Neotropical
Guides
Vesperelater
Vesperelater is a genus of bioluminescent click beetles in the tribe Pyrophorini, established by Costa in 1975. Species were originally split from Pyrophorus and later expanded with new descriptions. The genus occurs in the southwestern United States and Central America. Adults possess lateral luminous spots on the prothorax and a small lamellate abdominal organ.
Vitacea admirandus
Vitacea admirandus is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, first described by Edwards in 1882. As a member of the genus Vitacea, it belongs to a group of moths whose larvae are specialized borers in woody plants, particularly grapevines (Vitis spp.). The genus is notable for containing economically significant pests of cultivated grapes in North America. Adults are diurnal and wasp-like in appearance, a common mimicry strategy in this family.
Volucellini
Volucellini is a tribe of hoverflies (Syrphidae) within the subfamily Eristalinae. The tribe includes four genera: Copestylum, Graptomyza, Ornidia, and Volucella. Members are known for their robust, often bee-mimicking appearance and association with rotting plant material, particularly cacti, for larval development. The tribe has a broad distribution with notable diversity in the Neotropical and Afrotropical regions.
Wagneriana
Wagneriana is a genus of orb-weaver spiders in the family Araneidae, first described by F. O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1904. The genus contains at least 29 species distributed across the Neotropical region, from the southern United States through Central America and into South America. Species in this genus construct typical orb webs for prey capture. The genus was revised by Levi in 1991, who described the majority of currently recognized species.
Walterianella
Walterianella is a genus of flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) in the subtribe Oedionychina. The genus contains more than 40 described species distributed in the Neotropical region. Recent taxonomic revisions have transferred several species from related genera into Walterianella, establishing new combinations. Larval stages have been described for at least one species, Walterianella bucki.
Wormaldia arizonensis
Wormaldia arizonensis is a species of caddisfly in the family Philopotamidae, originally described by Ling in 1938. It belongs to the second largest genus in its family, with approximately 175 extant species worldwide. The species is known from the southwestern United States and Mexico. As with other philopotamid caddisflies, it is presumed to have aquatic larval stages and terrestrial adult stages, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented.
Wyeomyia
Wyeomyia is a genus of neotropical mosquitoes comprising approximately 140 species, first described by Frederick Vincent Theobald in 1901. The genus is taxonomically challenging due to high species diversity and incomplete delineation. Adults are diurnal and primarily forest-dwelling, with larvae developing in phytotelmata—water held by plants such as bromeliads, aroids, and pitcher plants. Most species feed on blood and will bite humans, though they are not confirmed vectors of human disease.
Xanionotum
Xanionotum is a genus of scuttle flies in the family Phoridae, subfamily Metopininae. The genus was established by Brues in 1902 and contains approximately 14 described species distributed primarily in the Neotropical region. Species in this genus are characterized by distinctive setal arrangements and structural modifications of the body, particularly on the legs and thorax. The genus name refers to the unusual or remarkable nature of the notum (dorsal thoracic surface).
Xanthaciura
fruit flies
Xanthaciura is a genus of tephritid fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) established by Hendel in 1914. It comprises 17 described species distributed in the Neotropical region, with eight species recorded from Brazil. The genus belongs to the subfamily Tephritinae, a group whose members are typically associated with Asteraceae flowers for oviposition and larval development. Xanthaciura chrysura has been documented visiting flowers of Aristolochia esperanzae (Aristolochiaceae), representing the first record of the genus associated with a plant family other than Asteraceae.
Xanthocampsomeris hesterae
Xanthocampsomeris hesterae is a scoliid wasp described by Rohwer in 1927. It is distributed from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America, with records from Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. The species belongs to a genus characterized by yellow coloration, distinguishing it from related scoliid genera. Like other scoliids, it is likely a parasitoid of scarab beetle larvae, though specific host records for this species are not documented.
Xanthoepalpus
Xanthoepalpus is a genus of tachinid flies established by Townsend in 1914. The genus contains four described species distributed in the Neotropical region. Like other tachinid flies, members of this genus are parasitoids whose larvae develop within other insects. The genus name derives from Greek roots referring to yellow coloration on the face or head region.
Xanthopygina
Xanthopygina is a subtribe of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) containing approximately 334 species distributed across the Neotropical region from the southern United States to Argentina. Species within this subtribe are frequently encountered in tropical forests and can be abundant in various microhabitats. The subtribe has been the subject of extensive taxonomic revision due to historically poorly defined genera, particularly the genus Gastrisus, which accumulated morphologically disparate species without clear diagnostic boundaries. Recent phylogenomic studies have resolved relationships within Xanthopygina, identifying nine major lineages and clarifying generic limits.
Xanthopygus
Xanthopygus is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) established by Kraatz in 1857. The genus belongs to the subtribe Xanthopygina and is distributed across Mexico, Central America, the West Indies, and South America. A 2022 taxonomic revision by Chatzimanolis updated distributional records, resolved nomenclatural issues including synonymies and type designations, and provided an illustrated identification key for all species. The genus is characterized by distinctive morphological features typical of the Xanthopygina, though specific diagnostic traits vary among species.
Xenochaetina muscaria
Xenochaetina muscaria is a species of small fly in the family Lauxaniidae, originally described by Loew in 1861. The species is currently treated as a synonym of Xenochaetina flavipennis. Records in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) indicate this taxon has been documented from multiple localities in Brazil, including the states of Bahia, Roraima, and São Paulo. As a member of Lauxaniidae, it belongs to a family of acalyptrate flies commonly known as lauxaniid flies, though specific biological details for this particular species remain poorly documented in available literature.
Xenophanes tryxus
Glassy-winged Skipper
Xenophanes tryxus is a skipper butterfly (Hesperiidae: Pyrginae) distributed across northern South America and Central America. The species is commonly known as the Glassy-winged Skipper, a name derived from its translucent wing patches. It is among the more frequently observed skippers in its range, with over 3,400 records on iNaturalist. The species was originally described by Stoll in 1780 as Papilio tryxus.
Xenorhipidini
Xenorhipidini is a small tribe of jewel beetles (family Buprestidae) comprising approximately 8 described species across three genera. The tribe is notable for extreme sexual dimorphism in antennal structure: males possess highly modified flabellate or lamellate antennae with expanded distal segments covered in olfactory sensillae, while females retain unmodified serrate antennae. This modification, unique among non-monotypic buprestid tribes, is associated with pheromone detection. Members are found in arid and semi-arid regions of North and South America and the West Indies.
Xeropigo
Xeropigo is a genus of sac spiders in the family Corinnidae, first described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1882. The genus comprises 17 described species distributed across South America and the Caribbean, with the majority of species occurring in Brazil. Recent taxonomic revisions have significantly expanded the known diversity, with seven new species described from Brazil in 2016. The genus shows notable species richness in northeastern Brazilian states, particularly Piauí, Ceará, and Maranhão.
Xylophanes
Xylophanes is a genus of hawkmoths (Sphingidae) containing over 120 described species, making it the most taxonomically diverse genus in the family. The genus originated in Caribbean-Mesoamerica during the Late Miocene and subsequently diversified across Neotropical bioregions through a two-phase pattern involving high speciation rates in the Andes and Caribbean-Mesoamerica followed by dispersal to Amazonia. Members are strong fliers with high dispersal ability and function as pollinators in their ecosystems.
Xylophanes libya
Libya sphinx
Xylophanes libya, commonly known as the Libya sphinx, is a hawkmoth in the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Herbert Druce in 1878. It has a broad distribution across the Americas, ranging from southern Texas through Central America to South America. Adults are active year-round in parts of their range, with specific seasonal records from southern Texas in October and Bolivia in April. The larvae feed on several species of Psychotria.
Xylophanes pluto
Pluto sphinx
Xylophanes pluto, commonly known as the Pluto sphinx, is a hawkmoth in the family Sphingidae. It is distinguished from congeners by a prominent broad chrome-yellow band across the wings. The species occurs from Argentina northward through Central America to the southern United States, with multiple generations per year in Florida and Texas and year-round activity in tropical regions. Larvae feed on specific host plants including Chiococca, Erythroxylum, Hamelia patens, and Morinda royoc.
Xylophanes tersa
Tersa Sphinx
Xylophanes tersa, commonly known as the tersa sphinx, is a moth in the family Sphingidae first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1771. It occurs across a broad geographic range from the eastern and central United States through Mexico, the West Indies, Central America, and into South America. The species is notable for its distinctive wing pattern and is recognized as a pollinator with documented larval associations with multiple plant genera.
Xyloryctes
rhinoceros beetles
Xyloryctes is a genus of rhinoceros beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, tribe Oryctini, subfamily Dynastinae. The genus contains approximately 13 described species distributed primarily in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. Adults are characterized by prominent cephalic horns, particularly in males, and are nocturnally active, frequently attracted to artificial lights. The genus has been documented as a vector for the giant thorn-headed worm of swine (Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus), with X. satyrus representing a newly recorded host for this acanthocephalan parasite.
Zaboba mitchelli
Zaboba mitchelli is a species of snout moth in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Chrysauginae. It was described by Harrison Gray Dyar in 1914. The species belongs to the genus Zaboba, a group of pyralid moths found in the Americas. Like other Chrysauginae, it is likely associated with tropical or subtropical habitats, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Zabrotes chavesi
Zabrotes chavesi is a small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described by Kingsolver in 1980. The species was named in honor of Franklin Chaves, director of Santa Rosa National Park in Costa Rica, which serves as its type locality. It is distributed across the Americas from northern South America through Central America to the southwestern United States.
Zaeucoila robusta
Zaeucoila robusta is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Figitidae, subfamily Eucoilinae. First described by Ashmead in 1894 as Chrestosema robusta, this species is now placed in the genus Zaeucoila. Members of this genus are known as figitid wasps that parasitize dipteran larvae, particularly those associated with decaying organic matter. The species has been recorded from Brazil and Canada.
Zaeucoilini
Zaeucoilini is a tribe of parasitoid wasps within the subfamily Eucoilinae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), formally established in 2008 based on phylogenetic analysis and morphological characters. The tribe comprises twelve genera of Neotropical eucoilines previously allied with the informal Zaeucoila genus group. Members are primarily parasitoids of agromyzid leaf-mining flies, with at least one lineage having shifted to parasitizing tephritid fruit flies.
Zagrammosoma trifurcatum
Zagrammosoma trifurcatum is a parasitoid wasp species in the family Eulophidae, described in 2021 from specimens collected in Belize and California, USA. The species belongs to a genus commonly known as "tattooed wasps" due to distinctive yellow and black markings on the thorax. As part of a comprehensive molecular and morphological revision, this species was distinguished from congeners using genetic markers (28S, ITS2, COI) and morphological characters. The specific epithet "trifurcatum" refers to a three-pronged or forked structure, likely a diagnostic morphological feature.
Zamagiria
Zamagiria is a genus of small pyralid moths in the subfamily Phycitinae. The genus remains unassigned to any tribe within Phycitinae due to uncertain phylogenetic relationships. It is predominantly Neotropical in distribution, with most species described from Central and South America. Females of at least one species (Z. dixolophella) exhibit calling behavior using acoustic signals to attract mates.
Zammara
Zammara is a genus of large, strikingly colored cicadas in the family Cicadidae. Members are distinguished by their bright blue-green coloration and tarsi divided into only two tarsomeres, a diagnostic trait separating them from related genera that possess three. The genus comprises approximately 15-16 species distributed primarily in equatorial Neotropical regions. These cicadas inhabit tropical forests and produce loud, distinctive acoustic calls.
Zammara smaragdula
Sparse Emerald Cicada
Zammara smaragdula is a strikingly colored cicada species in the family Cicadidae, known for its vivid turquoise or emerald green coloration. The species was described by Francis Walker in 1858 and belongs to the genus Zammara, which contains several brightly colored Neotropical cicadas. It has been documented from multiple Central American countries including Panama and parts of South America. The species has gained attention in recent cicada literature due to its distinctive appearance among North American cicada fauna.
Zelomorpha
Zelomorpha is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae (superfamily Ichneumonoidea). Members of this genus are part of the hyperdiverse ichneumonoid wasp fauna, with numerous species remaining undescribed. The genus was used as a case study to demonstrate a novel rapid species description protocol combining mitochondrial DNA sequences with lateral holotype images. Species in this genus are known from the Neotropical region, particularly Costa Rica.
Zeluroides
Zeluroides is a genus of assassin bugs in the family Reduviidae, established by Lent & Wygodzinsky in 1948. The genus contains at least two described species: Z. americanus and Z. mexicanus. As members of the Reduviinae subfamily, these predatory true bugs possess the raptorial forelegs and piercing-sucking mouthparts characteristic of assassin bugs.
Zelus longipes
milkweed assassin bug, sundew assassin bug
Zelus longipes is a medium-sized assassin bug (Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) distributed across the southern United States, Central America, and South America (excluding Chile). The species is notable for its bright red and black coloration and its unique prey-capture strategy using sticky secretions on the forelegs—an adaptation that inspired the common name "sundew assassin bug." It has been evaluated as a potential biocontrol agent for agricultural pests including fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), picture-winged flies (Ulidiidae), and Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri), though its generalist predatory habits and documented attacks on beneficial insects such as honey bees and parasitoid wasps complicate its practical application.
Zenodoxus mexicanus
Zenodoxus mexicanus is a clearwing moth (family Sesiidae) described by Beutenmüller in 1897. The genus Zenodoxus belongs to the subfamily Tinthiinae, a group of sesiid moths characterized by their wasp-mimicking appearance and diurnal activity patterns. This species occurs in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, with the specific epithet suggesting a Mexican distribution. Clearwing moths in this family are typically associated with woody plants, with larvae often boring into stems or roots.
Zenodoxus palmii
Zenodoxus palmii is a species of clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, first described by Berthold Neumoegen in 1891 from specimens collected in the southwestern United States and Mexico. As a member of the subfamily Tinthiinae, it belongs to a group of sesiid moths often associated with monocot host plants. The species exhibits the characteristic wasp-mimicry typical of clearwing moths, with reduced wing scaling that leaves transparent areas on the wings. It is one of relatively few described species in the genus Zenodoxus, which is primarily distributed in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions.
Zeta
potter wasps
Zeta is a small neotropical genus of potter wasps in the subfamily Eumeninae, family Vespidae. The genus currently contains four species, with most having restricted geographic distributions. Three species are limited to specific regions: Zeta confusum is endemic to Cuba, Zeta abdominale occurs on several Caribbean islands, and Zeta mendozanum is restricted to the Monte and Patagonia regions of Argentina. Zeta argillaceum is the exception, being widespread and common across much of the neotropics.
Zethus
mason wasps, potter wasps
Zethus is the largest genus in the subfamily Eumeninae (potter and mason wasps), containing over 250 species. The genus is predominantly Neotropical in distribution, with three recognized subgenera: Zethus (Zethus), Zethus (Zethusculus), and Zethus (Zethoides). Species are solitary and construct nests using diverse materials including mud, sand, vegetable matter, and insect parts. Many species are poorly known, with numerous taxa described from only one sex.
Zethus guerreroi
Zethus guerreroi is a species of potter wasp in the subfamily Eumeninae, described by Zavattari in 1913. As a member of the genus Zethus, it belongs to a diverse group of solitary wasps characterized by their distinctive nest-building behavior using mud. The species is known from limited observations, with records primarily from Mexico.
Zethus miscogaster
Zethus miscogaster is a species of potter wasp in the family Eumenidae, first described by de Saussure in 1852. The genus Zethus comprises primarily Neotropical wasps, many of which construct mud or plant-fiber nests. This species has been documented in central-western Brazil. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to be a solitary nesting wasp that provisions its cells with paralyzed caterpillars.
Zethus montezuma
Zethus montezuma is a species of potter wasp in the family Vespidae, subfamily Eumeninae. It was described by Henri de Saussure in 1857. The genus Zethus comprises primarily neotropical potter wasps, with this species representing part of the group's diversity in the southern Nearctic and northern Neotropical regions. As with other eumenine wasps, it is a solitary wasp that constructs mud nests provisioned with paralyzed prey for its larvae.
Zizula cyna
cyna blue
Zizula cyna, commonly known as the cyna blue, is a small butterfly species in the family Lycaenidae. Adults display violet blue upperwings and pale gray underwings marked with tiny black dots. The species is active from March to November in most of its range, with adults feeding on flower nectar and larvae developing on flower buds of Acanthaceae species.
Zygopini
twig and stem weevils
Zygopini is a tribe of weevils in the family Curculionidae, commonly known as twig and stem weevils. The tribe contains more than 20 genera and at least 250 described species. The majority of diversity occurs in the Neotropics, with 8 genera endemic to South America and 11 genera extending north of South America. Two genera have been recorded from Africa. Members are associated with woody plant tissues.