Forest-fauna
Guides
Acropsopilio
harvestman
A genus of tiny harvestmen (Opiliones: Acropsopilionidae) established by Silvestri in 1904. The genus includes several species, with *Acropsopilio neozealandiae* being endemic to New Zealand where extensive collecting has yielded only female specimens, suggesting possible parthenogenetic reproduction. Members are found in forest habitats and are among the smallest harvestmen.
Bostrichidae
auger beetles, false powderpost beetles, horned powderpost beetles
Bostrichidae is a family of beetles containing more than 700 described species. Members are commonly known as auger beetles, false powderpost beetles, or horned powderpost beetles. The family includes significant stored product pests such as the lesser grain borer (Rhyzopertha dominica) and the larger grain borer (Prostephanus truncatus), as well as wood-boring species. The fossil record extends to the Cretaceous period.
Cryptorhynchinae
hidden-snout weevils
Cryptorhynchinae is a large subfamily of weevils (Curculionidae) comprising approximately 6,000 species. The subfamily is distinguished by a rostrum that folds backward between the fore coxae in repose, fitting within a protective channel on the mesoventrite. Molecular evidence supports its monophyly as an independent subfamily rather than inclusion within Molytinae. The group is most diverse in the Neotropics, Australia, and Oceania, with an evolutionary origin in the Late Cretaceous of South America.
Elateroidea
Click, Firefly, and Soldier Beetles
Elateroidea is a large superfamily of beetles comprising approximately 25,000 species across multiple families. It includes the familiar click beetles (Elateridae), fireflies and glow-worms (Lampyridae and related families), and soldier beetles (Cantharidae). The superfamily exhibits remarkable morphological diversity, ranging from hard-bodied forms with five abdominal ventrites to soft-bodied forms with 7-8 ventrites connected by membranes. Bioluminescence has evolved independently in multiple lineages, particularly within the lampyroid clade and certain Elateridae. A distinctive clicking mechanism using a prothoracic peg and mesothoracic cavity is present in several sclerotized families, enabling the characteristic jumping behavior of click beetles.
Episernus
Episernus is a genus of small beetles in the family Ptinidae, distributed across the Holarctic region with western populations in North America. The genus comprises approximately 13 described species, primarily associated with coniferous habitats. Episernus is taxonomically close to Ernobius but is distinguished by morphological features of the pronotum and antennae.
Leiodini
round fungus beetles
Leiodini is a tribe of small beetles within the family Leiodidae, commonly known as round fungus beetles. The tribe contains over 400 described species distributed across 19 genera. Members of this tribe are primarily associated with fungal habitats, particularly decomposing fungi and related organic matter. The group was established by Fleming in 1821 and represents a significant component of the beetle fauna in forest ecosystems.
Lycoperdina
handsome fungus beetles
Lycoperdina is a genus of handsome fungus beetles (family Endomychidae) containing approximately 13–16 described species. Members of this genus are associated with fungal substrates, particularly puffballs (Lycoperdon and related genera), from which the genus derives its name. The genus is distributed across the Holarctic region, with records from Europe and North America. As part of the subfamily Lycoperdininae, these beetles represent a specialized lineage within the broader Endomychidae, a family characterized by mycophagous habits.
Marpissa lineata
Four-lined Slender Jumping Spider
Marpissa lineata is a small jumping spider in the family Salticidae, commonly known as the Four-lined Slender Jumping Spider. It is distinguished by distinctive banded markings on the abdomen and legs that give the species its name. Females are larger than males, measuring 3.50–5.20 mm versus 3.00–4.00 mm. The species is widely distributed across the eastern half of North America, where it inhabits leaf litter in forest, shrub, and prairie grass communities.
Mocyta
Mocyta is a genus of small rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Aleocharinae, tribe Athetini. The genus comprises 26 known Palearctic species, with five confirmed in Ukraine and additional species documented across Europe and North America. Species identification is complicated by significant individual variability in size, coloration, and spermatheca morphology. The genus has been used in ecological monitoring and biogeographic studies, particularly in forest ecosystems.
Nannariini
Nannariini is a tribe of flat-backed millipedes within the family Xystodesmidae, subfamily Rhysodesminae. The tribe was established by Hoffman in 1964 and comprises several genera of small to medium-sized polydesmidan millipedes found primarily in North America. Members of this tribe are characterized by specific gonopodal modifications that distinguish them from related tribes within Rhysodesminae.
Oodes
Oodes is a genus of ground beetles (Carabidae) in the tribe Oodini. The genus has undergone significant taxonomic revision, with many species formerly classified in Oodes now placed in three new genera: Pseudoodes, Sundaoodes, and Nothoodes. The genus currently comprises seven recognized species, with five in Oodes s.str. and two in the subgenus Lachnocrepis. Oodes species are distributed across the Palaearctic and Oriental regions.
Quedius cinctus
banded rove beetle
Quedius cinctus is a large rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae. It is native to Europe and parts of Asia and North Africa, with introduced populations in eastern North America. The species is characterized by its relatively large size among rove beetles and the distinctive banded pattern on its elytra. Like other members of its genus, it is a ground-dwelling predator found in forested and riparian habitats.
Scaphisoma
shining fungus beetles
Scaphisoma is the most diverse genus of Scaphidiinae, with 766 described species and subspecies distributed almost worldwide. Members are commonly known as shining fungus beetles due to their association with fungi. The genus occurs across multiple continents including Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, with 38 species recorded from the Neotropical region and seven now known from Brazil. Species have been documented from polyporoid fungi and other fungal substrates.