Cyperaceae
Guides
Cylindridia
Cylindridia is a genus of flower weevils in the family Curculionidae, containing seven valid species. The genus was established by Casey in 1920 and has a broad distribution from Canada to Argentina. At least four species are known to develop within the culms of sedges (Cyperaceae).
Donacia pubescens
Pubescent sedge beetle
Donacia pubescens is an aquatic leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, first described by LeConte in 1868. It is found across North America, with records from Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba) and the United States. Like other members of the genus Donacia, it is associated with aquatic habitats and is likely a specialist on aquatic plants.
Elachistinae
grass-miner moths
Elachistinae is a subfamily of small moths in the family Elachistidae, superfamily Gelechioidea. The subfamily contains approximately 805 valid species placed in 10 genera, with the genus Elachista being the most diverse. Species are predominantly leaf miners, with larvae feeding on monocotyledonous plants, especially sedges (Cyperaceae) and grasses (Poaceae). The subfamily has a worldwide distribution with significant diversity in the Holarctic region. Many species show narrow host plant associations and some exhibit vicariant distribution patterns.
Plateumaris
spade reed beetles
Plateumaris is a genus of aquatic leaf beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Donaciinae, distributed across the Holarctic region. The genus comprises approximately 27 species globally, with 17 described in North America and 10 in the Palaearctic. Adults are found along margins of water bodies on emergent aquatic plants, while larvae develop submerged on plant roots. Species are recognized by diagnostic morphological features including the lack of pubescence above the procoxa and rounded, declivous elytral apices with a sinuate sutural area. Females possess a strongly sclerotized, shovel-like ovipositor that often protrudes from the abdomen, giving rise to the common name "spade reed beetles".
Saltusaphidinae
sedge aphids
Saltusaphidinae is a subfamily of aphids comprising 49 species across 12 genera. Members are commonly known as sedge aphids due to their specialized association with Cyperaceae (sedges). The group is divided into two tribes: Saltusaphidini and Thripsaphidini. One species, Iziphya leegei, is exceptional in feeding on Juncus (rushes) rather than sedges.
Stenispa metallica
Black Smooth Hispine
Stenispa metallica is a species of hispine beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. Adults are characterized by a shining black body with an obscure metallic tinge. The species has been recorded from a broad range of states in the eastern and central United States, as well as from Mexico. Larval development is associated with sedges and grasses, with Scirpus atrovirens documented as a confirmed host plant.
Taphrocerus schaefferi
Taphrocerus schaefferi is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species is a leaf-miner whose larvae develop within the leaves of yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus). It is found in North America with records from the United States and Canada including Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.
Thripsaphis
Thripsaphis is a genus of aphids in the family Aphididae, subfamily Calaphidinae. The genus contains species associated with sedges (Cyperaceae), including Thripsaphis ballii, which has been documented on shoreline sedge in Oklahoma wetlands. Thripsaphis aphids are morphologically adapted for life on monocot hosts, with some species exhibiting reduced or modified structures compared to other aphid genera. The genus has been recorded from northern Europe (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) and North America.
Thripsaphis cyperi
Thripsaphis cyperi is a species of aphid first described by Walker in 1848. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Allaphis cyperi, reflecting ongoing taxonomic uncertainty in the genus Thripsaphis. The species belongs to the subfamily Calaphidinae and tribe Saltusaphidini, a group of aphids often associated with sedge hosts (family Cyperaceae). No iNaturalist observations exist for this taxon, and published biological data remain scarce.
Toxomerus floralis
Florida Calligrapher
Toxomerus floralis is a New World hoverfly (family Syrphidae) native to the Americas, ranging from the southern United States through South America. The species has been introduced to tropical Africa, where it is now established and widespread in West and Central Africa including Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon. It represents only the second known established introduction of a non-African hoverfly species in the Afrotropics.