Nearctic
Guides
Leucrocuta jewetti
Jewett's Flat-headed Mayfly
Leucrocuta jewetti is a species of flatheaded mayfly in the family Heptageniidae. It is known from southeastern Canada and the northwestern United States. As a member of the Heptageniidae, it belongs to a family of mayflies commonly associated with running water habitats. The species was described by Allen in 1966.
Leucrocuta minerva
Leucrocuta minerva is a species of mayfly in the family Heptageniidae, described by McDunnough in 1924. It belongs to a genus of small to medium-sized flat-headed mayflies commonly known as "little yellow quills" or similar vernacular names. Species in this genus are typically associated with running water habitats. The specific epithet "minerva" refers to the Roman goddess of wisdom, though the etymological reasoning behind this choice is not documented in available sources.
Liancalus genualis
Liancalus genualis is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, notable as the only member of its genus known from eastern North America. Like other dolichopodids, it is a predatory fly. The species was described by Loew in 1861.
Liatongus
Liatongus is a genus of dung beetles in the subfamily Scarabaeinae, family Scarabaeidae. The genus contains 38–46 species, with 17 species occurring in Africa. Members are small to medium-sized beetles, ranging from 7.4 to 10.9 mm in length. The genus is distributed across three major biogeographic regions: Afrotropical, Oriental to eastern Palearctic, and western Nearctic.
Lichenophanes
horned powder-post beetles
Lichenophanes is a genus of horned powder-post beetles in the family Bostrichidae, established by Lesne in 1899. The genus contains more than 40 described species distributed across the Palaearctic, Oriental, and Nearctic regions. Species are nocturnal wood-borers that develop in dead hardwood trees during initial stages of fungal decomposition. Adults are attracted to artificial light and possess cryptic coloration that camouflages them in bark cracks during daylight hours.
Lichnanthe
Lichnanthe, bumble bee scarab beetles
Lichnanthe is a genus of scarab beetles in the family Glaphyridae, commonly known as bumble bee scarab beetles. The genus contains approximately 10 described species distributed in North America. Members are known for their resemblance to bumble bees, an apparent case of mimicry. The genus was established by Burmeister in 1844.
Lichnanthe rathvoni
bumble bee scarab beetle
Lichnanthe rathvoni is a species of scarab beetle in the family Glaphyridae, commonly referred to as a bumble bee scarab beetle. It was first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1863 under the basionym Dasydera rathvoni. The species is named in honor of Simon Rathvon, a 19th-century American entomologist. It is distributed in western North America, with records from California, Nevada, Oregon, and British Columbia.
Lichnanthe vulpina
cranberry root grub, bumblebee scarab
Lichnanthe vulpina is a species of bumble bee scarab beetle in the family Glaphyridae, commonly known as the cranberry root grub or bumblebee scarab. It is native to North America and has been documented across a broad geographic range in the eastern and north-central United States. The common name "cranberry root grub" suggests an association with cranberry plants, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented in accessible literature.
Ligyrocoris delitus
Ligyrocoris delitus is a seed bug in the family Rhyparochromidae, first described by Distant in 1882. The species is recorded from the southern United States through Mexico to Guatemala. As a member of the Myodochini tribe, it belongs to a group of ground-dwelling seed bugs with documented associations with fallen seeds and plant debris. Available records indicate limited observation effort, with 16 iNaturalist observations documented.
Ligyrus peninsularis
Ligyrus peninsularis is a scarab beetle in the subfamily Dynastinae (rhinoceros beetles), described by Casey in 1915. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and Baja California region of Mexico. Like other members of the genus, it is likely associated with sandy or loose soil habitats where larvae develop. Adult activity patterns and specific ecological relationships remain poorly documented in published literature.
Ligyrus relictus
Relict Rhinoceros Beetle
Ligyrus relictus is a species of rhinoceros beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is widely distributed across North America, with records from much of the United States and southern Canada. The species has been documented in 585 iNaturalist observations, indicating it is relatively well-encountered by naturalists. Common name: Relict Rhinoceros Beetle.
Ligyrus ruginasus
Ligyrus ruginasus is a scarab beetle in the subfamily Dynastinae (rhinoceros beetles), described by LeConte in 1856. It belongs to a genus of relatively small dynastines that lack the prominent horns seen in larger relatives. The species is distributed across arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Limnephilus ademus
northern caddisfly
Limnephilus ademus is a species of caddisfly in the family Limnephilidae, described by Ross in 1941. It belongs to the genus Limnephilus, a large and widespread group of case-making caddisflies commonly known as northern caddisflies. The species is recorded from North America.
Limnephilus flavastellus
Yellowstar Northern Caddisfly
Limnephilus flavastellus is a species of northern caddisfly in the family Limnephilidae, described by Nathan Banks in 1918. It is found in North America within the Nearctic region. The common name Yellowstar Northern Caddisfly refers to this species. As a member of Limnephilidae, it belongs to a family of caddisflies whose larvae are known for constructing portable cases from plant material and other debris.
Limnephilus hyalinus
Limnephilus hyalinus is a species of caddisfly in the family Limnephilidae, first described by Hagen in 1861. The species belongs to the large and widespread genus Limnephilus, which contains numerous species primarily associated with lentic and slow-flowing aquatic habitats. As with other members of the family, the larvae are aquatic and construct protective cases from available materials. The specific epithet "hyalinus" refers to the hyaline or glass-like quality of some body parts, likely the wings.
Limnephilus kalama
Limnephilus kalama is a species of caddisfly in the family Limnephilidae, described by Donald G. Denning in 1968. It belongs to a large genus of case-making caddisflies whose larvae are primarily associated with lentic (still water) habitats. The species is recorded from North America within the Nearctic region. Like other members of Limnephilus, it likely exhibits the family's characteristic larval behavior of constructing portable cases from plant material.
Limnephilus morrisoni
northern caddisfly
Limnephilus morrisoni is a species of northern caddisfly in the family Limnephilidae. It is found in North America. The species was described by Banks in 1920. As a member of the large genus Limnephilus, it is part of one of the most diverse groups of caddisflies in the Holarctic region.
Limnephilus nogus
northern caddisfly
Limnephilus nogus is a species of caddisfly in the family Limnephilidae, described by Ross in 1944. It is distributed across North America, particularly in the Nearctic region. As a member of the Limnephilidae, it is associated with aquatic environments during its larval stage.
Limnephilus submonilifer
northern caddisfly
Limnephilus submonilifer is a species of caddisfly in the family Limnephilidae, described by Francis Walker in 1852. It belongs to a large genus of northern caddisflies that are primarily associated with lentic (still water) habitats. The species is recorded from the Nearctic region with documented occurrences in the northeastern United States, including Vermont. Larvae construct portable cases using plant material and sand grains.
Limnophila antennata
Limnophila antennata is a species of crane fly in the family Limoniidae, originally described by Coquillett in 1905. The species is currently classified under the genus Prionolabis as a synonym. It is known from the Nearctic region, with records from Canada and the western United States.
Limnophila rufibasis
Limnophila rufibasis is a crane fly species originally described by Osten Sacken in 1860. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Prionolabis rufibasis, reflecting taxonomic reclassification from Limnophila to Prionolabis. The species belongs to the family Limoniidae, a diverse group of small to medium-sized crane flies. Records indicate presence in eastern North America.
Limonia bryanti
Limonia bryanti is a species of crane fly in the family Limoniidae, originally described by Johnson in 1909. The species is currently classified under the genus Rhipidia, with Limonia bryanti treated as a synonym. It occurs across a broad range of the United States, from Colorado to Maine and southward to Arizona, Louisiana, and Florida.
Limonia communis
Limonia communis is a species of limoniid crane fly in the family Limoniidae. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Geranomyia communis. The species has been recorded across North America from Alaska and British Columbia east to Newfoundland, and south to California, Louisiana, and Florida. As a member of the Limoniidae, it belongs to a diverse group of crane flies commonly found in moist terrestrial and semi-aquatic habitats.
Limonia duplicata
Limonia duplicata is a species of limoniid crane fly originally described by Doane in 1900. The species is currently treated as a synonym of Rhipidia maculata. It has been recorded across a broad geographic range spanning the Nearctic, West Palearctic, and East Palearctic regions, including North America from Alaska to California and Tennessee, much of Europe, and eastward through Russia, Central Asia, East Asia, and China.
Limonia hudsonica
Limonia hudsonica is a species of limoniid crane fly in the family Limoniidae. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Metalimnobia hudsonica. The species occurs across northern North America, including Canada and the northern United States.
Limonia immatura
Limonia immatura is a Nearctic species of limoniid crane fly described by Osten Sacken in 1859. The species is currently recognized as a synonym of Metalimnobia immatura, reflecting taxonomic reclassification within the family Limoniidae. It occurs across a broad range of eastern and central North America.
Limonia marmorata
Limonia marmorata is a species of limoniid crane fly in the family Limoniidae. The species was originally described by Osten-Sacken in 1861. It is currently treated as a synonym of Dicranomyia marmorata. The species is known from the Nearctic region, with records from Canada and the western United States.
Limonia novaeangliae
Limonia novaeangliae is a species of limoniid crane fly described by Charles Paul Alexander in 1929. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Metalimnobia novaeangliae. The species is known from the northeastern United States.
Limonia triocellata
Limonia triocellata is a small to medium-sized limoniid crane fly distinguished by three eye-like spots (ocelli) on each wing. It occurs in eastern North America with two distinct flight periods in spring and fall. The species exhibits clear sexual dimorphism in abdominal structure. Taxonomic placement remains unsettled, with some authorities placing it in the genus Metalimnobia.
Limonia triphaea
Limonia triphaea is a species of crane fly in the family Limoniidae, described by Charles Paul Alexander in 1954. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Metalimnobia triphaea. The species is known from a single locality in Oregon, USA. Very little information is available about its biology or ecology.
Limonia ypsilon
Limonia ypsilon is a species of crane fly in the family Limoniidae, described by Alexander in 1959. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Dicranomyia ypsilon. The species is known from the Nearctic region, with records from Washington southward through California to Arizona. As a member of Limoniidae, it belongs to a large family of delicate, long-legged flies commonly known as limoniid crane flies.
Limotettix brooksi
A Nearctic leafhopper described in 1994 and placed in the subgenus Scleroracus. It belongs to a genus that evolved in New World peatlands from ancestors associated with spike-rush habitats. Like other members of its subgenus, it likely inhabits ombrotrophic peatlands and has been associated with ericaceous plant zones that enabled subsequent colonization of drier habitats.
Limotettix elegans
Limotettix elegans is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, described by Hamilton in 1994. It belongs to the subgenus Dryola within the genus Limotettix, a group that evolved in New World peatland habitats. The genus originated from ancestors feeding on spike-rush (Eleocharis) in swales and fens, with later lineages adapting to ombrotrophic peatlands and eventually to drier habitats with ericaceous and semiwoody host plants. Specific ecological details for L. elegans itself remain limited in published literature.
Limotettix medleri
Limotettix medleri is a Nearctic leafhopper species described in 1994 as part of a revision of the genus Limotettix. It was originally placed in the subgenus Scleroracus, a group associated with peatland habitats. The species is currently synonymized under Scleroracus medleri. Like other members of its genus, it likely inhabits ombrotrophic peatlands and feeds on sedges or rushes, though species-specific ecological data are not documented.
Limotettix minuendus
A Nearctic leafhopper described in 1994, placed in the subgenus Dryola. Known from Maryland. The genus evolved from peatland ancestors, with this species part of a lineage associated with ombrotrophic bog habitats.
Limotettix obesura
Leafhopper described in 1994 as part of a revision of the genus Limotettix, placed in subgenus Scleroracus. The species belongs to a lineage of Limotettix that evolved in peatland habitats from ancestors feeding on spike-rush. Its placement in subgenus Scleroracus suggests association with sedges or rushes in ombrotrophic peatland environments.
Lineodes integra
Eggplant Leafroller Moth, Nightshade Leaftier
Lineodes integra is a small moth in the family Crambidae, commonly known as the eggplant leafroller moth or nightshade leaftier. The species is native to the Americas, with a broad distribution from the southern United States through Central America to South America. It is recognized as a pest of cultivated Solanaceae crops, with larvae that feed on leaves and developing fruit. The species was first described by Zeller in 1873.
Lintneria
Lintneria is a genus of sphinx moths (Sphingidae) established by Butler in 1876. Species in this genus are medium to large-sized hawkmoths found primarily in the Americas. The genus was historically merged with Sphinx but was reinstated as distinct based on morphological and molecular evidence. Lintneria species are characterized by specific wing venation patterns and genitalic structures that separate them from closely related genera.
Linyphia rita
Linyphia rita is a species of sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae, described by Gertsch in 1951. It belongs to a genus known for constructing horizontal sheet webs, often with a dome or tangle above. The species is known only from the United States, though specific details about its biology, habitat preferences, and precise distribution remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Liodema
Liodema is a genus of darkling beetles (family Tenebrionidae) established by Horn in 1870. The genus is native to the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, with records from Colorado and broader distribution across the Americas. It is a poorly documented genus with very few observations in citizen science databases.
Liodessus
Liodessus is a genus of small diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae, tribe Bidessini. Species occur across the Americas from North America through the Andes to southern South America, with notable diversity in high-altitude wetlands and páramo ecosystems. Many species inhabit shallow, exposed pools and temporary water bodies, showing phenotypic plasticity in body form correlated with habitat permanence. The genus contains numerous species, with several new species described from the high Andes of Peru and Colombia in recent years. Taxonomic resolution relies heavily on male genital morphology.
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Liodessus noviaffinis is a small predaceous diving beetle described in 1998 from Florida. It belongs to the L. affinis species complex, a group of four closely related North American species that are difficult to distinguish based on external morphology. The species is known from the eastern United States and Canada, with records from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Male genitalia provide the only reliable means of identification.
Liogma nodicornis
Liogma nodicornis is a species of cylindrotomid crane fly native to North America. Larvae inhabit wet environments including streams, marshes, and saturated soils beneath alders, where they function as detritivores. The species exhibits an approximately two-year life cycle with adults emerging during summer months.
Lipogomphus
Lipogomphus is a genus of velvet water bugs in the family Hebridae, established by Berg in 1879. The genus contains at least four described species distributed in the New World. Members of this genus are small predatory aquatic insects associated with wet habitats.
Liriomyza archboldi
Liriomyza archboldi is a species of leafminer fly in the family Agromyzidae, first described by Frost in 1962. The genus Liriomyza includes numerous leafminer species, some of which are significant agricultural pests. However, specific biological and ecological information for L. archboldi is not well documented in the available literature. The species is distinguished from congeners by morphological features typical of the genus.
Liriomyza ptarmicae
Liriomyza ptarmicae is a species of leaf miner fly in the family Agromyzidae, first described by Meijere in 1925. The species is known from the Palaearctic region and the United States, with confirmed records from Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) and Vermont, USA. Like other members of the genus, the larvae likely feed internally on leaf tissue, creating characteristic mines. The specific epithet 'ptarmicae' suggests an association with Achillea ptarmica (sneezewort yarrow), though this host relationship requires confirmation.
Lispixys
Lispixys is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, first described by Mason in 1969. It belongs to the diverse ichneumonoid wasp superfamily, which contains thousands of species that parasitize other insects. The genus is part of the subfamily Opiinae based on morphological characteristics, though this placement has been subject to taxonomic revision. Very few species have been described, and the group remains poorly known biologically.
Lissomelas
Lissomelas is a genus of myrmecophilic scarab beetles established by Bates in 1889. The genus contains a single described species, L. flohri. These beetles are associated with ant colonies, a lifestyle characteristic of the tribe Cremastocheilini within the subfamily Cetoniinae.
Listrochelus bottimeri
Listrochelus bottimeri is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae, described by Reinhard in 1950. It belongs to the tribe Rhizotrogini, a group commonly known as June beetles or May beetles. The species is known only from Texas in the United States. Like other members of this tribe, adults are likely nocturnal and attracted to lights.
Listrochelus disparilis
Listrochelus disparilis is a scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae. It was described by Horn in 1878 and occurs in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The species belongs to the tribe Rhizotrogini, which includes many root-feeding scarabs commonly known as May beetles or June beetles.