litter dwelling in others.
Thesprotia
Grass-like mantids
Thesprotia is a genus of small, cryptic praying mantids in the family Thespidae. Species in this genus are known for their grass-like appearance and exceptional camouflage among vegetation. The genus contains 14 Neotropical species, with most distributed in South America and one species, Thesprotia graminis, occurring in the southeastern United States. These mantids are considered beneficial due to their predatory habits.
Timema knulli
Knull's Timema
Timema knulli, commonly known as Knull's Timema, is a stick insect species endemic to California. It belongs to the genus Timema, which represents a relictual lineage of wingless, small-bodied phasmids. The species was described by Strohecker in 1951 and is named in honor of the entomologist Joseph Knull. Like other Timema species, it exhibits cryptic coloration and morphology adapted for camouflage on host plants.
Timema podura
Sierra Nevada timema, Sierra Nevada Mountains Timema
Timema podura is a species of walkingstick insect in the family Timematidae. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada region of North America. Like other Timema species, it is known for cryptic camouflage that matches its host vegetation. The species was described by Strohecker in 1936.
Tmesiphorus
Tmesiphorus is a genus of myrmecophilous (ant-loving) rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae. The genus was established by LeConte in 1849 and currently contains approximately ten described species distributed across North America and Asia. Members of this genus are classified within the subfamily Pselaphinae, a diverse group of small beetles often associated with social insects.
Trogloneta paradoxa
Trogloneta paradoxa is a minute spider species in the family Mysmenidae, first described by Gertsch in 1960. Members of this family are among the smallest spiders known, with body lengths typically under 2 mm. The genus Trogloneta is characterized by a distinctive body shape featuring a disproportionately large, spherical posterior abdomen relative to the cephalothorax. The specific epithet "paradoxa" likely refers to this unusual morphology. The species is known from the United States.
Trox spinulosus
Hide beetle
Trox spinulosus is a hide beetle in the family Trogidae, a group of scarab beetles that specialize in consuming dried animal remains. The species was described by Robinson in 1940 and is currently treated as a synonym of Glyptotrox spinulosus in some taxonomic databases. Like other trogids, it is associated with the final stages of carcass decomposition, feeding on desiccated skin, hair, feathers, and connective tissue. These beetles are cryptic in appearance and behavior, often caked in debris and feigning death when disturbed.
Trox variolatus
hide beetle
Trox variolatus is a hide beetle in the family Trogidae, occurring across North America from Canada through the United States to Mexico. Like other members of its genus, it specializes in consuming dried animal remains, including skin, fur, feathers, and connective tissue during the final stages of decomposition. The species is typically covered in debris, making it cryptic and difficult to detect.
Valda
Valda is a genus of ant-loving beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Pselaphinae. These beetles are myrmecophilous, meaning they live in association with ants. The genus was established by Casey in 1893 and belongs to the tribe Valdini, which is named after it. Members are small, typically cryptic beetles found in leaf litter and soil habitats.
Vella
Vella is a genus of antlions in the family Myrmeleontidae, comprising approximately five described species. These are among the largest antlions in North America, with adults reaching wingspans of 100–120 mm or more. Unlike the pit-digging larvae of the genus Myrmeleon, Vella larvae are sit-and-wait predators that bury themselves just below the soil surface without constructing funnel traps. Adults are nocturnal and frequently attracted to artificial lights.
Xysticus acquiescens
Xysticus acquiescens is a species of ground crab spider in the family Thomisidae, first described by Emerton in 1919. As a member of the genus Xysticus, it is an ambush predator that relies on camouflage and patience rather than web-building to capture prey. The species is known from the Canadian prairies and adjacent regions of the northern United States. Like other Xysticus species, it exhibits typical crab spider morphology with laterally extended legs and a flattened body adapted for hiding in vegetation or ground cover.
Yersiniops sophronicus
Yersin's ground mantis
Yersiniops sophronicus, commonly known as Yersin's ground mantis, is a small ground-dwelling mantid native to North America. Unlike typical ambush mantids that perch on vegetation, this species has adopted a cursorial hunting strategy, actively running down prey in open habitats. It belongs to a small group of ground mantids in the genera Yersiniops and Litaneutria that are specialized for life in arid and semi-arid environments. The species is distinguished from its congener Litaneutria by pointed upper eye margins that create a 'horned' facial appearance.
Ypsolopha
Ypsolopha is a genus of micromoths comprising over 120 described species, representing approximately 95% of the family Ypsolophidae's known world diversity. The genus is primarily Holarctic in distribution, with the majority of species recorded from temperate regions. Species exhibit considerable variation in external morphology, though male and female genitalia are remarkably homogeneous across the genus. Adults are predominantly nocturnal and display a distinctive resting posture with the head lowered and posterior body elevated.
Zuma
harvestman
Zuma is a genus of harvestmen (arachnids in the order Opiliones) established by Goodnight & Goodnight in 1942. It belongs to the family Paranonychidae, a group of small, cryptic harvestmen often found in moist microhabitats. The genus is part of the diverse Laniatores suborder, characterized by relatively short legs and compact bodies compared to other harvestman groups.
Zygoribatula
Zygoribatula is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Oribatulidae. These small arachnids are part of the diverse soil-dwelling mite fauna. The genus was established by Berlese in 1916. Records indicate presence in Denmark and Norway, though the genus likely has broader distribution in suitable habitats.