Desert-grassland
Guides
Paruroctonus utahensis
eastern sand scorpion
Paruroctonus utahensis, commonly called the eastern sand scorpion, is a psammophilic (sand-dwelling) scorpion in the family Vaejovidae. The species ranges from Utah southward to Chihuahua, Mexico, inhabiting desert grassland ecosystems with sandy loam soils. It has been observed feeding on diverse arthropods, with documented predation on the cricket Ammobaenetes phrixocnemoides. Research has demonstrated pheromonal communication in this species, with males detecting and discriminating between chemical cues from receptive versus non-receptive females.
Pheidole rhea
Pheidole rhea is a highly polymorphic ant species native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The species exhibits an exceptional three-tiered worker caste system comprising minor workers, soldiers, and supersoldiers—an unusual degree of physical polymorphism within the genus. Colonies form large, aggressive societies that forage along conspicuous trunk trails to harvest seeds and insects. First described by Wheeler in 1908, this species has become a subject of interest for studying the relationship between morphological specialization and behavioral plasticity in social insects.