New-world-distribution
Guides
Acanthinus scitulus
antlike flower beetle
Acanthinus scitulus is a species of antlike flower beetle in the family Anthicidae, characterized by its small, elongated body form that mimics ants. The species has been documented across a broad geographic range spanning the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and South America. First described by LeConte in 1852, it belongs to a genus known for its ant-mimicking morphology and flower beetle habits.
Achyra bifidalis
Achyra bifidalis is a small crambid moth with a wingspan of 20–24 mm, distributed across the Americas from the southern United States through South America. The species was described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1794. Larvae feed on Gossypium (cotton) and Portulaca species.
Apidaurus
Apidaurus is a genus of broad-headed bugs (Alydidae) established by Stål in 1870. These insects belong to the true bug family Alydidae, commonly known as broad-headed bugs due to their characteristically widened head shape. The genus is part of the subfamily Alydinae and is distributed in the Americas, with records from Paraguay and Texas.
Argyrogramma verruca
Golden Looper Moth, golden looper
Argyrogramma verruca is a noctuid moth commonly known as the golden looper moth. The species exhibits a broad New World distribution spanning North, Central, and South America, with additional records from Hawaii. Adults are relatively small with a wingspan of approximately 28 mm. The common name references the larval 'looper' form characteristic of many Plusiinae.
Chloridea subflexa
Subflexus Straw Moth
Chloridea subflexa is a noctuid moth first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It is the sibling species of the tobacco budworm (Chloridea virescens), from which it is distinguished by host plant specialization. The species is notably rare compared to its widespread congener and feeds exclusively on ground cherry (Physalis spp., Solanaceae). It has been recorded across a broad geographic range from the United States through the Antilles to Argentina.
Chrysobothris acutipennis
Chrysobothris acutipennis is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It has been documented across Central America, North America, and South America, with confirmed records from Mexico to South America. The species has been taxonomically confused with similar Chrysobothris species, particularly C. fallax from northwestern Peru, from which it can be distinguished by the form of the tooth on the profemora and male genitalia. A 2022 revision clarified its distribution and distinguished it from C. merkelii.
Copicerus irroratus
Copicerus irroratus is a delphacid planthopper in the family Delphacidae, first described by Swartz in 1802. It is distributed across the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and South America. The species includes two recognized subspecies: C. i. irroratus and C. i. thoracicus. A 2013 record from New York extended its known northern range limit.
Eccritosia
Eccritosia is a genus of robber flies in the family Asilidae, comprising approximately seven described species. The genus was established by Schiner in 1866. Species in this genus are noted for their vivid, aposematic or mimetic coloration, making them among the more visually striking robber flies. The genus occurs in the Americas, with species distributed across North, Central, and South America.
Haemaphysalis leporispalustris
rabbit tick, grouse tick
Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, commonly known as the rabbit tick, is a hard tick (family Ixodidae) with one of the widest distributions of any New World tick species, ranging from Alaska to Argentina. It is a three-host tick specialized on lagomorph hosts (rabbits and hares), with larvae also frequently found on ground-dwelling birds. Despite rarely feeding on humans, it serves as a vector for several pathogens affecting wildlife and domestic animals, including Rickettsia rickettsii, Coxiella burnetii, and Francisella tularensis. A newly recognized human pathogen, Rickettsia lanei, has been associated with this tick species.
Misumenoides
whitebanded crab spider
Misumenoides is a genus of crab spiders in the family Thomisidae, established by F. O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1900. The genus contains approximately 35 species distributed primarily in the Americas, with M. formosipes (whitebanded crab spider) being the most thoroughly documented species in North America. These spiders are ambush predators that typically hunt on flowers, using their crab-like front legs to grasp prey. The genus has been recently recorded from Bangladesh, extending its known distribution to South Asia.
Mormidea cubrosa
Shady Grass Stink Bug
Mormidea cubrosa is a species of stink bug in the family Pentatomidae. It is known from the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and South America. The species is commonly referred to as the Shady Grass Stink Bug.
Mouralia
Mouralia is a monotypic genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, containing the single species Mouralia tinctoides. The genus was established by Walker in 1858. Larvae are specialized feeders on plants in the family Commelinaceae, including Tradescantia and Commelina species. The species has a broad New World distribution spanning subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas.
Mouralia tinctoides
Mouralia tinctoides is a small moth and the sole species in its genus, Mouralia. It belongs to the subfamily Plusiinae within the Noctuidae family. The species exhibits a broad distribution across the Americas, ranging from the southern United States through the Caribbean and Central America to South America. Despite its wide geographic range, published biological and ecological information remains limited.
Neocurtilla
northern mole crickets
Neocurtilla is a genus of mole crickets in the family Gryllotalpidae, comprising approximately seven described species distributed primarily in North, Central, and South America. Species within this genus are fossorial insects adapted for burrowing, with enlarged forelegs modified for digging. The genus includes notable species such as Neocurtilla hexadactyla, commonly known as the northern mole cricket, which has been studied for its unique chromosome segregation mechanisms. Members of this genus are of interest in agricultural contexts due to their potential as pests and their associations with natural pathogens.
Niesthreini
Niesthreini is a tribe of scentless plant bugs within the family Rhopalidae, established by Chopra in 1967. The tribe comprises at least two genera—Arhyssus and Niesthrea—with approximately 17 described species. Members of this tribe are true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) belonging to the superfamily Coreoidea. The tribe is well-represented in citizen science observations, with over 9,600 records documented on iNaturalist.
Prionyx
Prionyx is a genus of solitary thread-waisted wasps in the family Sphecidae, distributed across the Americas from southern Canada to Argentina. All species are specialist predators of grasshoppers (Acrididae), which they paralyze with venom and provision as food for their larvae in underground burrows. The genus is characterized by a globose abdomen, spiny legs with saw-like tarsal claws, and distinctive nesting behaviors. Females dig burrows after securing prey, transport paralyzed grasshoppers to single-celled nests, and seal the entrance upon completion. Some species exhibit facultative kleptoparasitism when nesting aggregations overlap with other wasp species.
Prionyx thomae
Prionyx thomae is a solitary, thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae. It is one of seven Prionyx species in the United States, ranging from the southeastern and western U.S. south to Argentina. The species is a specialist predator of grasshoppers, paralyzing them with venom to provision underground nests for its larvae. It lacks a common English name, reflecting its limited economic importance.
Spragueia apicalis
Yellow Spragueia Moth
Spragueia apicalis is a small noctuid moth commonly known as the Yellow Spragueia Moth. Adults exhibit sexual dimorphism in size, with males slightly larger than females. The species has a broad distribution across the Americas, from the southern United States through Central America to South America. Larvae have been documented feeding on Gutierrezia sarothrae, a species of snakeweed.