Ozarks
Guides
Apheloria virginiensis reducta
Yellow-and-black millipede, Cyanide millipede
A large, colorful millipede in the family Xystodesmidae, distinguished by its black body with bright yellow or orange wedge-shaped posterolateral markings. Like other members of its genus, it produces hydrogen cyanide as a chemical defense, advertised by its conspicuous aposematic coloration. The subspecies represents a western population of A. virginiensis, with records extending from the Appalachian region through the Ozark Plateau to the Arkansas Delta.
Causeyella
Causeyella is a genus of troglobitic (cave-dwelling) millipedes in the family Trichopetalidae, order Chordeumatida. The genus was established by Shear in 2003 and comprises three species: C. causeyae, C. dendropus, and C. youngsteadtorum. These millipedes are restricted to cave habitats in the southern Ozarks region of the United States.
Enchenopa latipes
wide-footed treehopper
Enchenopa latipes, commonly known as the wide-footed treehopper, is a species of treehopper in the family Membracidae. It is characterized by an enlarged, inflated pronotum typical of the family, which often resembles plant thorns or buds. The species has been documented in field observations on goldenrod stems in the Ozarks and adjacent regions. Males possess a unique XX-X0 sex determination system with a univalent X chromosome that exhibits distinctive segregation behavior during meiosis, segregating intact toward one spindle pole in late anaphase I after autosomes have initiated movement.
Frenesia missa
Failed Northern Caddisfly
Frenesia missa is a rare species of northern caddisfly in the family Limnephilidae, first described by Milne in 1935. The species was originally placed in the genus Chilostigma as Chilostigma missum before being transferred to Frenesia. It is considered vulnerable to anthropogenic stressors and has a restricted distribution in North America.
Gyretes torosus
Gyretes torosus is a species of whirligig beetle in the family Gyrinidae. The species was described from North America in 2004. As a member of Gyretes, it belongs to a genus that is common in the Ozark region and eastern North America. Like other whirligig beetles, it is presumed to inhabit the surface of freshwater bodies. The specific epithet 'torosus' refers to a muscular or bulging appearance, likely describing some aspect of the species' morphology.
Hyperplatys maculata
Hyperplatys maculata is a species of longhorn beetle in the subfamily Lamiinae, described by Haldeman in 1847. It is a wood-boring cerambycid with documented associations to dead branches of red buckeye (Aesculus pavia). The species has been reared from cut wood in Missouri, representing a documented larval host record.
Melanoplus ponderosus
ponderous spur-throat grasshopper
Melanoplus ponderosus is a spur-throated grasshopper in the family Acrididae, found in North America. The species exhibits cryptic coloration adapted to its habitat. Two subspecies are recognized: M. p. ponderosus and M. p. viola. It has been documented in xeric grassland and glade habitats, particularly in the Ozark region.
Molorchus bimaculatus bimaculatus
ant-mimic longhorned beetle
Molorchus bimaculatus bimaculatus is a small longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, notable for its striking resemblance to ants—a clear example of Batesian mimicry. Adults measure less than 10 mm and are commonly encountered in early spring on flowering trees, particularly flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). The species belongs to a genus well-known among ant-mimicking cerambycids, though it can be distinguished from similar genera by specific morphological features. Its distribution includes parts of North America, with records from the eastern United States and Canada.
Photinus tenuicinctus
thinly-girdled firefly, Ozark spark
Photinus tenuicinctus is a firefly species endemic to the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma. Adults measure 8.5–11.5 mm in length. Males are fully winged and capable of flight, while females are brachypterous and flightless. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in both morphology and bioluminescent signaling.
Platycotis acutangula
Platycotis cf. acutangula is a treehopper species (family Membracidae) documented in dry-mesic oak-hickory forests of the Missouri Ozarks. The genus Platycotis is characterized by distinctive pronotal expansions that form various shapes and projections. This record represents a tentative identification (cf. = confer, meaning "compare with") based on morphological similarity to P. acutangula. Treehoppers in this genus are typically associated with oak species (Quercus), where they feed on phloem sap.
Rhadine ozarkensis
Rhadine ozarkensis is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by Sanderson and Miller in 1941. It is the second species of the genus Rhadine recorded from caves, discovered in the Ozark region. The species possesses morphological adaptations typical of cave-dwelling carabids, including an elongated body and head.
Scaphinotus parisiana
Ozark Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus parisiana, commonly known as the Ozark Snail-eating Beetle, is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is endemic to the Ozark region, specifically found in Arkansas within the Ouachita Mountains. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged) and nocturnal, inhabiting deciduous forest habitats. The species is one of the snail-eating beetles in the genus Scaphinotus, which are specialized predators of terrestrial mollusks.
Semijulistus flavipes
Semijulistus flavipes is a flat-backed millipede in the family Xystodesmidae, order Polydesmida. The species was formerly classified under the genus Pleuroloma, and taxonomic revisions have placed it in Semijulistus. Like other xystodesmid millipedes, it produces hydrogen cyanide (HCN) as a chemical defense. The specific epithet "flavipes" refers to yellow leg coloration.
Strangalia luteicornis
Yellow-horned Flower Longhorn Beetle
Strangalia luteicornis is a species of flower longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It is found across North America, with records from Canada (Ontario, Québec) and the United States. The species has been observed mating on flowers of Hydrangea arborescens and Saururus cernuus, with females consuming pollen from the latter. It is attracted to ethanol/red wine bait traps and has been collected in xeric dolomite prairie remnants and dry-mesic upland deciduous forest habitats.