Leaf-dwelling
Guides
Aderidae
ant-like leaf beetles
Aderidae is a family of small beetles commonly known as ant-like leaf beetles due to their resemblance to ants. The family contains approximately 1,000 species in about 40–50 genera, with greatest diversity in tropical regions but worldwide distribution. Adults are typically found on the undersides of leaves, while larvae inhabit rotting wood, leaf litter, and occasionally the nests of other insects. The oldest confirmed fossil member, Gryzmalia, dates to the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber.
Araniella displicata
sixspotted orbweaver, six-spotted orbweaver
Araniella displicata, commonly known as the sixspotted orbweaver, is a small orb-weaving spider in the family Araneidae. It is one of the most widely distributed arachnids in North America, with additional populations across Europe and Asia. Adults are notably small—females reach only 4–8 mm in body length, males 4–6 mm—and are frequently mistaken for juvenile orb weavers due to their diminutive size. The species constructs compact orb webs, often spanning single leaves, and displays considerable color variation including yellow, white, and rust red.
Echinothrips
Echinothrips is a genus of thrips in the family Thripidae containing approximately seven described species. The genus is best known through Echinothrips americanus, a polyphagous pest of greenhouse and agricultural crops that has spread globally from its native range in eastern North America. Species in this genus are phytophagous, feeding on leaves, flowers, and fruits by piercing and sucking plant cells. The genus exhibits haplo-diploid reproduction with arrhenotokous parthenogenesis, where unfertilized eggs produce haploid males and fertilized eggs produce diploid females.
Nigma
Nigma is a genus of cribellate araneomorph spiders in the family Dictynidae, established by Pekka T. Lehtinen in 1967. The genus contains approximately fourteen species distributed across Eurasia, North America, and Northern Africa. Members are generally small, with N. walckenaeri being among the largest in the family at up to 5 mm body length. The genus is part of the marronoid spider group, which has been subject to recent phylogenetic revision using genetic data from museum specimens.
Pseudocaecilius
false lizard barklice
Pseudocaecilius is a genus of false lizard barklice comprising more than 50 described species. The genus belongs to the family Pseudocaeciliidae and occurs across tropical and subtropical regions. At least one species, P. citricola, constructs silken webs on leaf surfaces where egg-batches are deposited. The genus has been recorded from the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Asia.
Pseudocaecilius citricola
false lizard barklouse, citrus barklouse
Pseudocaecilius citricola is a species of false lizard barklouse in the family Pseudocaeciliidae. It constructs silken webs on leaf surfaces and deposits egg-batches within these protective structures. The species has a remarkably broad pantropical and subtropical distribution spanning Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania, with records from over 30 countries and island groups. It has been documented on host plants including mango (Mangifera indica) and Cordia collococca in Jamaica.
Synema
Synema is a genus of crab spiders (Thomisidae) with a wide distribution across most parts of the world. The genus includes species with high morphological variability, as demonstrated by integrative studies combining molecular and morphological data. Some species, such as S. globosum, exhibit deep mitochondrial divergence without corresponding nuclear or morphological differentiation, complicating species delimitation. Members of this genus are typically found in leaf-dwelling habitats and exhibit ballooning behavior as juveniles, which contributes to their broad geographic range.