Leconte-1853
Guides
Aeletes politus
clown beetle
Aeletes politus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by J.L. LeConte in 1853. The species is found across North America, with records from Canada and the eastern United States. As a member of Histeridae, it belongs to a family of beetles commonly associated with decomposing organic matter and carrion.
Aeolus amabilis
Aeolus amabilis is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, described by LeConte in 1853. It belongs to a genus characterized by small to medium-sized beetles with the typical elaterid body plan. The species has been recorded in Ontario, Canada, though detailed biological information remains limited in available sources.
Ampedus luctuosus
Sorrowful Click Beetle
Ampedus luctuosus is a click beetle in the family Elateridae, distributed across central and eastern Canada. The species is known from limited observations, with 11 records on iNaturalist. Like other members of its genus, it possesses the characteristic click mechanism that allows beetles to right themselves when overturned.
Ampedus sayi
Ampedus sayi is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. It belongs to the genus Ampedus, which comprises numerous species of small to medium-sized beetles characterized by their ability to produce an audible clicking sound. The species is known from eastern Canada, with records from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. As with other elaterids, it possesses a prosternal process that fits into a mesosternal groove, enabling the characteristic 'click' mechanism for righting itself when overturned.
Anapleus marginatus
clown beetle
Anapleus marginatus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by J.L. LeConte in 1853. The species is found in North America, with confirmed records from multiple U.S. states including Arizona, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. As a member of the Histeridae family, it belongs to a group of beetles commonly known as clown beetles or hister beetles, which are typically associated with decaying organic matter and are known for their compact, oval body shape and clubbed antennae.
Bacanius
clown beetles
Bacanius is a genus of clown beetles in the family Histeridae, established by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. The genus contains more than 70 described species distributed across multiple continents. Members of this genus share the compact, rounded body form characteristic of histerid beetles.
Blethisa oregonensis
Blethisa oregonensis is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by LeConte in 1853. The species is found in North America, with distribution records from Canada and the United States. It belongs to the subfamily Elaphrinae, a group of ground beetles often associated with riparian and wetland habitats.
Calosoma macrum
long caterpillar hunter
Calosoma macrum is a large ground beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as the long caterpillar hunter. It was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. The species is found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it inhabits mid-elevation open areas. Adults are active predators that hunt caterpillars, including arboreal species.
Calosoma prominens
projecting caterpillar hunter
Calosoma prominens is a large ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. It belongs to the caterpillar hunter genus Calosoma, known for arboreal foraging behavior targeting caterpillar prey. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it inhabits arid scrublands dominated by acacia and cactus vegetation. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to be a voracious predator of caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects, though specific ecological studies for this species are limited.
Colenis impunctata
Colenis impunctata is a species of round fungus beetle in the family Leiodidae. It was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. The species is found in North America, with documented occurrences across a wide geographic range including much of the United States and Canada. As a member of the round fungus beetles, it likely inhabits environments associated with fungal resources. The species name 'impunctata' refers to the lack of punctures or spots, suggesting a relatively smooth elytral surface compared to some congeners.
Discoderus
Discoderus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, established by LeConte in 1853. The genus contains more than 30 described species. Members of this genus belong to the tribe Harpalini within the subfamily Harpalinae.
Eburia mutica
Lesser Ivory-marked Beetle
Eburia mutica is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, tribe Eburiini. It is commonly known as the Lesser Ivory-marked Beetle. The species occurs in North America and Middle America, with records from both the United States and Mexico. Like other members of the genus Eburia, it is characterized by distinctive ivory-colored markings on the elytra.
Epicauta murina
Dark Blister Beetle
Epicauta murina, the dark blister beetle, is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae. It is found in North America. The species belongs to the subgenus Macrobasis within the genus Epicauta.
Epicauta ochrea
Ochre Beaded Blister Beetle
Epicauta ochrea is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, commonly known as the Ochre Beaded Blister Beetle. The species was described by LeConte in 1853 and is placed in the subgenus Macrobasis. It occurs across Central America and North America, with museum records indicating substantial collections from western regions. Like other Epicauta species, it likely produces cantharidin, a defensive compound that causes blistering on contact with skin.
Epicauta sanguinicollis
Epicauta sanguinicollis is a North American blister beetle in the family Meloidae, subgenus Epicauta. The species was described by LeConte in 1853. Like other members of its genus, it possesses chemical defenses based on cantharidin, a toxic terpenoid compound. The specific epithet 'sanguinicollis' refers to blood-red coloration on the pronotum or 'neck' region. Museum holdings indicate it is represented by few specimens relative to more common congenerics, suggesting it may be naturally scarce or geographically restricted.
Epicauta tenuis
Epicauta tenuis is a North American blister beetle in the family Meloidae, subfamily Meloinae, and tribe Epicautini. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853 and is currently classified in the subgenus Macrobasis. It is one of approximately 150 described species in the large genus Epicauta, which is distributed primarily in the New World. The species is known from museum collections in North America, with specimens documented in the Entomology Research Museum at the University of California, Riverside.
Epicauta valida
Blister beetle
Epicauta valida is a North American blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by LeConte in 1853. As a member of the subgenus Macrobasis, it belongs to a diverse group of meloid beetles known for their chemical defenses. The species is documented in entomological collections with 19 specimens held at the Entomology Research Museum as of 2010.
Eucaerus
Eucaerus is a genus of ground beetles (Carabidae) in the tribe Lachnophorini, subfamily Lebiinae. Established by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853, this genus belongs to a group of small carabid beetles characterized by pubescent (hairy) dorsal surfaces. Species in this genus are found in North America. The genus name is homonymous with the nickname of the Seleucid king Demetrius III (Eucaerus), though this is coincidental and unrelated to the beetle taxonomy.
Eucaerus varicornis
Eucaerus varicornis is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. It belongs to the tribe Lachnophorini within the subfamily Lebiinae. The species is known from North America, with records from the United States. Like other members of the genus Eucaerus, it is likely associated with ground-dwelling habitats, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Evolenes
Evolenes is a monotypic genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, containing the single species Evolenes exarata. The genus was established by LeConte in 1853 and is classified within the subtribe Oodina of the tribe Oodini. The sole species is known from the United States.
Helluomorphoides texanus
Helluomorphoides texanus is a ground beetle species in the family Carabidae, subfamily Anthiinae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. The species is distributed across the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other members of the tribe Helluonini, it is characterized by an elongated, somewhat flattened body form. Very little specific biological information has been published for this particular species.
Lytta rathvoni
Lytta rathvoni is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, native to North America. The species was named in honor of Simon Rathvon, a 19th-century American entomologist. As a member of the genus Lytta, it shares the characteristic chemical defense of blister beetles, producing cantharidin. The species is placed in the subgenus Poreospasta within Lytta.
Melanotus trapezoideus
Melanotus trapezoideus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. The genus Melanotus contains several economically important wireworm species whose larval stages damage agricultural crops. Adults are characterized by their elongated bodies and ability to produce an audible clicking sound through a prosternal process that snaps into a mesosternal groove, a mechanism used for righting themselves when overturned. Specific biological details for M. trapezoideus remain poorly documented compared to congeneric pest species.
Metanomus insidiosus
Insidious Click Beetle
Metanomus insidiosus is a click beetle species described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. As a member of the family Elateridae, it possesses the characteristic "click" mechanism that allows these beetles to right themselves when flipped onto their backs. The species is distributed across multiple Canadian provinces.
Nemognatha lurida
Nemognatha lurida is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, subfamily Nemognathinae. The species occurs in Central and North America, with two recognized subspecies: N. l. lurida and N. l. apicalis. Like other members of the genus, it possesses elongated maxillary structures adapted for nectar feeding on flowers. The species is represented by 172 specimens in the UCR Entomology Research Museum collection.
Nemognatha piazata bicolor
Nemognatha piazata bicolor is a subspecies of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, native to North America. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, characterized by adults with greatly elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for feeding on nectar from deep-corolla flowers. The species is part of a genus notable for its specialized nectar-feeding morphology that functions through capillary action rather than true sucking.
Nemognatha scutellaris
blister beetle
Nemognatha scutellaris is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, native to North America. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, a group distinguished by elongated adult mouthparts adapted for nectar feeding. The species is among the more frequently collected members of its genus, with approximately 450 specimens held in the Entomology Research Museum collection. Like other nemognathine blister beetles, it exhibits specialized feeding adaptations involving capillary action rather than true sucking mouthparts.
Neopristilophus maurus
Neopristilophus maurus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The species was described by LeConte in 1853. Records indicate presence in British Columbia, Canada. Available sources provide minimal biological information for this species.
Ophryastes sordidus
Ophryastes sordidus is a species of broad-nosed weevil in the family Curculionidae, described by LeConte in 1853. It is found in North America. As a member of the subfamily Entiminae, it possesses the characteristic broad snout typical of this group. The genus Ophryastes contains multiple species of weevils distributed across western North America.
Ophryastes speciosus
broad-nosed weevil
Ophryastes speciosus is a broad-nosed weevil in the family Curculionidae, first described by LeConte in 1853. It belongs to the subfamily Entiminae and tribe Ophryastini. The species is distributed in southwestern North America, with confirmed records from New Mexico and Texas. As a member of the broad-nosed weevil group, it possesses the characteristic elongated rostrum typical of Curculionidae.
Oxycrepis crenata
Oxycrepis crenata is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by LeConte in 1853. It is native to North America. The genus Oxycrepis is part of the tribe Harpalini, a diverse group of ground beetles. Available information on this species is limited to taxonomic records and basic distribution data.
Pelecyphorus contortus
Pelecyphorus contortus is a species of darkling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853 from the southwestern United States. The species was originally described under the genus Microschatia before transfer to Pelecyphorus. Records indicate it occurs in arid regions, consistent with the desert-adapted ecology typical of many tenebrionid beetles. The genus Pelecyphorus is characterized by compact body forms and cryptic coloration suited to xeric environments.
Physea hirta
Physea hirta is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. It belongs to the subfamily Paussinae, a group that includes many ant-associated beetles. The species has been recorded from Central America and North America, specifically from Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States. Very little is known about its biology or ecology.
Scaphinotus debilis
weakly thorax snail-eating beetle
Scaphinotus debilis is a ground beetle in the family Carabidae, placed in the tribe Cychrini. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States, with records from Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate S. d. debilis and S. d. alpinus, the latter restricted to high-elevation areas of North Carolina. Like other members of its genus, it is a specialized predator of land snails.
Selatosomus carbo
Selatosomus carbo is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. The species is known from limited distributional records in western North America, specifically British Columbia, Canada. As a member of the genus Selatosomus, it belongs to a group of elaterid beetles commonly known as click beetles, characterized by their ability to right themselves using a prosternal process that engages with a mesosternal groove.
Sericus incongruus
Strange Click Beetle
Sericus incongruus, commonly known as the Strange Click Beetle, is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. It is distributed across central and eastern Canada, with records from Alberta to Newfoundland and Labrador. The species was first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. Like other members of the family, it possesses the characteristic clicking mechanism for righting itself when overturned.
Zonitis vittigera
brown blister beetle, Orange Blister Beetle
Zonitis vittigera is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, found in North America. The species is commonly known as the brown blister beetle or Orange Blister Beetle. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, which is characterized by elongated adult mouthparts adapted for nectar feeding. Two subspecies are recognized: Z. v. vittigera and Z. v. propinqua.