Nearctic
Guides
Poecilonota bridwelli
Poecilonota bridwelli is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species was described by Van Dyke in 1918 and occurs in Central America and North America. It belongs to a genus whose members are primarily associated with Salicaceae (poplars and willows).
Poecilonota thureura
Poecilonota thureura is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species is found in North America, with records from Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan) and the United States. It has been collected as prey by the biosurveillance wasp Cerceris fumipennis, which specializes in capturing buprestid beetles. The species is considered uncommon in collections.
Poecilopompilus algidus
Spider Wasp
Poecilopompilus algidus is a spider wasp (family Pompilidae) widespread across the Americas, from southern Canada to Argentina. The species exhibits remarkable geographic variation in coloration due to Müllerian mimicry of sympatric wasps—resembling paper wasps (Polistes) in the south and dark spider wasps (Anoplius) in the north. Females hunt orb-weaver spiders (Araneidae) to provision underground nests, paralyzing prey with a sting and dragging it backwards to burrow sites in sandy soils. The species includes five recognized subspecies with varying distributions across North and South America.
Polycentropus denningi
Polycentropus denningi is a species of tube maker caddisfly described by Smith in 1962. It belongs to the family Polycentropodidae, a group of predatory caddisflies whose larvae construct silken retreats rather than portable cases. The species is known from the Nearctic region.
Polycesta
jewel beetles
Polycesta is a genus of jewel beetles (family Buprestidae) in the subfamily Polycestinae, tribe Polycestini. The genus contains approximately 60 described species distributed across North America, the Neotropics, and parts of the Palearctic region. Several species have been documented breeding in dead wood of various host plants, particularly in oak and mesquite habitats. The genus was established by Dejean in 1833 and includes notable species such as P. arizonica, P. californica, and P. cazieri, the latter having been reared from Cercocarpus (mountain mahogany).
Polycesta flavomaculata
Polycesta flavomaculata is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Nelson in 1960. The species is found in North America and belongs to the genus Polycesta, which comprises approximately 50 species distributed primarily in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. Like other members of the Polycestinae subfamily, it exhibits the characteristic metallic coloration typical of jewel beetles.
Polycesta tularensis
Polycesta tularensis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Chamberlin in 1938. It belongs to the subgenus Tularensia within the genus Polycesta. The species is known from North America, with its specific epithet suggesting an association with Tulare County or the Tulare region of California. Like other members of its genus, it likely develops in dead or dying wood of its host plants.
Polyergus longicornis
Long-horned Amazon Ant
Polyergus longicornis is a dulotic (slave-making) ant species in the genus Polyergus, commonly known as Amazon ants. Elevated to full species status by Trager (2013), it was originally described by M. R. Smith in 1947. The species belongs to the Nearctic lucidus group, which includes P. lucidus, P. montivagus, P. oligergus, P. ruber, and P. sanwaldi. Like all Polyergus species, it is an obligate social parasite dependent on host colonies of Formica ants for survival and reproduction.
Polyergus montivagus
Foothills Amazon Ant
Polyergus montivagus is a dulotic (slave-making) ant in the lucidus group of the genus Polyergus, originally described from the foothills near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The species is an obligate social parasite that raids nests of Formica ants to capture pupae, which mature into enslaved workers that maintain the colony. Workers possess distinctive long, blackish legs and a non-pubescent, shiny gaster. Colony size averages 300-500 workers.
Polyergus sanwaldi
Sanwald's Amazon Ant
Polyergus sanwaldi is a dulotic ant species described by Trager in 2013 as part of a global revision of the genus Polyergus. It belongs to the lucidus species group, one of three major groups within the genus. Like all Polyergus species, it is an obligatory social parasite that raids colonies of Formica ants to capture and enslave their brood. The species is named in honor of an individual (Sanwald), following the naming convention for several new species in this revision.
Polyergus topoffi
Topoff's Amazon Ant
Polyergus topoffi is a dulotic (slave-making) ant species described in 2013 as part of a global revision of the genus Polyergus. It belongs to the rufescens group, informally termed the breviceps complex, which comprises American species within this otherwise Palaearctic-centered group. Like all Polyergus species, it is an obligatory social parasite dependent on host colonies of Formica ants for survival, as its workers cannot feed themselves or excavate nests. The species is one of five newly described in the 2013 revision based on morphometric, ecological, host-association, and biogeographic characteristics.
Polyergus vinosus
Wine-red Amazon Ant
Polyergus vinosus is a species of slave-making ant in the genus Polyergus, described in 2013 as part of a global revision of the genus. It belongs to the rufescens group, informally known as the breviceps complex, and is one of five new species described in that revision. Like all Polyergus species, it is an obligatory social parasite that relies on host colonies of Formica ants for survival, as it cannot feed itself or excavate nests.
Polygonus
Polygonus is a genus of spread-winged skippers (family Hesperiidae, subfamily Pyrginae) distributed across the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. The genus was established by Hübner in 1825. Species in this genus are characterized by their distinctive resting posture with wings held partially open rather than folded vertically. The genus is well-represented in citizen science observations, with over 2,700 records documented.
Polyphylla cavifrons
Polyphylla cavifrons is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It occurs in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, including Arizona, California, Nevada, and Baja California. The species belongs to a genus known for large-bodied beetles with fan-like antennae in males, though specific details about this species' biology remain limited in published literature.
Polyphylla pottsorum
Polyphylla pottsorum is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is a member of the diverse genus Polyphylla, commonly known as lined June beetles, which are characterized by their large size and distinctive antennae. The species was described by Hardy in 1978.
Populicerus gillettei
Populicerus gillettei is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Eurymelinae, described by Hamilton in 1980. It belongs to a genus associated with Populus (poplar and aspen) host plants. The species has been recorded across northern North America from New Hampshire to Alberta.
Populicerus inebrius
Populicerus inebrius is a leafhopper species described by Hamilton in 1980. It belongs to the tribe Idiocerini, a group known for association with woody host plants, particularly poplars and willows. The species has been documented from Utah.
Portentomorpha
Portentomorpha is a monotypic genus of crambid moths established by Hans Georg Amsel in 1956. The genus contains a single species, Portentomorpha xanthialis, and serves as the type genus for the tribe Portentomorphini. The genus is distributed across the southeastern United States, Caribbean islands, and tropical regions of Central and South America.
Praestigia kulczynskii
Kulczynski's Dwarf Weaver
Praestigia kulczynskii is a dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, described by Eskov in 1979. The species has a transcontinental distribution spanning the Palearctic and Nearctic regions, with records from Russia, Japan, and Canada. As a member of the sheet-web weavers, it belongs to one of the most species-rich spider families, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Prairiana moneta
Prairiana moneta is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, tribe Gyponini, described by Van Duzee in 1923. It is a member of the Nearctic fauna with documented occurrence in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. As with other Gyponini, it likely inhabits grassland and shrubland ecosystems where it feeds on vascular plant sap.
Prateus
Prateus is a genus of darkling beetles in the family Tenebrionidae, subfamily Lagriinae, and the type genus of the tribe Prateini. It was established by John Lawrence LeConte in 1862. The genus is part of the diverse tenebrionoid beetle lineage, which includes many species adapted to arid and semi-arid environments. Species within Prateus share characteristics with other lagriine beetles, though specific diagnostic features for the genus require examination of morphological details such as antennal structure and body form.
Prepops
Prepops is the largest genus in the tribe Restheniini (subfamily Mirinae, family Miridae), containing approximately 190–198 described species of plant bugs. The genus exhibits a predominantly Neotropical distribution with 86% of species occurring in this region, while about 11% extend into the Nearctic. Biogeographic analysis reveals high species richness in subtropical regions, with 23 identified areas of endemism spanning the Nearctic, Mexican Transition Zone, Caribbean, and South American subregions.
Prepops nigripilus
Prepops nigripilus is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, first described by Knight in 1929. The species was originally placed in the genus Platytylellus before being transferred to Prepops. It is a member of the diverse Miridae family, one of the largest families of true bugs.
Proceratium chickasaw
Proceratium chickasaw is a species of ant in the subfamily Proceratiinae, described by de Andrade in 2003. Members of this genus are small, cryptic ants known for specialized predatory behaviors. The species name refers to the Chickasaw people, indigenous to the southeastern United States. Like other Proceratium species, it likely exhibits specialized egg predation behaviors, though direct observations of this species remain limited.
Proceratium croceum
Proceratium croceum is a small, cryptic ant species in the subfamily Proceratiinae. It belongs to a genus of specialized predators that exhibit unusual foraging behaviors. The species is known from limited observations in the eastern United States. Like other Proceratium species, it likely possesses a distinctive elongated petiole and modified mandibles for capturing specific prey.
Prochyliza varipes
waltzing fly
Prochyliza varipes is a species of piophilid fly commonly known as the waltzing fly. Males exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism with elongated, conical heads and long antennae used in territorial combat. The species is associated with carrion, particularly decomposing animal remains. It is most active in early spring, often appearing when melting snow exposes winter-killed animals.
Prolimnophila areolata
Prolimnophila areolata is a species of crane fly in the family Limoniidae, originally described by Osten Sacken in 1860 as Limnophila areolata. The species is known from the Nearctic region, with records across eastern North America from Wisconsin and Ontario east to Newfoundland, and south to Tennessee and North Carolina. It belongs to the subfamily Limnophilinae, a group of crane flies often associated with moist habitats.
Promecosoma inflatum
Promecosoma inflatum is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Cryptocephalinae, tribe Clytrini. It was described by Lefèvre in 1877. The species has a limited known distribution spanning the southwestern United States (Arizona) and Mexico. As a member of the Clytrini, it belongs to a group of leaf beetles often associated with specific host plants, though detailed biological information remains sparse in the published literature.
Prorocorypha
Prorocorypha is a monotypic genus of slant-faced grasshoppers in the family Acrididae, containing a single described species, P. snowi (Snow's Toothpick Grasshopper). The genus was established by Rehn in 1911. Members are characterized by their slender, elongate body form typical of toothpick grasshoppers, with cryptic coloration that provides camouflage against their substrate.
Prosoparia
Prosoparia is a genus of moths in the family Erebidae, subfamily Calpinae, established by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1883. The genus contains approximately 17 described species distributed across the Americas, from the southern United States through Central America to South America. Formerly classified within Noctuidae, it was reassigned to Erebidae following taxonomic revisions. The genus includes both temperate and tropical species with varying ecological preferences.
Prostemmatinae
damsel bugs
Prostemmatinae is a subfamily of predatory damsel bugs in the family Nabidae. It contains at least 13 described species in the Americas, organized into two tribes: Phorticini (genera Phorticus, Rhamphocoris) and Prostemmatini (genera Alloeorhynchus, Pagasa, Prostemma). Members are found in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, with documented diversity in Mexico and the southern United States.
Proteoteras arizonae
Proteoteras arizonae is a species of tortricid moth in the family Tortricidae, subfamily Olethreutinae, and tribe Eucosmini. It was described by Kearfott in 1907. The species is placed in the genus Proteoteras, which comprises small to medium-sized moths commonly known as tortrix moths or leafroller moths. As with other members of this genus, the larvae likely develop within plant tissues, though specific host associations for this particular species remain poorly documented.
Protoptilinae
Protoptilinae is the most diverse subfamily of Glossosomatidae, the saddle- or tortoise-case-making caddisflies. The subfamily contains 18 genera with a strikingly disjunct global distribution: five genera occur in the East Palaearctic and Oriental regions, while the remaining thirteen genera are restricted to the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. Members construct portable cases from mineral or plant material. The subfamily has undergone extensive taxonomic revision based on adult morphology and molecular phylogenetics, resulting in several new synonymies and refined generic diagnoses.
Proxys
black stink bugs
Proxys is a genus of stink bugs in the family Pentatomidae, established by Spinola in 1840. The genus comprises at least four described species distributed across the Americas, with Proxys punctulatus (black stink bug) being the most widely documented. Species in this genus are characterized by predominantly black coloration and are associated with leguminous crops, particularly soybeans. The genus has been documented in both North and South America, with some species showing broad geographic ranges extending from the United States through Central America to Brazil and Argentina.
Psallovius piceicola
Psallovius piceicola is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, first described by Knight in 1923. It is a true bug (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in the infraorder Cimicomorpha. The species is found in North America, with records from both the United States and Canada.
Psammodius pierottii
A small scarab beetle in the subfamily Aphodiinae, described from the Mediterranean region in 1979. The species belongs to a genus of sand-dwelling beetles typically associated with sandy substrates. It has been introduced to North America, with established populations in Quebec, Canada.
Pseudagolius
Pseudagolius is a genus of scarab beetles in the subfamily Aphodiinae, established by Schmidt in 1914. It belongs to the tribe Aphodiini, a group commonly known as small dung beetles. The genus is recognized in the Nearctic region, though specific biological details remain poorly documented in available literature.
Pseudagolius coloradensis
Pseudagolius coloradensis is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. It is distributed across the Nearctic region from the Canadian prairies through the western and central United States to central Mexico. The species was described by Horn in 1870. Limited behavioral and ecological information is available for this species.
Pseudataenius
Pseudataenius is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, established by Brown in 1927. The genus contains at least three described species: P. contortus, P. gracilitarsis, and P. socialis. Members of this genus are classified within the tribe Eupariini, a group of small to medium-sized scarab beetles often associated with dung and decaying organic matter.
Pseudataenius socialis
Pseudataenius socialis is a species of aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is known from scattered records across the central and southeastern United States. The species was described by Horn in 1871 and is placed in the tribe Eupariini within the subfamily Aphodiinae.
dung-beetleScarabaeidaeAphodiinaeNorth-AmericaColeopteraEupariiniPseudataeniusUnited-StatesKansasLouisianaNebraskaOklahomaSouth-CarolinaTexasHorn-1871Nearcticendogeicsaprophagoussoil-dwellingscarab-beetlebeetleinsectarthropodanimaleukaryotehexapodpolyphagous-beetlestaphyliniformiascarabaeoideaaphodiineaphodiine-dung-beetlescarabscarabaeidscarabaeoidscarabaeoideanstaphyliniformpolyphaganPseudexentera habrosana
Pseudexentera habrosana is a small tortricid moth described by Heinrich in 1923, originally placed in the genus Exentera. It belongs to the tribe Eucosmini, a group of leafroller moths whose larvae often feed within plant tissues. Published records for this species are sparse, and its biology remains poorly documented.
Pseudiron centralis
White Sand-river Mayfly
Pseudiron centralis is a predaceous mayfly species endemic to sandy freshwater river habitats in North America. It exhibits a univoltine summer life cycle with an extended egg stage lasting 9–10 months. Larvae are active epibenthic predators specialized for feeding on psammophilous chironomid larvae, with distinct microhabitat shifts during development: early instars occupy marginal sands, while later instars inhabit shifting sand dunes in main channel areas. The species shows low population density but also low mortality, with random dispersion patterns in mature larvae.
Pseudochelaria manzanitae
Pseudochelaria manzanitae is a small moth in the family Gelechiidae, first described by Keifer in 1930. The species is restricted to the southwestern United States, with confirmed records from California and Arizona. The specific epithet "manzanitae" suggests a potential association with manzanita (Arctostaphylos) plants, though this relationship remains to be confirmed.
Pseudocistela brevis
Pseudocistela brevis is a species of darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) first described by Thomas Say in 1824. The species is documented from eastern Canada, with confirmed records in New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec. Like other members of the genus Pseudocistela, it belongs to a group of small to medium-sized beetles associated with forest floor habitats and decaying organic matter.
Pseudocotalpa giulianii
Giuliani's dune scarab, Giuliani's dune scarab beetle
Pseudocotalpa giulianii is a sand dune-inhabiting scarab beetle endemic to Nevada, United States. It is named for Derham Giuliani, who first collected the species from the Amargosa Desert. The species exhibits sexual size dimorphism, with males measuring 17–25 mm and females 14–22 mm in length.
Pseudoholostrophus
Pseudoholostrophus is a genus of polypore fungus beetles in the family Tetratomidae, established by Nikitsky in 1983. The genus comprises at least four described species, with two species (P. discolor and P. impressicollis) recorded from the Nearctic region. These beetles are associated with polypore fungi, though specific ecological relationships remain poorly documented.
Pseudolimnophila contempta
Pseudolimnophila contempta is a species of crane fly in the family Limoniidae, described by Osten Sacken in 1869. It belongs to a genus characterized by reduced wing venation and aquatic or semi-aquatic larval habitats. The species occurs across eastern North America, from Ontario and Newfoundland south to Kansas and Florida. Like other limoniid crane flies, adults are delicate, long-legged flies with slender bodies. The genus name refers to its superficial resemblance to true limoniids of the genus Limnophila.
Pseudolimnophila luteipennis
Pseudolimnophila luteipennis is a species of limoniid crane fly first described by Osten Sacken in 1860. The species is widespread across North and Central America, with substantial observational records documenting its presence. As a member of the family Limoniidae, it belongs to one of the most diverse families of crane flies.
Pseudomyrmex pallidus
Pallidus-group Twig Ants
Pseudomyrmex pallidus is a small, slender ant species native to the Nearctic and Neotropical realms, with an extensive range from the southern United States through Central America and into South America. Workers are monomorphic and exhibit variable coloration from yellow to orange or brown. The species nests exclusively in hollow stems of dead grasses and woody twigs, typically at the interface of grassy and wooded habitats. Colonies are facultatively polygynous and polydomous, containing 1–15 queens and 20–200 workers.
Pseudopamera nitidicollis
dirt-colored seed bug
Pseudopamera nitidicollis is a species of seed bug in the family Rhyparochromidae, first described by Stål in 1874. It is characterized by its dull, earth-toned coloration typical of dirt-colored seed bugs. The species has been documented across Central America and North America, with records from the United States and Mexico. As a member of the Myodochini tribe, it belongs to a group of ground-dwelling seed bugs often associated with soil and litter habitats.