Florida-scrub
Guides
Aethecerinus hornii
Horn's Aethecerinus Long-Horned Beetle
Aethecerinus hornii is a rare longhorned beetle (family Cerambycidae) endemic to Florida scrub habitat in Highlands and Lee counties. Described by Lacordaire in 1869, this species belongs to the tribe Trachyderini, a group known for bright coloration, flower-feeding behavior, and diurnal activity. The species is extremely restricted in range and poorly represented in collections, with only five observations documented.
Arenivaga floridensis
Florida Sand Cockroach
Arenivaga floridensis is a sexually dimorphic, fossorial sand cockroach endemic to Florida scrub ecosystems. It is the most geographically widespread faunal endemic of Florida scrub, documented from 11 peninsular sand ridges. Genetic analysis reveals three major mitochondrial lineages whose divergence corresponds with late Pliocene peninsula insularization, supporting a western origin hypothesis with colonization during the Pliocene or earlier. The species exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism: males possess fully developed wings and engage in low, erratic flight at dusk, while females are completely wingless and remain entirely fossorial throughout life. Its distribution is restricted to friable, sandy soils beneath light leaf litter of sand live oaks (Quercus geminata).
Floridobolus
Florida scrub millipedes
Floridobolus is a genus of large millipedes endemic to Florida scrub habitat in peninsular Florida. The genus contains three described species: F. penneri, F. orini, and F. floydi. These millipedes are notable for their oval cross-sectional body shape, distinguishing them from the circular cross-section typical of related spirobolid millipedes. F. penneri is critically imperiled due to habitat loss and restricted range.
Geolycosa xera
McCrone's burrowing wolf spider
Geolycosa xera, commonly known as McCrone's burrowing wolf spider, is a species of wolf spider in the family Lycosidae. It is endemic to Florida in the United States, where it inhabits scrub habitats in several central Florida counties. The species was described by McCrone in 1963 and comprises two recognized subspecies with restricted distributions.
Lucidota luteicollis
Florida Scrub Dark Firefly
Lucidota luteicollis is a firefly species in the beetle family Lampyridae, endemic to Florida scrub habitats. First described by LeConte in 1878, it is one of the dark fireflies that lack the prominent light-producing organs seen in some better-known firefly species. The species has a restricted geographic range limited to the Florida peninsula.
Melanoplus tequestae
tequestae scrub grasshopper, tequesta grasshopper
Melanoplus tequestae is a spur-throated grasshopper endemic to Florida scrub habitat. It is restricted to three counties in central Florida and is one of the more narrowly distributed members of the large genus Melanoplus. The species has been studied for its mating behavior, which involves male calling songs and visual courtship displays.
Schistocerca ceratiola
rosemary grasshopper
Schistocerca ceratiola, the rosemary grasshopper, is a poorly known species endemic to Florida. First described in 1928, it is rarely encountered except by researchers specifically seeking it. The species is a shrub-inhabiting grasshopper with a specific ecological association with Florida rosemary (Ceratiola ericoides). Its limited distribution and cryptic habits have contributed to its obscurity in the scientific literature.