Genus-level

Guides

Allocapnia rickeri
Midwest Snowfly
Allocapnia rickeri is a small winter stonefly in the family Capniidae, commonly known as the Midwest Snowfly. It is one of numerous small, dark stoneflies in the genus Allocapnia that emerge during cold months when few other insects are active. The species has been documented across the central and eastern United States. Like other capniids, it is associated with clean, cold streams and is an important indicator of water quality.
winter-stonefly bioindicator coldwater Plecoptera Capniidae Allocapnia lotic emergence brachyptery aptery genitalia-identification Frison-1942 Midwest southeastern-US clean-water-indicator January-March small-stonefly wingless-female stream-insect shredder gatherer seasonal-resource water-quality aquatic-insect terrestrial-adult short-lived-adult oviposition submerged-eggs high-dissolved-oxygen low-temperature central-US eastern-US Alabama Arkansas Delaware Georgia Illinois hexapod hemimetabolous Euholognatha Nemouroidea Arctoperlaria Insecta Arthropoda Animalia GBIF Catalogue-of-Life iNaturalist NCBI taxonomy accepted-species 1942 Frison Ricker Midwest-Snowfly snowfly small-dark-stonefly clean-streams rivers well-oxygenated lotic-habitat cold-months winter-activity wing-reduction female-aptery male-flight epiproct paraproct terminalia taxonomic-revision congeners distribution-records observations 9-observations eukaryote metazoan arthropod insect stonefly winter-emerging January February March cold-weather near-freezing below-freezing water-surface submerged-substrates allochthonous-organic-material stream-ecosystems seasonal-food-resource insectivorous-birds predators scarce-prey unpolluted no-economic-importance stream-monitoring water-quality-indicator high-quality-coldwater microscopic-examination taxonomic-keys male-terminalia reliable-separation genitalic-examination overlapping-distribution similar-habitat small-size under-10-mm body-length reduced-wings absent-wings fully-developed-wings specific-identification published-descriptions illustrations subsequent-revisions characteristic family-Capniidae common-name extended-nymphal-period one-to-two-years short-lived does-not-feed aquatic-nymph clean-cold-streams low-temperatures year-round winter-months January-through-March family centered-Midwest extends-southeastern United-States documented appears most-reliably distinguished subtle-differences terminal-abdominal-structures should-be-compared against published subsequent genus-level characterized reduced absent females fully-developed males requires-examination male-genitalia structure paraprocts reliable separation overlaps similar many externally definitive relies microscopic examination comparison keys used biological indicator programs presence indicates cold conditions no-direct economic importance shredders gatherers processing allochthonous organic material stream ecosystems seasonal food resource insectivorous birds other when alternative prey scarce serves high-quality habitats development aquatic nymphal stages terrestrial adult stage nymphs develop streams extended period likely one two years based related species adults do-not feed active during weather air temperatures may near below freezing winged capable flight wingless short-winged remain water surface mating occur winter entering deposit eggs submerged substrates small commonly known numerous dark emerge few insects central eastern associated clean important under mm body length members genus wings possess fully developed specific identification level within requires male genitalia particularly most reliably subtle differences these terminal abdominal structures should compared descriptions taxonomic revisions winter-emerging maintain low high dissolved oxygen levels throughout year United States distribution centered extends southeastern months typically through this activity gives rise common name do not provides quality monitoring no direct habitat morphology size genitalic
Asyndetus
Asyndetus is a large genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae, containing over 100 described species with worldwide distribution. The genus was established by Loew in 1869. Species occur across diverse biogeographic regions including the West Indies, the Palaearctic, and Scandinavia. Several species have been subject to taxonomic revision, with numerous synonymizations and transfers to other genera.
Diptera Dolichopodidae long-legged-flies genus-level worldwide-distribution taxonomic-revision
Caccoplectus
Caccoplectus is a genus of myrmecophilous (ant-loving) rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Pselaphinae. The genus was established by Sharp in 1887 and contains approximately nine described species. These beetles are associated with ant colonies, a common ecological strategy among pselaphine beetles. Most species have been described from the Neotropical region, particularly Central America.
myrmecophile ant-associated pselaphine rove-beetle Neotropical Staphylinidae Pselaphinae Arhytodini tropical ant-colony-inhabitant inquiline microhabitat-specialist leaf-litter soil-dwelling cryptic rarely-collected small-beetle morphologically-specialized 1887-description Sharp Central-America Panama Coleoptera Polyphaga Staphyliniformia Staphylinoidea Pselaphitae genus-level nine-species conicus degallieri lucidus nuttingi pectinatus schwarzi sentis spinipes sucineas spine-legged-pselaphid Chandler Wolda Schaeffer 1906 1976 1986 type-species-unknown rarely-observed iNaturalist:-2-observations Catalogue-of-Life-accepted GBIF-accepted NCBI-accepted Eukaryota Metazoa Hexapoda Insecta Arthropoda Animalia beetle insect arthropod animal
Emertonella
Emertonella is a genus of cobweb spiders in the family Theridiidae, subfamily Hadrotarsinae, first described by E. B. Bryant in 1945. The genus was re-delimited in 2024 based on male palpal morphology, transferring approximately 30 species from the genus Euryopis. It now contains species distributed across Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, and New Guinea.
spider cobweb-spider Theridiidae Hadrotarsinae ant-predator-subfamily re-delimited-genus cosmopolitan-distribution male-palpal-morphology taxonomy Euryopis-transfer China Henan-Province forest-habitat agricultural-habitat July-collection elevation-70-1340m Bryant-1945 2024-revision PMC12964056 ZooKeys-1270 genus-level Araneae Arachnida comb-footed-spider
Phthiracarus
Phthiracarus is the second largest genus of ptyctimous mites (Euptyctima), with nearly cosmopolitan distribution. The genus belongs to the family Phthiracaridae within the oribatid mites (Oribatida), a diverse group of soil-dwelling arachnids. Species in this genus are primarily found in temperate forest soils and are associated with decomposition processes. Recent taxonomic work has described new species from previously understudied regions including Northeast China.
mites oribatida ptyctimous soil-fauna decomposition temperate-forests Palearctic cosmopolitan genus-level
Sparganothoides
Sparganothoides is a New World genus of tortricid moths established in 1986, containing 32 described species. The genus exhibits greatest species diversity at middle elevations from central and southern Mexico through Costa Rica. A 2009 systematic revision organized species into six monophyletic groups based primarily on male genitalia morphology. Biological data remain limited, derived mainly from laboratory rearings of eight species.
tortricid New-World montane genus-level systematically-revised
Stephensia
Stephensia is a genus of moths in the family Elachistidae, a group of small, often inconspicuous microlepidoptera. The genus name has been used for multiple taxa across kingdoms, including a genus of fungi (Pyronemataceae) and historically as a synonym for a tachinid fly genus (Microsoma), but in entomological contexts refers primarily to the moth genus. The genus contains multiple described species distributed primarily in the Palearctic region.
microlepidoptera homonym genus-level Elachistidae Palearctic
Trigonometopus
Trigonometopus is a genus of true flies in the family Lauxaniidae, established by Macquart in 1835. The genus contains at least 25 described species. Lauxaniidae flies are generally small to medium-sized and often associated with decomposing plant material.
lauxaniidae diptera palearctic genus-level
Valentibulla
Valentibulla is a genus of true fruit flies (Tephritidae) established by Foote & Blanc in 1959. The genus exhibits sexual dimorphism in which females are larger than males, but males possess enlarged forefemora used in mating. Male forefemur size predicts copulatory success. The genus is part of the diverse tephritid radiation, though detailed biological information remains limited.
sexual-dimorphism mating-behavior foreleg-modification Tephritidae fruit-flies genus-level