New-world
Guides
Acalymma
striped cucumber beetles, cucumber beetles
Acalymma is a genus of leaf beetles in the family Chrysomelidae comprising approximately 72 described species in the Western Hemisphere. The genus is primarily distributed in the New World, with most species occurring in North America including Mexico. Two species, A. vittatum (striped cucumber beetle) and A. trivittatum (western striped cucumber beetle), are major agricultural pests of cucurbit crops. Acalymma species are specialists on plants in the family Cucurbitaceae, with adults feeding on leaves, flowers, and fruit, and larvae feeding on roots.
Acanthostichus
Acanthostichus is a genus of predatory, subterranean ants in the subfamily Dorylinae. The genus contains 24 described species distributed across the New World from the southern United States to northern Argentina. These ants are rarely encountered due to their underground lifestyle, and many species are known from very few specimens. Species identification relies heavily on petiole morphology.
Achradocera arcuata
Achradocera arcuata is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae, first described by Van Duzee in 1924. The species belongs to a New World genus revised in 2024, with confirmed records from western North America and the Hawaiian Islands. Like other dolichopodids, it possesses characteristically elongated legs and a streamlined body. The species was included in a comprehensive taxonomic revision that documented diagnostic morphological features and clarified its systematic position within the genus.
Acrolophinae
Burrowing Webworm Moths, Tube Moths
Acrolophinae is a subfamily of small moths within the family Tineidae, containing approximately 300 species across five genera. Members are commonly known as burrowing webworm moths or tube moths due to larval habits. The group is restricted to the New World and is considered closely related to other Tineidae. Larvae construct silk tubes or burrows in which they feed and develop.
Acrotaeniini
Acrotaeniini fruit flies
Acrotaeniini is a tribe of tephritid fruit flies within the subfamily Tephritinae, established by Foote, Blanc & Norrbom in 1993. The tribe comprises eleven genera distributed primarily in the New World, including the well-known genus Tomoplagia. Members are characterized by distinctive wing patterns and are associated with various host plants. The tribe has been documented in at least 601 observations on iNaturalist, indicating moderate field recognition.
Acrotaphus
Acrotaphus is a genus of spider-attacking parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Pimplinae, tribe Ephialtini. The genus contains 27 described species distributed across the New World, with particularly high diversity in the Neotropics including the Brazilian Amazon. These wasps are ectoparasitoids of orb-weaver spiders in the families Araneidae and Tetragnathidae. A defining characteristic of the genus is the ability to induce behavioral modification in host spiders, causing them to construct specialized "cocoon webs" that support and protect the wasp pupae.
Acutalini
Acutalini is a tribe of treehoppers in the family Membracidae, containing approximately 26 described species distributed from Canada to Brazil and Peru. Members are characterized by distinctive forewing venation including separate R, M, and Cu veins near the wing base, presence of R2+3 as a distinct branch, and R4+5 confluent with M distad of the M fork. Nymphs are cryptic, solitary, and not ant-attended, with unique morphological features including paired scoli on thoracic and abdominal segments. Adults are primarily Neotropical, with many species associated with forest canopy habitats.
Alcathoe
Alcathoe is a genus of clearwing moths in the family Sesiidae, restricted to the New World tropics and extending north into the southern United States. These moths are notable for their striking wasp mimicry, with five species currently recognized north of Mexico. Males possess distinctive morphological features including highly bipectinate antennae and often a single tail-like appendage from the abdomen tip that approximates the dangling legs of wasps. The genus is rarely encountered due to diurnal activity and general disinterest in light traps.
Alcathoe verrugo
Alcathoe verrugo is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, native to the New World tropics and southern United States. Like other sesiids, it exhibits wasp mimicry, with transparent wings and a slender body that resembles hymenopterans in flight. The genus Alcathoe contains five species north of Mexico, all rarely encountered. Males possess a single tail-like abdominal appendage that approximates the dangling legs of wasps.
Amorbia
leafroller moths
Amorbia is a New World genus of tortricid moths containing approximately 29 species distributed from Brazil through Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, and into the United States and Canada. Larvae of at least some species are known leafrollers that feed on host plants including blackberry (Rubus). The genus has been subject to systematic revision, with eight informal species groups proposed based on morphological characters. Several species are of economic concern as pests of Rubus crops in Mexico.
Anasa scorbutica
Anasa scorbutica is a species of leaf-footed bug in the family Coreidae, first described by Fabricius in 1775. It belongs to the genus Anasa, which includes several species associated with cucurbit plants. The species has been documented across a broad geographic range spanning the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and South America. Specific biological details beyond distribution and taxonomy remain poorly documented in available sources.
Anatrytone
Anatrytone is a genus of skipper butterflies in the family Hesperiidae, distributed across the New World. The genus contains at least eight described species organized into two species-groups: the logan group (including the Delaware skipper) and the mella group. Species within this genus are generally associated with grassland and open habitat ecosystems. The genus was established by Dyar in 1905.
Apenes
Apenes is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, established by LeConte in 1851. The genus comprises at least 80 described species, with a distribution centered in southern and neotropical regions of the New World. Only two species extend into northern regions. Members belong to the tribe Lebiini within the subfamily Lebiinae.
Apilocrocis
Apilocrocis is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae. The genus was established by Amsel in 1956 and contains approximately 11 described species distributed across the Americas, from the United States through Central America to South America. Species within this genus are relatively small crambid moths, with several described by Hampson in the early 20th century and additional species described by Munroe in 1968.
Apiomerus
Bee Assassins, Bee Assassin Bugs
Apiomerus is a genus of brightly colored, conspicuous assassin bugs in the family Reduviidae, commonly known as bee assassins. The genus contains approximately 110 described species and represents the largest clade within the monophyletic tribe Apiomerini. Members are characterized by their use of plant resin as 'sticky traps' to capture prey, a trait unique among assassin bugs. Females possess specialized tibial combs for resin collection and application onto egg masses, providing maternal care. The genus exhibits significant sexual dimorphism and extreme diversity in genital morphology, hypothesized to result from sexual selection driving speciation.
Apiomerus immundus
Apiomerus immundus is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, described by Bergroth in 1898. The genus Apiomerus, commonly known as "bee assassins" or "bee killers," comprises exclusively New World species that are ambush predators. Most Apiomerus species are characterized by their habit of perching on flowers to capture visiting bees and other insects. The specific epithet "immundus" (Latin for "unclean" or "dirty") may allude to the debris-accumulating behavior observed in related species.
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.
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.
Argyrotaenia
leafroller moths
Argyrotaenia is a genus of tortricid moths in the tribe Archipini, established by Stephens in 1852. The genus includes species commonly known as leafroller moths due to the larval habit of rolling or folding leaves for shelter. Several species are economically significant agricultural pests, particularly in orchards. The genus has a primarily New World distribution, with species ranging from North America through Central and South America, and has been recorded as far south as Argentina and Chile. Some species exhibit sexual dimorphism in wing pattern and size.
Aristaria theroalis
Aristaria theroalis is the sole species in the monotypic genus Aristaria, a moth in the family Erebidae. It is found in the United States and Costa Rica. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1859, originally placed in the genus Bleptina. It belongs to the subfamily Hypeninae, commonly known as snout moths.
Atanus
Atanus is a genus of leafhoppers in the family Cicadellidae, established by Oman in 1938. The genus comprises more than 40 described species distributed across North, Central, and South America. Members are classified in the subfamily Deltocephalinae and tribe Platymetopiini. As typical leafhoppers, they likely share the piercing-sucking mouthparts and jumping hind legs characteristic of the family.
Athysanella
Athysanella is a genus of leafhoppers in the tribe Chiasmini, family Cicadellidae. The genus is monophyletic and distinguished from the related genus Icaia by several derived characters of the male genitalia. Most species are found in the New World. The genus contains subgenera including Athysanella (Athysanella) and Athysanella (Amphipyga), with subgenus A. (Diphipyga) restricted to three species retaining plesiomorphic genitalia characters.
Attina
Fungus-growing Ants
Attina is a subtribe of fungus-growing ants within the subfamily Myrmicinae, comprising all known ant species that participate in obligate ant-fungus mutualism. These ants cultivate fungi as their sole food source, with leafcutter ants (genera Atta and Acromyrmex) being the most well-known members. The subtribe is sister to Dacetina and represents one of only two known groups of organisms (along with humans) that practice agriculture. Attina ants are native to the New World tropics and subtropics, where they play significant roles in nutrient cycling and soil modification.
Attini
fungus-growing ants, higher myrmicine ants
Attini is a tribe of New World ants renowned for cultivating symbiotic fungi in specialized nest chambers called fungus gardens. This mutualism, dating back approximately 30 million years, represents one of the most complex examples of agriculture outside humans. The ants provision their fungal cultivars with organic substrates including plant material, insect carcasses, and feces, while receiving nutrition from specialized fungal structures. The tribe encompasses diverse foraging strategies, from generalized debris collection to the conspicuous leaf-cutting behavior of Atta and Acromyrmex species. Attini ants maintain intricate associations with additional microbes, including actinobacteria that produce antibiotics protecting the fungal gardens from pathogens.
Augochlorella neglectula
sweat bee
Augochlorella neglectula is a metallic green sweat bee in the family Halictidae. It is one of sixteen recognized species in the genus Augochlorella, which is distributed across the New World. The species exhibits the bright metallic coloration typical of the tribe Augochlorini, making it visually similar to congeners and other augochlorine bees. Subspecific variation includes the coastal form A. neglectula maritima, though this has been synonymized with the nominate subspecies in some treatments.
Augochloropsis
metallic sweat bees
Augochloropsis is a genus of metallic sweat bees in the family Halictidae, comprising at least 140 described species. These bees are characterized by brilliant metallic coloration, typically bright green or blue-green, though some species exhibit gold, red, or purple hues. The genus displays remarkable behavioral plasticity, with social organization ranging from solitary to communal, semisocial, and primitively eusocial nesting. Augochloropsis is restricted to the New World, with the majority of species occurring in tropical and subtropical regions and a smaller number extending into temperate North America.
Belvosia
Belvosia is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) in the tribe Goniini. The genus contains over 100 species distributed across the New World from Canada to Argentina. Belvosia species are parasitoids of caterpillars, with females laying microtype eggs on host food plant foliage that are ingested by feeding larvae. A 2023 revision described 33 new species from Costa Rica, bringing the total from 72 to 107 species.
Brachylinga pavida
stiletto fly
Brachylinga pavida is a species of stiletto fly in the family Therevidae, originally described by Coquillett in 1893. The species underwent taxonomic revision in 2006, when B. pilosa (Kröber) was synonymized under B. pavida. It belongs to a genus of 24 species distributed in the New World. As a member of the Therevidae, it possesses the characteristic elongated, piercing mouthparts that give stiletto flies their common name.
Brachypeplus
sap beetle
Brachypeplus is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae. The genus contains at least two described species. Detailed life stage descriptions are available for Brachypeplus glaber, including egg, larval, pupal, and adult morphology. DNA barcoding and rearing methods have been used to confirm life stage identifications for this species.
Brachypeplus glaber
Brachypeplus glaber is a species of sap-feeding beetle in the family Nitidulidae, first described by LeConte in 1878. It is the first New World Brachypeplus species for which complete life stage descriptions are available, including egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. The species is found in North America.
Braconinae
Braconinae is a large subfamily of braconid parasitoid wasps comprising more than 2,000 described species. Members are small to medium-sized wasps, typically dark in coloration though some exhibit red, orange, or pale coloration. They possess cyclostome mouthparts and females usually have a long ovipositor. The subfamily is found worldwide with highest diversity in the Paleotropical region.
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clubskimmers
Brechmorhoga is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae, commonly called clubskimmers due to their widened abdominal segments resembling those of clubtail dragonflies (Gomphidae). The genus was established by Kirby in 1894 and contains approximately 16 species distributed in the Americas. Members can be distinguished from true clubtails by their contiguous eyes, a characteristic feature of skimmers. The genus includes notable species such as the pale-faced clubskimmer (B. mendax), masked clubskimmer (B. pertinax), and slender clubskimmer (B. praecox).
Bucrates
conehead katydids
Bucrates is a genus of conehead katydids (Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae) in the tribe Copiphorini, established by Burmeister in 1838. Species in this genus are characterized by their elongated, cone-shaped heads and are found in both North and South America. The genus has been documented in the southeastern and southwestern United States as well as parts of Brazil.
Calomantispinae
Calomantispinae is a subfamily of mantidflies (Mantispidae, Neuroptera) characterized by distinctive morphological features that distinguish them from the larger Mantispinae subfamily. The subfamily contains multiple genera distributed across Australia and the New World, including the endemic New World genus Nolima and Australian genera such as Calomantispa and Asperala. Species within this subfamily are small to moderate-sized neuropterans with raptorial forelegs convergent with those of praying mantises.
Calyxochaetus
Calyxochaetus is a genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae, subfamily Sympycninae. Formerly treated as a subgenus of Sympycnus, it is now recognized as a distinct genus containing 36 species in the New World. The genus was revised in 2024, with species organized into five species groups based on morphological characters.
Carcharodini
Carcharodini is a tribe of skipper butterflies within the subfamily Pyrginae, comprising approximately 35 genera distributed throughout tropical regions worldwide. The group is considered plesiomorphic and morphologically inconspicuous compared to other Pyrginae tribes. Taxonomic boundaries have been revised based on phylogenetic studies to maintain monophyly, with Carcharodini now treated as distinct from the historically broader Pyrgini. Members occur in both New World and Afrotropical regions, with most genera restricted to the Americas.
Catabenoides
Catabenoides is a genus of owlet moths (Noctuidae) established in 2002 by Poole. The genus was created to accommodate five species previously placed in Catabena and has since expanded to 14 recognized species. It is a New World genus with a xerophytic distribution spanning arid and semi-arid regions from the southern United States through Mexico to South America.
Centruroides
bark scorpion, bark scorpions
Centruroides is a highly speciose genus of buthid scorpions comprising at least 100 species distributed throughout the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, the Antilles, and northern South America. Commonly known as bark scorpions, members of this genus are notable for their strong fluorescence under ultraviolet light—except immediately after moulting—and several species possess venom potent enough to cause human fatalities. The genus includes species adapted to diverse habitats ranging from tropical rainforests to arid regions, with some showing marked intra-domiciliary tendencies in urban environments.
Ceratocampinae
Royal Moths
Ceratocampinae is a subfamily of giant silk moths in the family Saturniidae, commonly known as royal moths. Species are found exclusively in the New World. The subfamily includes large, strikingly colored moths with reduced or vestigial adult mouthparts; adults do not feed. Larvae are typically large and often bear prominent horns or tubercles, though they are harmless despite their fierce appearance. Representative genera include Citheronia (regal moth), Eacles (imperial moth), and Anisota.
Chlosyne janais
crimson patch, janais patch
Chlosyne janais is a common New World butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, known as the crimson patch or janais patch. It ranges from Colombia north through Central America and Mexico to southern Texas, with occasional sightings extending into northern Texas and southeastern Mexico. The species inhabits lowland tropical to subtropical forest edges, fields, and riparian areas. Adults feed on flower nectar, while larvae feed gregariously on acanthus shrubs, particularly Anisacanthus wrightii and Odontonema callistachyus. Reproduction is continuous in the tropics; in temperate areas, multiple broods occur from July to November.
Chrosiothes
Chrosiothes is a genus of comb-footed spiders in the family Theridiidae, established by Eugène Louis Simon in 1894. The genus contains 27 species distributed primarily in the New World, with most species occurring from the United States to Brazil. Males are noticeably smaller than females, with females of C. jamaicensis measuring approximately 2.9 mm compared to 1.6 mm for males. The genus is considered a senior synonym of Theridiotis.
Chyphotes evansi
Chyphotes evansi is a species of wasp in the family Bradynobaenidae, a group of aculeate Hymenoptera. The genus Chyphotes is endemic to the New World, with species distributed primarily in arid and semi-arid regions of North and South America. Bradynobaenidae are solitary wasps, and like other members of this family, Chyphotes species are likely parasitoids or predators, though specific biological details for C. evansi remain poorly documented. The species was named in honor of the entomologist Howard E. Evans.
Chyphotidae
Chyphotid Wasps
Chyphotidae is a small family of wasps in the order Hymenoptera, recently separated from Bradynobaenidae based on molecular and morphological studies. The family contains two subfamilies: Chyphotinae (nocturnal) and Typhoctinae (diurnal). Females are wingless and resemble velvet ants (Mutillidae), but can be distinguished by a visible suture between the pronotum and mesonotum. Biological knowledge remains extremely limited, with only a single confirmed host association documented.
Clausicella
Clausicella is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) established by Rondani in 1856. The genus contains at least 18 described species distributed across the Americas, with records from North America through South America. As members of the tribe Leskiini within subfamily Tachininae, these flies are parasitoids, though specific host associations remain poorly documented for most species.
Climaciella
wasp mantidflies
Climaciella is a genus of wasp mantidflies in the family Mantispidae, comprising approximately 10 described species distributed from North America through Central America to South America and parts of the Caribbean. Adults are notable for their striking Batesian mimicry of polistine paper wasps (Vespidae), featuring a constricted "wasp waist," wings folded longitudinally over the back rather than pitched roof-like, and darkened wing bases that simulate the longitudinal fold of vespid wings. The genus is best known from the common and widespread species C. brunnea, which has been extensively studied for its unique life history involving obligate spider egg-sac parasitism.
Condica n-sp-three
Condica n-sp-three is an undescribed species within the genus Condica, a group of moths in the family Noctuidae. As a provisional designation ("n-sp-three"), this taxon has not received formal scientific description and lacks published morphological or ecological documentation. The genus Condica comprises small to medium-sized owlet moths primarily distributed in the New World. Species in this genus are generally nocturnal and exhibit cryptic coloration.
Conura
Conura is a large genus of chalcidid wasps comprising over 300 described species, with approximately 295 species occurring in the New World. The genus is divided into three subgenera and 63 species groups based on morphological patterns. Species exhibit diverse life history strategies including primary parasitism of lepidopteran pupae and hyperparasitism through other parasitoid wasps.
Coptocycla
Coptocycla is a genus of tortoise beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Cassidinae. The genus contains approximately 58 described species. Members of this genus are leaf beetles characterized by their distinctive body form, with the elytra and pronotum expanded to cover the body margins. These beetles are primarily found in the Americas.
Cosmetidae
Pied Harvestmen
Cosmetidae is one of the largest families of harvestmen (Opiliones), comprising over 700 species across 125+ genera. The family is endemic to the New World with a Nearctic-Neotropical distribution, reaching its greatest diversity in Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, particularly the Andean regions. The northern range extends into the southern United States. The family name derives from the Greek 'kosmetós' meaning 'ornate,' referring to the elaborate white, yellow, or occasionally green, orange, or red markings on the dorsal body. The family has undergone substantial taxonomic revision, with seven subfamilies currently recognized following phylogenetic analyses.
Crenitulus suturalis
Crenitulus suturalis is a small water scavenger beetle (family Hydrophilidae) with a broad distribution across the Americas, ranging from the eastern and central United States through Central America to South America. The species was originally described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1866 and has been historically confused with or included in discussions of darkling beetles due to taxonomic name similarities with unrelated species. As a member of the subfamily Chaetarthriinae, it occupies moist or aquatic microhabitats distinct from the arid-adapted darkling beetles with which it shares no close relationship.