New-world-native

Guides

• Acanthoscelides

  bean weevils

  Acanthoscelides is a genus of bean weevils in the subfamily Bruchinae, native to the New World with highest diversity in Mexico. The genus contains approximately 300–340 described species with over 200 additional undescribed species. Historically functioning as a wastebasket taxon, species were transferred into this genus from other genera (primarily Bruchus) in 1946. Beetles in this genus are small seed predators that develop within legume seeds, with some species achieving worldwide pest status while others serve as biological control agents.

  Bruchinaeseed-predatorlegume-peststored-product-pestbiological-controlNew-World-native

• Caryobruchus gleditsiae

  Palm Seed Weevil

  Caryobruchus gleditsiae is a seed beetle in the family Chrysomelidae (formerly Bruchidae), notable as the largest bruchid species in the United States. Adults range from 4 to 11 mm in length, with body size determined by the size of the palm seed in which the larva developed. The species develops exclusively inside palm seeds and has been recorded from at least 11 genera in the Arecaceae family. It is widely distributed across the New World and has been introduced to the Old World.

  seed-beetlepalm-pestbruchidNew-World-nativeintroduced-species

• Palpada vinetorum

  Northern Plushback

  Palpada vinetorum is a species of syrphid fly in the family Syrphidae, commonly known as the Northern Plushback. It is a medium-sized flower fly native to the Americas, with adults measuring 10–14 mm in length. The species belongs to the vinetorum species group within the genus Palpada, one of three groups established by Thompson (1981). Adults are notable pollinators that visit flowers, while larvae develop in organic-rich aquatic or semi-aquatic environments. The species is widely distributed across North, Central, and South America.

  syrphidflower-flypollinatorrat-tailed-maggotaquatic-larvadecomposerNew-World-nativeEristalinaevinetorum-group

• Solenopsis geminata

  tropical fire ant, Geminata-group fire ant

  Solenopsis geminata, the tropical fire ant, is a native New World species with a broad distribution spanning the southern United States through Central and South America, and introduced populations across Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Africa. The species exhibits a foraging strategy tradeoff between discovery efficiency and competitive territorial dominance compared to its congener S. xyloni, with S. geminata being less efficient at resource discovery but superior in competitive encounters. Invasive populations demonstrate adaptive strategies to overcome inbreeding costs, including pleometrosis (cooperative colony founding by multiple queens) and execution of diploid male larvae. The species serves as host to Pseudacteon phorid fly parasitoids.

  fire-antinvasive-speciesagricultural-pestbiological-control-hosthybridizationpleometrosisdiploid-male-productionphorid-fly-hostmesic-habitat-specialistNew-World-nativePacific-invasiveAsian-invasivecompetitive-dominanceforaging-strategy-tradeoff