Nearctic
Guides
Anacampsis lagunculariella
Anacampsis lagunculariella is a small gelechiid moth described by August Busck in 1900. It occurs in the Caribbean and southeastern United States, with larvae that feed on Laguncularia racemosa, a mangrove species. The species exhibits distinctive wing patterning including black costal markings and rows of small black dots near the wing apex.
Anafroptilum bifurcatum
Anafroptilum bifurcatum is a species of small mayfly in the family Baetidae, first described by McDunnough in 1924. The genus Anafroptilum was established to accommodate certain Baetidae species previously placed in other genera, distinguished by specific morphological features of the genitalia and wing venation. As a member of the Baetidae, it belongs to a diverse family of small, agile mayflies commonly known as blue-winged olives or small minnow mayflies.
Anagyrus aper
Anagyrus aper is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Encyrtidae, described by Noyes & Menezes in 2000. It belongs to the genus Anagyrus, a group of wasps known primarily as parasitoids of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). The species has been recorded from New Hampshire, Ontario, and Texas, suggesting a Nearctic distribution. Like other members of its genus, it likely functions as a biological control agent of pest mealybugs, though specific host associations and biological details remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Anagyrus paralia
Anagyrus paralia is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Encyrtidae, described by Noyes and Menezes in 2000. It belongs to the genus Anagyrus, which contains numerous species used in biological control of mealybugs and other scale insects. The specific epithet "paralia" suggests a coastal or shore-associated habitat, though detailed ecological data remain limited. Like other Anagyrus species, it is presumed to be a primary parasitoid of mealybugs (Pseudococcidae), but host records specific to this species have not been documented in the available literature.
Anambodera lucksani
A small jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Walters in 1982. The genus Anambodera is restricted to western North America and is closely related to the diverse genus Acmaeodera. Species in this genus are poorly represented in collections due to their cryptic habits.
Anambodera santarosae
Anambodera santarosae is a species of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Knull in 1960. It belongs to a small genus of western North American buprestids that are morphologically similar to Acmaeodera but distinguished by several structural characters including non-reflexed epistoma, rounded pronotal angles, and visible suture between abdominal sterna. Species in this genus are generally poorly represented in collections due to their cryptic habits.
Anasa andresii
Anasa andresii is a leaf-footed bug species in the family Coreidae, first described by Guérin-Méneville in 1857. It belongs to a genus containing several economically significant agricultural pests, though specific information about this species remains limited. The species has been documented across a broad geographic range spanning the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and South America.
Ancylis diminuatana
A tortricid moth reinstated as a valid species by Huemer and Gilligan (2016) following taxonomic revision of the Ancylis geminana group. Previously treated as a synonym of A. diminutana (Haworth), it is now recognized as distinct based on DNA barcode data and morphological differences. The species is not Holarctic in distribution, unlike some related Ancylis species.
Ancylis uncella
Bridge Roller
Ancylis uncella is a small tortricid moth with a Holarctic distribution spanning the Palearctic region and North America. First described from the Vienna area in 1775, it has been recorded across Europe and was recently confirmed from China. The species is distinguished by reddish-brown forewings with grey dorsal spots and light costal lines. Larvae feed on birch and heather.
Angarotipula illustris
A large crane fly species in the family Tipulidae, distributed across northern and western North America. Adults are active during late spring and summer months. The species is distinguished by its distinctive wing patterning and robust body form compared to congeners.
Anisepyris
Anisepyris is a genus of flat wasps in the family Bethylidae, subfamily Epyrinae. The genus contains 13 recognized species-groups and is primarily distributed in the Neotropical region with limited representation in the Nearctic. A recent phylogenetic analysis based on 120 morphological characters across 72 operational taxonomic units resolved well-supported relationships among species and identified key synapomorphies. The genus is hypothesized to have a relatively recent origin, with historical dispersal patterns linked to dense forest habitats.
Anisepyris williamsi
Anisepyris williamsi is a species of wasp in the family Bethylidae, described by Evans in 1959. The genus Anisepyris comprises small, typically non-stinging parasitoid wasps that attack the larvae or pupae of various insects. This species has been recorded from multiple countries in the Americas, including the United States (California), Mexico, and several South American nations. Like other bethylids, it likely plays a role in natural biological control of pest insects, though specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Anisostena gracilis
Anisostena gracilis is a small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Cassidinae (tortoise beetles and allies). Adults measure approximately 3–3.7 mm in length and are distinguished by orange-red or yellowish coloration with a black sutural stripe. The species has been documented feeding on Panicum maximum (guinea grass). It occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico.
Annegialia
Annegialia is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles established by Howden in 1971. The genus contains a single described species, A. ataeniformis. It belongs to the tribe Eupariini within the subfamily Aphodiinae of Scarabaeidae.
Anomala carlsoni
Anomala carlsoni is a species of scarab beetle described by Hardy in 1976. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Leptohoplia carlsoni in some taxonomic databases, reflecting ongoing taxonomic uncertainty in the Rutelinae subfamily. The species is known from California, USA, placing it within the Nearctic realm. Like other members of the genus Anomala, it belongs to the chafer group of scarab beetles, though specific ecological and biological details remain undocumented in the available literature.
Anomala diabla
Anomala diabla is a species of scarab beetle in the subfamily Rutelinae, described by Potts in 1976. It belongs to the large genus Anomala, which contains numerous species commonly known as chafers. Information regarding its biology, appearance, and ecology is extremely limited in published literature. The species is known from Texas, USA.
Anomala insitiva
Iridescent Anomala
Anomala insitiva is a species of shining leaf chafer in the family Scarabaeidae, first described by Robinson in 1938. It belongs to the genus Anomala, a diverse group of scarab beetles commonly known as chafers. The species has been documented in Texas, USA. Like other members of the genus, it likely exhibits the metallic coloration characteristic of shining leaf chafers.
Anoplognatho
Anoplognatho is a monotypic genus of rhinoceros beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, containing the single described species A. dunnianus. The genus was established by Rivers in 1889. As a member of the subfamily Dynastinae, it belongs to the group of scarab beetles commonly known for enlarged head or thoracic horns in males.
Anoplognatho dunnianus
Anoplognatho dunnianus is a species of rhinoceros beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is the sole described species in the genus Anoplognatho. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Anotia uhleri
Anotia uhleri is a species of planthopper in the family Derbidae, first described by Van Duzee in 1889 under the name Amalopota uhleri. It belongs to the tribe Otiocerini within the subfamily Otiocerinae. This species is part of a group of derbid planthoppers that are primarily associated with wooded habitats. The genus Anotia is relatively small and restricted to the Nearctic region.
Antaeotricha agrioschista
Antaeotricha agrioschista is a small moth in the family Depressariidae, described by Edward Meyrick in 1927. It is known from Texas, North America, and is characterized by its distinctive wing patterning of light grey forewings overlaid with white and sprinkled with dark fuscous markings. The species has a wingspan of 20–21 mm. Limited information exists regarding its biology, host associations, and ecological relationships.
Anterastria
A small genus of noctuid moths established by Japanese lepidopterist Shigero Sugi in 1982. The genus comprises two disjunct species with remarkably different geographic ranges: one Palearctic species distributed across south-eastern Siberia, Korea, and Japan, and one Nearctic species found in Tennessee, United States.
Anthanassa texana
Texan crescentspot, Texan Crescent
Anthanassa texana, the Texan crescentspot, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found from Guatemala north through Mexico to the southern United States, with strays reaching as far north as South Dakota and central Nevada. The species is multivoltine, with adults active year-round in southern Texas and the tropics, and from March to November in southern Florida and Arizona. Larvae feed on leaves of low-growing Acanthaceae plants, while adults feed on flower nectar.
Anthaxia
Anthaxia is a large genus of jewel beetles (family Buprestidae, tribe Anthaxiini) containing numerous species distributed across the Palearctic, Nearctic, Afrotropical, and Indomalayan regions. The genus is divided into seven subgenera: Anthaxia (Anthaxia), Haplanthaxia, Melanthaxia, Cratomerus, Merocratus, Thailandia, and Richteraxia. Species are primarily associated with woody host plants, with larvae developing in dead branches or living stems of various trees and shrubs. Adults are frequently observed visiting flowers, where they feed on pollen and nectar.
Anthaxia caseyi pseudotsugae
Anthaxia caseyi pseudotsugae is a subspecies of jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) described by Chamberlin in 1928. It is distinguished from the nominate subspecies A. c. caseyi by its dark coloration rather than bright green. The subspecies has been collected in montane coniferous forests of the southwestern United States, particularly in New Mexico and Arizona, where adults are found on flowers of Rosa woodsii and other blooming plants in alpine habitats.
Anthaxia expansa
Anthaxia expansa is a species of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1860. It belongs to the genus Anthaxia, a diverse group of metallic wood-boring beetles distributed across multiple biogeographic realms. The species has been recorded from North America and is present in the Nearctic region. Like other members of its family, A. expansa likely exhibits the characteristic metallic coloration and compact body form typical of buprestid beetles.
Anthaxia quercicola
Anthaxia quercicola is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Wellso in 1974. It is found in North America. As a member of the genus Anthaxia, it belongs to a group of jewel beetles known for their metallic coloration and association with woody plants. The specific epithet "quercicola" suggests an association with oak (Quercus), though this relationship has not been explicitly confirmed in the available literature.
Anthopotamus distinctus
Golden Drake, hacklegilled burrower mayfly
Anthopotamus distinctus is a species of mayfly in the family Potamanthidae, commonly known as the Golden Drake. It belongs to a group referred to as hacklegilled burrower mayflies, indicating specialized gill structures and burrowing behavior in the nymphal stage. The species is found in the Nearctic region of eastern North America.
Anticheta melanosoma
Anticheta melanosoma is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, described by Melander in 1920. The genus Anticheta belongs to the tribe Tetanocerini, a group known for larvae that are predators or parasitoids of freshwater snails. The specific epithet "melanosoma" refers to the dark body coloration characteristic of this species. Records indicate this species occurs in the northeastern United States, particularly Vermont.
Antistrophus
Antistrophus is a genus of gall wasps in the family Cynipidae containing approximately 10 species, all restricted to the Nearctic region. Species induce galls on herbaceous plants in four Asteraceae genera: Silphium, Lygodesmia, Chrysothamnus, and Microseris. The genus was first described by Benjamin Walsh in 1869. Some species exhibit complex chemical ecology, using host plant volatile monoterpenes as olfactory cues for mate location.
Aoplonema princeps
Aoplonema princeps is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, first described by Uhler in 1894. This true bug is native to western North America, with documented occurrences in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. As a member of the large and diverse Miridae family, it is likely associated with herbaceous or woody vegetation, though specific host plant relationships remain poorly documented.
Apeplopoda mecrida
Apeplopoda mecrida is a moth in the family Erebidae, subfamily Arctiinae. First described by Herbert Druce in 1889, this species occurs from the southwestern United States through Central America. It belongs to the subtribe Euchromiina, a group of tiger moths often characterized by bright coloration and diurnal activity. The species has been recorded in multiple countries, suggesting a relatively broad geographic range within its habitat zone.
Aphelia septentrionalis
Aphelia septentrionalis is a species of tortricid moth described by Obraztsov in 1959. It belongs to the tribe Archipini within the subfamily Tortricinae. The species is known from a single geographic record in Alaska, representing a northern distribution within the genus Aphelia.
Aphonus castaneus
Aphonus castaneus is a species of rhinoceros beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It belongs to the subfamily Dynastinae, a group known for species with prominent horns or tubercles. The species is distributed across eastern North America, from Quebec southward through the eastern United States. Records indicate it has been collected in 18 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
Aphonus texanus
Aphonus texanus is a species of rhinoceros beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Gill and Howden in 1985. It belongs to the subfamily Dynastinae, which includes the well-known rhinoceros and Hercules beetles. The species is native to the south-central United States.
Aplanusiella utahensis
Aplanusiella utahensis is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Deltocephalinae, described by Nielson and Haws in 1992. It is endemic to Utah, as indicated by its specific epithet and confirmed distribution records. As a member of the tribe Platymetopiini, it belongs to a group of leafhoppers typically associated with grassland and shrubland habitats.
Aplectoides condita
Large-spotted Dart
Aplectoides condita is a noctuid moth native to North America, commonly known as the Large-spotted Dart. The species has a transcontinental distribution across central and southern Canada, with southern extensions into the eastern United States and the Rocky Mountain region. Adults are active from late spring through mid-summer. Larvae have been successfully reared on conifer hosts, showing a documented preference for tamarack over balsam fir.
Aplomerus
A small genus of parasitoid wasps in the subfamily Xoridinae (Ichneumonidae). The genus exhibits a disjunct distribution across North America, Japan, and southeast Asia. Eight species are currently recognized, including two described from the Oriental region (Thailand and Vietnam) and one from Japan. Aplomerus is considered a basal lineage within Xoridinae.
Apodemia
metalmark butterflies
Apodemia is a New World genus of metalmark butterflies (family Riodinidae) ranging from Canada to Brazil. The genus contains approximately 18 described species, including the type species Apodemia mormo (Mormon metalmark). Species-level taxonomy has undergone revision; Apodemia paucipuncta was transferred to the new genus Hallonympha based on morphological and behavioral characters. Oviposition behavior varies geographically: northern populations of A. mormo deposit single eggs on soil or rocks, while southern populations lay eggs in groups on host plants.
Apogeshna
Apogeshna is a genus of snout moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae. It was established by Munroe in 1956 and contains two described species: A. infirmalis and A. stenialis. The genus is known from North America, with records primarily from the eastern United States including Vermont.
Apotomops
Apotomops is a genus of tortricid moths established by Powell & Obraztsov in 1986. The genus contains seven described species distributed primarily in the Americas, ranging from the southwestern United States through Central America to South America. Species were described between 1907 and 2008, with several added by Razowski and colleagues based on specimens from Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Texas. The genus belongs to the tribe Cochylini within the subfamily Tortricinae.
Apsena
Apsena is a genus of darkling beetles (family Tenebrionidae) described by LeConte in 1862. Species in this genus are found in the Nearctic region. The genus contains multiple species, with over 800 observations documented on iNaturalist. As with other tenebrionids, members of this genus are likely associated with arid or semi-arid environments, though specific ecological details remain limited in published literature.
Apsida
Apsida is a genus of darkling beetles in the family Tenebrionidae, first described by Lacordaire in 1859. The genus is distributed across the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, with records from Colombia. As a member of the diverse Tenebrionidae family, these beetles are likely adapted to arid or semi-arid environments typical of many tenebrionid lineages.
Arachnis aulaea
aulaean tiger-moth, tiger moth
Arachnis aulaea is a tiger moth in the family Erebidae, first described by Carl Geyer in 1837. It is known from southern Arizona through Mexico to Guatemala. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate A. a. aulaea and A. a. pompeia described by Druce in 1894.
Arachosia
A genus of anyphaenid sac spiders native to the Americas, first described by Octavius Pickard-Cambridge in 1882. The genus comprises 21 recognized species, including seven recently described species. Arachosia species are primarily associated with grassland and forest habitats. A taxonomic revision resolved long-standing identification problems in the A. cubana species complex and documented disjunct distribution patterns suggesting potential cryptic speciation.
Aradus abbas
Aradus abbas is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, first described by Bergroth in 1889. It belongs to a group of insects commonly known as flat bugs due to their strongly flattened body form. The species is distributed in North America, including the Nearctic region and Beringia. Like other members of the genus Aradus, it is likely associated with dead wood habitats, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited.
Aradus nr. debilis
Aradus nr. debilis (CA-AZ) represents a nearctic population of the flat bug genus Aradidae, occurring in California and Arizona. This putative species belongs to a taxonomically challenging complex within Aradus, characterized by flattened bodies adapted for life under bark. The 'nr.' designation indicates morphological proximity to A. debilis while acknowledging unresolved taxonomic status pending further study.
Aradus signaticornis
Flat bug
Aradus signaticornis is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, first described by Sahlberg in 1848. As a member of the Aradidae family, it belongs to a group of true bugs commonly associated with dead wood habitats. The species has been recorded from Europe, Northern Asia, and North America. Flat bugs in this genus are typically found under bark and in decaying wood, where they feed on fungal hyphae.
Araneus detrimentosus
Araneus detrimentosus is an orb-weaving spider in the family Araneidae, found from the United States through Central America to Colombia. It constructs spiral wheel-shaped webs typical of the family. The species was first described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1889.
Araneus groenlandicola
Greenland Orbweaver
Araneus groenlandicola is a species of orb-weaver spider in the family Araneidae. It is known from a limited geographic range spanning the northernmost regions of North America, including Greenland, Canada, and the northern United States. The species was described by Embrik Strand in 1906. As with other members of the genus Araneus, it constructs spiral wheel-shaped webs for prey capture.