Monotypic-genus
Guides
Placoschema
Placoschema is a monotypic genus of longhorned beetles (family Cerambycidae) in the tribe Trachyderini, established by Chemsak & Hovore in 2010. The genus contains a single species, Placoschema dimorpha, which exhibits striking sexual dimorphism in coloration. The genus was described from Mexican specimens, with the first U.S. record documented from Arizona in 2013. Members are notably small and somberly colored compared to other Trachyderini, which may have contributed to their being overlooked by collectors.
Plagioneurus univittatus
Plagioneurus univittatus is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae. It is the sole member of the genus Plagioneurus and the only species in the subfamily Plagioneurinae. The species was described by Loew in 1857. It is distinguished from all other dolichopodid flies by its unique subfamily-level classification.
Platyoplus gilaensis
Gila Shieldback
Platyoplus gilaensis, commonly known as the Gila Shieldback, is a species of shield-backed katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It is the sole described species in the monotypic genus Platyoplus. The species was described by Tinkham in 1973 and is known from the southwestern United States.
Platyusa sonomae
Platyusa sonomae is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae. It is the sole described species in the monotypic genus Platyusa. The species is found in the western United States, particularly in California and Arizona, with scattered records elsewhere.
Plectrodera
cottonwood borer
Plectrodera is a monotypic genus of longhorned beetles (family Cerambycidae) containing the single species Plectrodera scalator, commonly known as the cottonwood borer. The species is among the largest and most visually distinctive cerambycids in North America, recognized by its striking black-and-white checkered pattern formed by dense mats of white setae on a glossy black body. Adults are associated with cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and are found across the eastern two-thirds of the United States, particularly in the Great Plains.
Pleromella opter
Pleromella opter is a moth species and the sole member of the monotypic genus Pleromella within the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to western North America, occurring in southern Oregon, California, and Baja California. The species was first described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1921. It is one of approximately 124 observed records documented in natural history databases.
Plesiocis
Plesiocis is a genus of minute tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae. The genus contains a single described species, Plesiocis cribrum. Members of Ciidae are typically associated with decaying wood and fungal growth. The genus was established by Casey in 1898.
Plesiocis cribrum
Plesiocis cribrum is a small beetle species in the family Ciidae (minute tree-fungus beetles), described by Casey in 1898. It is the sole member of its genus, which is distinguished from other ciid genera by specific morphological features of the elytra and antennae. The species has been documented in western Canada, with records from Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba. Like other Ciidae, it is presumed to be associated with fungal decay in wood, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Plesioclytus
Plesioclytus is a genus of longhorn beetles in the family Cerambycidae, established by Giesbert in 1993. The genus is monotypic, containing only Plesioclytus relictus. It belongs to the tribe Plesioclytini, which was erected to accommodate this genus. The genus is classified within the subfamily Cerambycinae.
Podagra crassipes
Podagra crassipes is the sole species in the monotypic genus Podagra, a group of moths in the family Noctuidae. The species was described by John Bernhardt Smith in 1902 and is known only from the US state of Arizona. As the only member of its genus, it represents a distinct lineage within the Grotellinae subfamily.
Podiasa
Podiasa is a genus of small moths in the family Yponomeutidae, established by August Busck in 1900. The genus contains a single described species, Podiasa chiococcella, also described by Busck in the same year. Yponomeutidae moths are commonly known as ermine moths, though specific common names for Podiasa have not been recorded. The genus is poorly documented in scientific literature.
Poecilobrium chalybeum
Poecilobrium chalybeum is a small longhorn beetle and the sole species in the monotypic genus Poecilobrium. It was first described from California in 1873 by John Lawrence LeConte. The genus was established by Horn in 1883. Records indicate presence in California, Mexico, and the broader United States.
Policocnemis ungulatus
Policocnemis ungulatus is a moth species in the family Noctuidae. It is the sole species of the monotypic genus Policocnemis. The species was described from Texas in 1932. It remains poorly known with limited biological data available.
Polydontomyia
dimorphic sickleleg
Polydontomyia is a monotypic genus of hoverflies (family Syrphidae) containing a single species, Polydontomyia curvipes. The genus was established by Williston in 1896 and was formerly classified under Lejops. The species is commonly known as the dimorphic sickleleg, a reference to its distinctive leg morphology.
Polydontomyia curvipes
Dimorphic Sickleleg
Polydontomyia curvipes, commonly known as the dimorphic sickleleg, is a species of hoverfly (family Syrphidae) and the sole member of its monotypic genus. Formerly classified under Lejops, it was reassigned to the resurrected genus Polydontomyia based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in leg structure, with males possessing the distinctive curved hind legs referenced in its specific epithet. As a member of the Eristalini tribe, it is associated with aquatic or semi-aquatic larval habitats typical of rat-tail maggot flies.
Polygrammate
Polygrammate is a monotypic moth genus in the family Noctuidae, containing a single species, Polygrammate hebraeicum (Hebrew moth). The genus was established by Jacob Hübner in 1818. Adults are active during summer months in eastern North America.
Porphyrorhegma fortunata
Porphyrorhegma fortunata is a moth species in the family Crambidae, subfamily Odontiinae. It is the sole member of its genus, described by Munroe in 1961. The species has been recorded from California, North America. Very few observations exist, and most aspects of its biology remain undocumented.
Praeacedes atomosella
Praeacedes atomosella is a small moth in the family Tineidae, notable as the sole species in its genus. It has a remarkably wide geographic distribution spanning multiple continents, including Europe, Australia, Hawaii, and the Americas. The species has been frequently misidentified in various regions, complicating accurate distribution records. Its broad range suggests either natural dispersal capabilities or human-mediated transport.
Praeschausia zapata
Praeschausia zapata is the sole species in the monotypic moth genus Praeschausia, erected by Foster Hendrickson Benjamin in 1932. The species was originally described by William Schaus in 1920 under the basionym Kalkoma zapata. It belongs to the family Notodontidae (prominent moths) and is known from Mexico. The genus name Praeschausia honors Schaus, the original describer.
Priognathus
Priognathus is a genus of dead log beetles in the family Pythidae, established by LeConte in 1850. The genus contains a single described species, Priognathus monilicornis. Members of this genus are part of the small family Pythidae, which is associated with decaying wood habitats. Information on the biology and ecology of Priognathus remains limited due to its rarity and the scarcity of observations.
Prionochaeta
small carrion beetles
Prionochaeta is a monotypic genus of small carrion beetles in the family Leiodidae. The sole described species, P. opaca, is found in North America and feeds on decaying animal matter. These beetles are part of the subfamily Cholevinae and contribute to decomposition and nutrient cycling in carrion habitats.
Procymbopteryx belialis
Procymbopteryx belialis is a small crambid moth and the sole member of its genus. It has been documented in the Mexican state of Guerrero and in southern Arizona, USA. The species was described by Druce in 1899. Records suggest it occupies arid or semi-arid environments in the southwestern United States and western Mexico.
Prolutacea
firefly
Prolutacea is a genus of fireflies (family Lampyridae) described by Cicero in 2006. The genus contains a single described species, Prolutacea pulsator. As a member of the subfamily Lampyrinae and tribe Lampyrini, it belongs to a diverse group of bioluminescent beetles. The genus is known from limited observations, with only 9 records documented on iNaturalist.
Provia argentata
Provia argentata is a moth species and the sole member of the monotypic genus Provia within the family Noctuidae. It was first described in 1910 by entomologists William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough. The species is endemic to Utah, United States. As the only known species in its genus, it represents a unique lineage among noctuid moths.
Psectraglaea carnosa
pink sallow
Psectraglaea carnosa, commonly known as the pink sallow, is a noctuid moth native to North America. It is the sole species in its genus, which was established by George Hampson in 1906. The species is listed as threatened in Connecticut and as a species of special concern in Massachusetts, indicating regional population concerns.
Psenocerus
Psenocerus is a genus of longhorned beetles in the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Lamiinae. The genus is monotypic, containing only the species Psenocerus supernotatus, described by Thomas Say in 1823. Commonly known as the Currant-tip Borer, this small beetle exhibits remarkable ant mimicry, with adults measuring approximately 4 millimeters in length. The genus was established by LeConte in 1852.
Pseudacysta
avocado lace bug
Pseudacysta is a monotypic genus of lace bugs (family Tingidae) containing a single described species, P. perseae. The genus is notable for its specialized association with avocado as a host plant. The sole species is a significant agricultural pest causing foliar damage to avocado crops and has undergone substantial range expansion across the Americas.
Pseudamara
Pseudamara is a monotypic genus of ground beetles (Carabidae) established by Lindroth in 1968. The genus contains a single species, Pseudamara arenaria, a small carabid beetle in the tribe Zabrini. It is known from limited records in the northeastern United States.
Pseudariotus
Pseudariotus is a genus of ant-like leaf beetles in the family Aderidae, established by Casey in 1895. The genus contains a single described species, P. notatus. Members of this genus belong to a group of small beetles that exhibit morphological convergence with ants, a characteristic feature of the family Aderidae.
Pseudethmia protuberans
Pseudethmia protuberans is a small moth and the sole species in its genus. It is endemic to the lower elevation deserts of south-eastern California and probably north-eastern Baja California. The species was described by Clarke in 1950. It belongs to the family Ethmiidae, a group of small moths often associated with arid habitats.
Pseudhapigia brunnea
Hollow-spotted Prominent
Pseudhapigia brunnea is a moth species in the family Notodontidae, commonly known as the Hollow-spotted Prominent. It is the sole member of the monotypic genus Pseudhapigia. The species was first described by William Schaus in 1901 from Guadalajara, Mexico, and is known to occur in North America.
Pseudocopaeodes
Pseudocopaeodes is a genus of skipper butterflies in the family Hesperiidae, described by Skinner & Williams in 1923. The genus contains a single recognized species, Pseudocopaeodes eunus (alkali skipper). As a hesperiine skipper, it belongs to the grass skipper subfamily. The genus is native to western North America.
Pseudomethia arida
Pseudomethia arida is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It is the sole member of its genus, Pseudomethia. The species was described by Linsley in 1937 and is found in arid regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
Pseudopilema
Pseudopilema is a monotypic genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) containing a single species, Pseudopilema hoppingi. The genus was established by Linsley in 1940, with the sole species described earlier by Van Dyke in 1920. It belongs to the tribe Hyboderini within the subfamily Cerambycinae.
Pseudoschinia
Pseudoschinia is a monotypic genus of crambid moths established by Munroe in 1961. The sole species, Pseudoschinia elautalis, is a specialist herbivore of cacti in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Adults are small moths with distinctive pale yellow forewings and white hindwings. The genus is notable for its narrow ecological association with columnar and cholla cacti.
Pseudoschinia elautalis
Desert Bantam
Pseudoschinia elautalis, commonly known as the Desert Bantam, is a small moth in the family Crambidae. It is the sole member of its genus, making the genus monotypic. The species is restricted to arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Adults are active during warmer months and are associated with desert habitats.
Pseudoschoenobius opalescalis
Pseudoschoenobius opalescalis is a moth species in the family Crambidae. It is the sole member of its genus. The species has been recorded from dry, sandy habitats across scattered localities in western and central North America.
Pseudostrangalia
Pseudostrangalia is a monotypic genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) in the subfamily Lepturinae. The genus contains a single described species, Pseudostrangalia cruentata. It was established by Swaine and Hopping in 1928. Members of this genus are classified within the tribe Lepturini, a group commonly known as flower longhorns due to their frequent association with flowers as adults.
Pseudothyatira cymatophoroides
Tufted Thyatirine Moth, tufted thyatirid moth
The tufted thyatirine moth is the sole species in the monotypic genus Pseudothyatira, placed in family Drepanidae (hooktip and false owlet moths). It is recognized for its complex bark-mimicking coloration that provides camouflage against tree trunks. The species exhibits a distinctive tufted thorax and intricate wing patterns that have drawn attention from naturalists. It represents a North American endemic with a transcontinental distribution across forested regions.
Pseudoxylosteus ornatus
Pseudoxylosteus ornatus is a small flower longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Lepturinae. It is the sole species in its genus, described by LeConte in 1873. Adults are approximately 10 mm in length and occur in the western United States.
Psilocnemis
Psilocnemis is a genus of myrmecophilic beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, established by Burmeister in 1842. The genus contains a single described species, P. leucosticta. These beetles are associated with ants, though specific details of this relationship remain poorly documented. The genus belongs to the tribe Cremastocheilini, a group known for ant-associated scarab beetles.
Pterotermes
Pterotermes is a monotypic genus of drywood termites in the family Kalotermitidae, containing only Pterotermes occidentis. This primitive termite is the largest drywood termite in the southwestern United States deserts and exhibits the simple life cycle characteristic of its family, lacking a true worker caste. Colonies develop entirely within a single piece of timber, making it a cryptic inhabitant of dead desert wood.
Pterotermes occidentis
western dry-wood termite
Pterotermes occidentis is a primitive dry-wood termite and the sole species in the monotypic genus Pterotermes. It inhabits extremely arid environments in the Sonoran Desert region, living entirely within single pieces of dry timber. Unlike many termites, it does not maintain contact with soil and completes its entire life cycle within its wood host.
Ptycerata busckella
Ptycerata busckella is a small moth and the sole member of the monotypic genus Ptycerata in the family Gelechiidae. It is endemic to eastern North America with records limited to six states in the northeastern and midwestern United States. The species was described by Charles Russell Ely in 1910 and remains poorly known, with only 12 observations documented on iNaturalist.
Purealus beckelorum
A recently described cleonine weevil endemic to the southern High Plains, representing the type species of its monotypic genus. Distinguished from all other world Cleonini by two unique character states: widely separated procoxae and a distinctly tumescent, asperate base of elytral interval 3. A moderately robust, wingless species with body length 7.8–9.4 mm. Known from only nine specimens despite targeted collecting efforts.
Pycnocoris
Pycnocoris is a monotypic genus of plant bugs in the family Miridae, established by Van Duzee in 1914. The genus contains a single described species, P. ursinus. As a member of Miridae, it belongs to the large and diverse group of true bugs known as plant bugs or mirid bugs.
Quadrina diazoma
Quadrina diazoma is the sole species in the monotypic genus Quadrina, described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1881. This lappet moth (family Lasiocampidae) is restricted to the southwestern United States. As a monotypic genus, it represents a distinct lineage within the Lasiocampidae with no close relatives sharing its generic classification.
Raphiptera
diminutive grass-veneer
Raphiptera is a monotypic genus of crambid moths containing a single species, Raphiptera argillaceellus, commonly known as the diminutive grass-veneer. The genus is characterized by its small size and restricted bog-dwelling habitat. It was described by Hampson in 1896.
Raphiptera argillaceellus
Diminutive Grass-veneer
Raphiptera argillaceellus, the Diminutive Grass-veneer, is a small crambid moth and the sole member of its monotypic genus. It occurs across eastern North America from Labrador and Quebec south to Florida and Texas, with records extending to Costa Rica. The species is strongly associated with bog habitats. Adults are small with relatively plain, clay-colored forewings that give the species its specific epithet.
Rhodocantha diagonalis
Rhodocantha diagonalis is a small moth species and the sole member of its genus. It was described by Munroe in 1961 and belongs to the family Crambidae, subfamily Odontiinae. The species is known from a restricted geographic range in the southwestern United States.