Nearctic
Guides
Chetostoma
Chetostoma is a genus of true flies (Diptera) in the family Tephritidae, first described by Camillo Rondani in 1856. The genus comprises approximately 15 described species distributed across the Northern Hemisphere, including North America, Europe, and East Asia. Members of this genus are small to medium-sized fruit flies, though specific biological details for most species remain poorly documented. The genus is classified within the subfamily Trypetinae and tribe Trypetini.
Cheumatopsyche analis
Cheumatopsyche analis is a species of netspinning caddisfly in the family Hydropsychidae. It belongs to a genus known for constructing fixed capture nets in flowing water to filter food particles. The species has been documented in the Nearctic region, including Hawaii. As a member of the Hydropsychidae, it participates in freshwater food webs as both a filter-feeder larva and a flying adult.
Cheumatopsyche minuscula
Cheumatopsyche minuscula is a species of net-spinning caddisfly in the family Hydropsychidae. The species was originally described as Hydropsyche minuscula by Banks in 1907. It is recorded from North America within the Nearctic realm. As a member of Hydropsychidae, it is presumed to construct fixed capture nets in flowing water habitats to filter food particles.
Chionea obtusa
Chionea obtusa is a wingless crane fly in the family Limoniidae, one of sixteen North American species in the genus Chionea commonly known as "snow flies." Described by George Byers in 1983, this species inhabits the Nearctic region of western North America. Like other Chionea species, adults are active during winter months and are adapted to cold environments, though specific biological details for C. obtusa remain largely unstudied.
Chionodes gilvomaculella
Chionodes gilvomaculella is a small moth in the family Gelechiidae, first described by Clemens in 1863. It is distributed across northeastern North America, ranging from Nova Scotia and southern Ontario south to West Virginia and Ohio. The species is associated with oak habitats, with larvae feeding on Quercus species.
Chionodes obscurusella
boxelder leafworm moth
Chionodes obscurusella, commonly known as the boxelder leafworm moth, is a small gelechiid moth native to North America. The species has a wingspan of approximately 12 mm and exhibits distinctive forewing patterning with black spots and dashes on a dull ochreous-fuscous background. Larvae are leaf-tiers, constructing shelters by tying leaves together on their host plants. The species is part of a Nearctic species group associated with hardwood trees in the genera Acer, Quercus, and Salix.
Chionomus tenae
Chionomus tenae is a species of planthopper in the family Delphacidae, originally described by Muir in 1926. It belongs to a genus of small, grass-feeding planthoppers found in the Americas. The species has been documented in scattered localities across the southern United States, northern South America, and Brazil. Like other delphacids, it likely inhabits grassland and wetland habitats where its host plants occur.
Chlaenius maxillosus
Chlaenius maxillosus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by George Henry Horn in 1876. It belongs to a large and diverse genus containing approximately 1,000 species worldwide. The genus Chlaenius is native to multiple biogeographic regions including the Palearctic, Near East, North Africa, Afrotropical region, and Nearctic, with the majority of species occurring in the Oriental and Afrotropical regions. Chlaenius maxillosus has been recorded from the United States and North America.
Chlorita nearctica
Chlorita nearctica is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, described by Hamilton in 1998. The genus Chlorita belongs to a group of leafhoppers characterized by distinctive morphological features. Distribution records indicate presence in Yukon, Canada. As with many leafhoppers, specific ecological details remain poorly documented in accessible literature.
Chlorocoris distinctus
Chlorocoris distinctus is a species of stink bug in the family Pentatomidae. It occurs across a broad geographic range spanning Central America, North America, and South America. The species has been documented as a host for egg parasitoids in Mexico, though detailed biological studies remain limited.
Chlorostrymon
hairstreaks
Chlorostrymon is a genus of hairstreak butterflies in the family Lycaenidae, established by Clench in 1961. The genus comprises six recognized species distributed across the Nearctic and Neotropical realms, including the well-known silver-banded hairstreak (C. simaethis). Species within this genus are characterized by their association with the hairstreak tribe Eumaeini.
Chlorotettix lusorius
Chlorotettix lusorius is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, tribe Pendarini. It is a small, greenish true bug distributed across the northern Great Plains and adjacent regions of North America. The species was described by Osborn and Ball in 1897. Records indicate presence in prairie and grassland habitats.
Chlorotettix meriscus
Chlorotettix meriscus is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Deltocephalinae, described by Cwikla in 1987. It belongs to the genus Chlorotettix, a group of small to medium-sized leafhoppers found primarily in the Nearctic region. The species is known from limited collection records in northeastern North America.
Chnaunanthus flavipennis
Chnaunanthus flavipennis is a scarab beetle in the tribe Chnaunanthini, first described by George Henry Horn in 1867. The species is known from arid regions of the southwestern United States, specifically Arizona and Utah. Like other members of its genus, it is associated with dry habitats. The specific epithet 'flavipennis' refers to yellowish wing coloration.
Choristoneura albaniana
Choristoneura albaniana is a tortricid moth first described by Francis Walker in 1863. The species occurs across boreal and montane regions of North America and the northern Palearctic. Larvae feed on Prunus pennsylvanica (pin cherry) and Larix species (larches), making it a conifer and hardwood specialist within its genus.
Choroterpes
Choroterpes is a genus of mayflies in the family Leptophlebiidae, distributed across the Americas, Europe (excluding the British Isles), Africa, and Asia. The genus contains multiple subgenera, including the nominate subgenus Choroterpes and Neochoroterpes (North America). Nymphs are typically found in streams and rivers, often associated with leaf litter. The genus has been subject to taxonomic revision, with some species reassigned to new genera such as Tikuna.
Chrysotus
Chrysotus is a large genus of long-legged flies (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) in the subfamily Diaphorinae, with more than 460 described species. The genus is taxonomically problematic and likely paraphyletic or polyphyletic with respect to related genera including Achradocera, Falbouria, and Lyroneurus. Species are distributed across multiple biogeographic regions including the Palaearctic, Nearctic, Oriental, and Neotropical realms. The genus contains two subgenera: Angiopus (monotypic, containing only C. halteratus) and Chrysotus (containing all other species).
Chrysso albomaculata
Chrysso albomaculata is a species of comb-footed spider in the family Theridiidae, first described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1882. The species is documented from the United States, Caribbean islands, and Brazil. It belongs to a genus of small spiders often associated with leaf litter and vegetation in tropical and subtropical habitats. As with many Theridiidae, detailed natural history information remains limited.
Cibdelis
Cibdelis is a genus of darkling beetles in the subfamily Stenochiinae, distributed in the Nearctic region. The genus includes at least one well-documented species, Cibdelis blaschkei, which inhabits forested regions of California. Larvae and pupae develop in soft, rotten, dry wood of dead branches on living trees or recently fallen sections. Both life stages possess antipredator defense structures, including urogomphi (pinching organs) on the terminal abdominal segments.
Cicadula junea
Cicadula junea is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, described by Hamilton in 1972. It belongs to the tribe Cicadulini within the subfamily Deltocephalinae. The species has been recorded from Alaska and the Canadian Prairie provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Like other members of the genus Cicadula, it is presumed to feed on plant sap using piercing-sucking mouthparts, though specific host plant associations have not been documented.
Cicindela limbata nympha
Nymphal Tiger Beetle
Cicindela limbata nympha is a subspecies of sandy tiger beetle restricted to open sand habitats of northern Montana, North Dakota, and the Canadian Prairie Provinces. It is separated from the nominate subspecies by a distributional gap to the south. Individuals exhibit more extensively developed white maculations on the elytra than the nominate form, with darker intervening areas. This subspecies is part of a fragmented distribution pattern across North America that likely resulted from historical climate-driven contractions of sand dune habitats.
Cimbocera pauper
broad-nosed weevil
Cimbocera pauper is a species of broad-nosed weevil in the family Curculionidae, first described by Horn in 1876. It belongs to the subfamily Entiminae and tribe Byrsopagini. The species is known from North America, with records from western Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.
Ciminius
Ciminius is a genus of leafhoppers in the family Cicadellidae, tribe Cicadellini. The genus was established by Metcalf and Bruner in 1936 and contains ten described species distributed across the Neotropical and Nearctic regions. A 2025 morphological phylogenetic study confirmed Ciminius as monophyletic with high support and described three new species. The genus belongs to the Articulate Stem Clade alongside Tylozygus and the monotypic genus Arcanus, characterized by unique connective morphology.
Ciminius sidanus
Ciminius sidanus is a Nearctic sharpshooter leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) originally described as Cicadella sidana by Ball in 1936. It is one of three Nearctic species in the genus Ciminius, which was recovered as monophyletic with high support in a morphological phylogenetic analysis. The species belongs to the Articulate Stem Clade, a group defined by unique connective morphology among all Cicadellini.
Ciminius taosus
Ciminius taosus is a Nearctic leafhopper species in the tribe Cicadellini, originally described by Ball in 1936. It is one of three Nearctic species in the genus Ciminius, alongside C. hartii and C. sidanus. The genus was recovered as monophyletic with high support in a morphological phylogenetic analysis, and belongs to the Articulate Stem Clade defined by unique connective morphology. Species-level ecological and behavioral data remain limited.
Cinacanthus hirsutus
Cinacanthus hirsutus is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. It was described by Brown in 1928. The species is known from the Nearctic region, with records from western North America including British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. As a member of the Aphodiinae, it is presumed to be associated with dung decomposition, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Cinacanthus ulkei
Cinacanthus ulkei is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. It was described by Robert Gordon in 2006. The species is known from the central United States, with confirmed records from Colorado and Nebraska. As a member of the Aphodiinae, it belongs to a group commonly known as dung beetles, though many aphodiines are also associated with decaying plant matter.
Cinygma dimicki
Cinygma dimicki is a species of flat-headed mayfly in the family Heptageniidae, described by James Halliday McDunnough in 1934. It belongs to a genus of North American mayflies characterized by distinctive head morphology adapted for clinging to substrates in flowing water. The species is known from the Nearctic region, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented in published literature.
Cinygma lyriforme
Cinygma lyriforme is a species of flatheaded mayfly in the family Heptageniidae, originally described as Ecdyonurus lyriformis by James Halliday McDunnough in 1924. The species name "lyriforme" refers to the lyre-shaped pattern characteristic of this taxon. Like other members of Heptageniidae, it possesses dorsoventrally flattened nymphs adapted for clinging to substrates in flowing water. The genus Cinygma is a small Nearctic genus with limited species diversity.
Cinygmula reticulata
Cinygmula reticulata is a species of mayfly in the family Heptageniidae, first described by McDunnough in 1934. It is a member of the Nearctic fauna, occurring in North America. Like other members of the genus Cinygmula, it is associated with running water habitats where the aquatic nymphs develop. The species is represented by limited observation records, with only four observations documented on iNaturalist.
Cinygmula subaequalis
flatheaded mayfly
Cinygmula subaequalis is a flatheaded mayfly species in the family Heptageniidae. It is distributed across northern North America, including Alaska, northern Canada, and the eastern United States. The species belongs to a genus characterized by distinctive head morphology. Limited observational data suggests it is rarely encountered.
Cissuvora ampelopsis
A North American clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described by Engelhardt in 1946. The larva was formally described by MacKay based on a prepupal specimen associated with a positively identified adult, correcting a previous misidentification in earlier literature. The species belongs to a small genus of clearwing moths that typically mimic wasps or hornets in appearance.
Citheronia sepulcralis
pine-devil moth
Citheronia sepulcralis, commonly known as the pine-devil moth, is a giant silk moth in the family Saturniidae. Adults are blackish-brown in color and lack functional mouthparts. The species occurs across the eastern and southeastern United States, with larvae feeding exclusively on pine species. Multiple broods occur in southern regions, while northern populations are univoltine.
Cixius balli
Cixius balli is a species of planthopper in the family Cixiidae, first described by Kramer in 1981. It belongs to the genus Cixius, a diverse group of sap-feeding insects within the order Hemiptera. The species is known from distribution records in Arizona, USA. Like other cixiids, it is presumed to feed on plant vascular fluids, though specific host associations remain unstudied.
Cixius nervosus
common lacehopper
A widespread planthopper species in the tribe Cixiini, occurring across Europe, the East Palearctic, and Nearctic realms. Adults are active from May to October and inhabit deciduous trees, hedgerows, meadows, and scrublands. Sexual dimorphism is present in body size, with females larger than males.
CixiidaeplanthopperwidespreadEuropeNearcticPalearcticdeciduous-forestmeadowscrublandsexual-dimorphismtransparent-wingsbanded-wingsMay-to-Octobercommon-speciesLinnaeus-1758CixiinilacehopperHemipteraAuchenorrhynchaFulgoromorphakeeled-scutellumcostal-spotssubspecies-presenttaxonomic-revision-historyiNaturalist:1386-observationsCixius stigmatus
Cixius stigmatus is a species of planthopper in the family Cixiidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1825. The species has been placed in the subgenus Pseudocixius by some taxonomic treatments, resulting in the alternate form Pseudocixius stigmatus. It is one of numerous Cixius species found in the Nearctic region, though detailed natural history information appears limited in available sources.
Clairvillia
Clairvillia is a genus of tachinid flies established by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1830. The genus belongs to the subfamily Phasiinae and tribe Leucostomatini. Seven species are currently recognized, distributed primarily in the Nearctic region. Like other tachinids, members of this genus are parasitoids, though specific host associations remain poorly documented.
Clastopteridae
Clastopterid Spittlebugs
Clastopteridae is a family of spittlebugs (Cercopoidea) within the order Hemiptera, containing at least 10 genera and approximately 100 described species. The family was established by Stål in 1858. Members are free-living hemipterans, distinct from the related froghoppers (Aphrophoridae) that produce protective spittle masses. The genus Clastoptera is the most well-known and widespread in the family.
Cleonini
Cleonini is a tribe of weevils within the subfamily Lixinae, comprising approximately 96 extant genus-group taxa distributed globally. All extant members are hypothesized to be flightless despite frequently possessing fully developed wings (macropterous), a unique condition among Lixinae. The tribe exhibits widespread adult morphological homoplasy that obscures phylogenetic relationships, with many genera radiating from a common ancestor with weakly resolved internal branching. Cleonini are primarily associated with arid and semi-arid habitats, including deserts and steppe environments across North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and western North America.
Clepsis danilevskyi
Clepsis danilevskyi is a small tortricid moth described by Kostyuk in 1973. The species is known from a restricted distribution spanning northern European Russia, the Mongun-Taiga region of Siberia, and Alaska. Adults are active in July and possess a wingspan of 18–23 mm. The specific epithet honors Professor Alexsandr Sergeevich Danilevskii.
Clioperla clio
Clio Stripetail
Clioperla clio is a species of green-winged stonefly and the sole member of the monotypic genus Clioperla. It belongs to the family Perlodidae, a group of predatory stoneflies commonly known as stripetails. The species is endemic to the Nearctic region and has been documented across the eastern and southeastern United States. Like other perlodids, it is associated with freshwater habitats during its immature stages.
Clivinema villosa
Clivinema villosa is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, first described by Reuter in 1876. It belongs to the diverse family of true bugs, characterized by piercing-sucking mouthparts. The species is known from Texas, USA, within the Nearctic realm. As with many mirid species, detailed ecological and biological information remains limited in published literature.
Clubiona norvegica
Clubiona norvegica is a sac spider in the family Clubionidae, first described by Embrik Strand in 1900. The species has a transcontinental distribution spanning North America, Europe, and European Russia. Like other members of its genus, it constructs silken retreats rather than prey-capture webs and hunts actively for small arthropods.
Cochlorhinini
Cochlorhinini is a tribe of leafhoppers (family Cicadellidae) established by Oman in 1943. The tribe is classified within the subfamily Deltocephalinae, one of the largest and most diverse subfamilies of leafhoppers. Members of this tribe are true bugs (Hemiptera) characterized by piercing-sucking mouthparts and hind legs modified for jumping. The group is primarily known from the Western Hemisphere.
Codatractus
long-tailed skippers
Codatractus is a genus of skipper butterflies in the family Hesperiidae, subfamily Eudaminae. It comprises approximately 13 species distributed across the Neotropical and Nearctic regions. The genus was established by Lindsey in 1921. Several species possess distinctive long hindwing tails characteristic of the Eudaminae.
Codocera gnatho
Codocera gnatho is a species of sand-loving scarab beetle in the family Ochodaeidae, first described by Fall in 1907. It belongs to a small family of beetles specialized for sandy habitats. The species occurs in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico.
Coelioxys coturnix
Coelioxys coturnix is a cleptoparasitic bee in the family Megachilidae, commonly known as sharp-tailed bees or cuckoo leafcutting bees. As a cleptoparasite, females do not construct their own nests or provision cells with pollen. Instead, they exploit nests of host bees in the genus Megachile, laying eggs in host cells where their larvae kill the host offspring and consume the stored provisions. The species has been documented exhibiting hospicidal behavior, where the parasitic larva actively kills the host egg or larva.
cleptoparasitecuckoo-beeMegachilidaesolitary-beehospicidal-behaviorsharp-tailed-beecuckoo-leafcutting-beenest-parasiteMegachile-parasitenative-beepollinator-communitybee-hotel-inhabitantlarval-instars-describedPérez-1884PalaearcticNearcticAfrotropicalOrientalmultiple-continentschemical-cue-trackingpopulation-regulationnon-stingingno-nest-constructionpollen-transport-absentabdominal-spinehost-egg-killinglarval-development-on-host-provisionsseasonal-emergence-synchronized-with-hostmale-patrolling-behaviornest-tunnel-entry-during-host-absenceartificial-nesting-block-use-indicatorbee-conservation-indicator-speciesspecialized-parasitenative-bee-diversity-componentno-direct-agricultural-roleobserver-interest-speciesbee-monitoring-targetmorphological-identification-required-for-species-levelgenus-level-traits-well-documentedspecies-specific-details-limited-in-sourcesCoelotrachelus rudis
Coelotrachelus rudis is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, specifically within the subfamily Aphodiinae. The species was described by LeConte in 1878 and is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It belongs to a genus of dung beetles, though specific ecological details about this particular species remain limited in the available literature.
Coenonycha
May beetles, Junebugs
Coenonycha is a genus of scarab beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, commonly known as May beetles or Junebugs. The genus contains more than 30 described species. Members of this genus are classified within the subfamily Melolonthinae and tribe Dichelonychini.
Coenonycha hageni
Coenonycha hageni is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Cazier in 1943. It is known from the Nearctic region, specifically recorded from California, USA. The genus Coenonycha belongs to the tribe Dichelonychini within the subfamily Melolonthinae. Information regarding its biology, ecology, and detailed morphology remains limited in published literature.