New-mexico-fauna
Guides
Crossidius suturalis intermedius
Crossidius suturalis intermedius is a subspecies of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by LeConte in 1873. It belongs to the highly variable species C. suturalis, which occurs across southwestern North America. The subspecies has been collected in association with flowers of Isocoma tenuisecta (burroweed), a composite plant in the Asteraceae family. Field observations indicate it is found in arid and semi-arid habitats of the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico, with adults active during late summer and early autumn when host plants bloom.
Elasmia cave
Elasmia cave is a moth species in the family Notodontidae described by Metzler in 2011. The specific epithet "cave" refers to its type locality at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, where "CAVE" is the National Park Service acronym for the site. Adults are active from April through early October.
Eusattus reticulatus
Sand Darkling Beetle
Eusattus reticulatus is a species of darkling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae, commonly known as the sand darkling beetle. It inhabits sandy environments in southwestern North America. The species is primarily ground-dwelling and has been observed in association with juniper-oak-pinyon woodland on sandstone escarpments. Like other members of the genus, it is adapted to arid and semi-arid conditions.
Philolithus aeger
Philolithus aeger is a darkling beetle (family Tenebrionidae) first described by LeConte in 1858. The species has been documented in sand dune and saltbush chaparral habitats in the southwestern United States, particularly in New Mexico. Observations suggest it is active during late summer and early fall. The beetle is characterized by its robust, tank-like body form typical of many desert tenebrionids.
Ripiphorus neomexicanus
Ripiphorus neomexicanus is a species of wedge-shaped beetle in the family Ripiphoridae, a group known for their unusual life history involving hypermetamorphosis and parasitism of other insects. The species epithet "neomexicanus" suggests a geographic association with New Mexico, though the full distribution and biology of this species remain poorly documented. Like other members of Ripiphorus, this species likely exhibits the family's characteristic extreme sexual dimorphism and complex larval development. The genus Ripiphorus is among the most derived lineages within the Ripiphoridae, with adults typically active during summer months.