Ozark-mountains
Guides
Anillinus magazinensis
Anillinus magazinensis is a small ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described in 2004 from specimens collected in Arkansas, USA. It belongs to the genus Anillinus, a group of minute, eyeless, wingless beetles adapted to subterranean or deep soil habitats. The species epithet refers to Magazine Mountain, the type locality in the Ozark Mountains.
Apheloria
cherry millipedes, flat-backed millipedes
Apheloria is a genus of large, chemically defended millipedes in the family Xystodesmidae, distributed across eastern North America. These millipedes are notable for producing hydrogen cyanide and benzaldehyde as defensive secretions, which imparts a characteristic cherry or almond odor. The genus participates in Müllerian mimicry rings in the Appalachian Mountains, with species displaying highly variable aposematic coloration involving black backgrounds with contrasting yellow, orange, red, or white markings. Species-level identification requires examination of male gonopod morphology due to extensive color polymorphism and convergent color patterns among co-occurring species.
Enaphalodes rufulus
Red Oak Borer
Enaphalodes rufulus, commonly known as the Red Oak Borer, is a native North American cerambycid beetle that develops in oak trees. It is typically associated with stressed or declining oaks and normally occurs at low population densities. However, the species gained significant attention following a major outbreak in the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains during the late 1990s and early 2000s, which contributed to widespread mortality of northern red oak. The beetle has become an important subject of ecological research regarding native insect outbreaks, tree resistance mechanisms, and climate-insect interactions.
Orussus minutus
Orussus minutus is a rarely collected parasitic woodwasp in the family Orussidae, native to the eastern United States. The species is notable for its significant western range expansion documented through citizen science platforms and museum collections. Previously known from only about 50 specimens mainly in the Northeast, new records from Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, and Manitoba extend its range hundreds of miles westward. The species is extremely uncommon in collections despite intensive trapping efforts.