Pacific-northwest
Guides
Pterostichus pumilus willamettensis
Pterostichus pumilus willamettensis is a subspecies of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It was described by Hacker in 1968. The subspecies belongs to the widespread genus Pterostichus, which contains numerous ground beetle species primarily distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. As a member of the subfamily Pterostichinae, it is likely adapted to ground-dwelling predatory habits typical of this group.
Pterotus obscuripennis
Douglas fir glow-worm
Pterotus obscuripennis, commonly known as the Douglas fir glow-worm, is a species of firefly in the beetle family Lampyridae. It is endemic to North America and has been recorded primarily in western coastal regions. The species is notable for its bioluminescent larvae, which are referred to as 'glow-worms.' Adults are non-luminous and possess reduced or non-functional mouthparts.
Pyla rainierella
Pyla rainierella is a species of snout moth in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Phycitinae. It was described by Harrison G. Dyar in 1904. The species is known from the Pacific Northwest region of North America, with the type locality associated with Mount Rainier in Washington State. Very few observations of this species have been documented.
Quedius griffinae
Quedius griffinae is a rove beetle (family Staphylinidae) described by Hatch in 1957. The species is known from the Pacific coast of North America, with records in British Columbia, California, Oregon, and Washington. Like other members of the genus Quedius, it likely inhabits moist terrestrial environments and exhibits the characteristic short elytra and elongated body form typical of staphylinid beetles.
Quedius horni
Quedius horni is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by Hatch in 1957. The species is known from the Pacific Northwest region of North America, with records from British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington. Like other members of the large genus Quedius, it belongs to a diverse group of predatory beetles commonly found in forest floor habitats and associated with decaying organic matter.
Quedius nanulus
Quedius nanulus is a small rove beetle described by Casey in 1915. It belongs to the large genus Quedius, one of the most diverse lineages within Staphylinidae. The species is documented from western North America, with records from the Pacific Northwest and adjacent Canadian provinces. Like other Quedius species, it likely inhabits moist ground-level microhabitats, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Quedius oculeus
Quedius oculeus is a species of rove beetle (family Staphylinidae) described by Casey in 1915. It belongs to the large genus Quedius, which contains numerous species of predatory beetles found primarily in soil and leaf litter habitats. The species is known from a limited number of observations, with records restricted to the Pacific Northwest region of North America.
Ramellogammarus
Stumptown scud (R. similimanus)
Ramellogammarus is a genus of freshwater amphipod crustaceans in the family Anisogammaridae, established by Bousfield in 1979. The genus includes species with highly restricted geographic distributions in the Pacific Northwest of North America. R. similimanus, known as the Stumptown scud, is endemic to the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon, while R. vancouverensis occurs in British Columbia.
Reptalus beirnei
Reptalus beirnei is a planthopper species in the family Cixiidae, first described by Emeljanov in 1978. It belongs to the subgenus Pererepa within the genus Reptalus. The species is documented from the Pacific Northwest region of North America, including British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. Cixiidae planthoppers are generally small to medium-sized insects with membranous wings and are often associated with woody or herbaceous vegetation.
Resapamea diluvius
Resapamea diluvius is a noctuid moth described in 2013. It is endemic to the Columbia Basin region of the Pacific Northwest. The species name references the cataclysmic Ice Age floods that shaped its habitat.
Resapamea innota
Resapamea innota is a noctuid moth restricted to the interior Pacific Northwest and northern California. It inhabits wet meadows at low to middle elevations and exhibits two distinct color morphs. Adults are active during a brief summer flight period.
Rhinoncus pyrrhopus
A small weevil species in the family Curculionidae, described from the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The species name "pyrrhopus" (Greek for "fire-footed") likely refers to reddish coloration on the legs. Very few records exist for this species, with limited observational data available.
Rhiscosomididae
Rhiscosomididae is a small family of millipedes in the order Chordeumatida, containing the single genus Rhiscosomides with seven described species. The family was established by Silvestri in 1909. These millipedes are known from western North America, with records from British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California.
Scaphinotus angulatus
Angular Snail-eating Beetle, Angulate Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus angulatus is a large ground beetle in the subfamily Carabinae, commonly known as the angular snail-eating beetle. It is a specialist predator of snails, possessing elongated mandibles adapted for extracting prey from shells. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged) and nocturnal. The species is restricted to temperate coniferous rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.
Scaphinotus johnsoni
Johnson's Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus johnsoni is a large ground beetle in the subfamily Carabinae, commonly known as the snail-eating beetles. It is native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, where it inhabits coniferous forests in montane and subalpine zones. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged), flightless, and nocturnal, with gregarious tendencies. As a member of the genus Scaphinotus, it is presumed to be a molluscivore, using its elongated jaws to extract snails from their shells.
Scaphinotus obliquus
Oblique Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus obliquus is a large ground beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as the oblique snail-eating beetle. It belongs to the Carabinae subfamily, which includes specialized snail-hunting beetles characterized by their elongated jaws adapted for extracting snails from shells. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged), rendering them flightless. The species occurs in forested regions of California and Oregon.
Scaphinotus regularis
Measured Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus regularis, commonly known as the measured snail-eating beetle, is a large ground beetle in the family Carabidae. The species belongs to the nominate subfamily Carabinae, a group of "snail hunters" and "caterpillar hunters" characterized by their large size and powerful mandibles. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged) and nocturnal. The species inhabits forest environments in the Pacific Northwest region of North America.
Sciopithes obscurus
obscure root weevil
Sciopithes obscurus, commonly known as the obscure root weevil, is a broad-nosed weevil in the family Curculionidae. Adults are nocturnal foliage feeders that sometimes remain in vegetation during daylight hours, an atypical behavior among weevils. The species is considered an agricultural pest in the Pacific Northwest, particularly affecting rhododendrons and strawberries. Larvae feed on roots after hatching, with one generation produced annually.
Sclerobunus nondimorphicus
Sclerobunus nondimorphicus is a species of armoured harvestman (order Opiliones, suborder Laniatores) described by Briggs in 1971. It belongs to the family Paranonychidae, a group of small to medium-sized harvestmen characterized by heavy body armouring. The species is known from the Pacific Northwest region of North America.
Siro boyerae
mite harvestman
Siro boyerae is a species of mite harvestman in the family Sironidae. It was originally described as Neosiro boyerae by Giribet & Shear in 2010, and was previously placed in the genus Siro before taxonomic revision. This small arachnid belongs to the suborder Cyphophthalmi, a group of primitive harvestmen characterized by their eyeless condition and compact body form.
Siro kamiakensis
Siro kamiakensis is a species of mite harvestman, a small arachnid in the family Sironidae. It was described by Newell in 1943 and is currently classified under the genus Neosiro, though it was historically placed in Siro. The species is found in North America, with records from the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
Speyeria cybele pugetensis
great spangled fritillary
Speyeria cybele pugetensis is a western North American subspecies of the great spangled fritillary, a large orange and black butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It was described by F. Chermock and Frechin in 1947. Like other members of the Speyeria cybele complex, this subspecies exhibits strong visual navigation abilities for locating habitat patches and maintains a close ecological association with violets (Viola spp.) as larval host plants.
Stenotothorax cribratulus
Stenotothorax cribratulus is a species of scarab beetle in the subfamily Aphodiinae, originally described by Schmidt in 1917. It is a small dung beetle native to the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The species belongs to a genus characterized by distinctive body sculpturing. Records indicate it occurs in forested mountainous regions.
Subhaida
Subhaida is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) in the subfamily Omaliinae. It was described by Hatch in 1957 and is classified within the tribe Coryphiini and subtribe Coryphiina. The genus contains species found in western North America, particularly in the Pacific coastal region. Members of this genus are small to medium-sized beetles associated with forest floor habitats.
Sylvanelater furtivus
Sylvanelater furtivus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, described by LeConte in 1853. The species is known from a limited number of observations, with records primarily from British Columbia, Canada. As a member of the genus Sylvanelater, it belongs to a group of elaterid beetles associated with forested habitats.
Sympistis amenthes
Sympistis amenthes is a noctuid moth described in 2008, known from a restricted range in the western United States. It occurs at moderate elevations on the east slope of the Cascade Range and adjacent areas. The species has a relatively small wingspan and a brief adult flight period in early autumn. It is one of many recently described species in the taxonomically complex genus Sympistis.
Sympistis incubus
Sympistis incubus is a noctuid moth described by James T. Troubridge in 2008. It is restricted to montane habitats in Washington and Oregon, occurring at elevations between 1,800 and 4,500 feet. Adults are active in September and have a wingspan of 28–35 mm.
Sympistis major
Sympistis major is a noctuid moth native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1881. The species has undergone significant taxonomic revision: originally described as a subspecies of Oncocnemis riparia, it was elevated to full species status as Oncocnemis major in 1999 and transferred to the genus Sympistis in 2008. Adults have a wingspan of 31–36 mm. Larvae are specialized feeders on Penstemon species.
Sympistis ragani
Sympistis ragani is a noctuid moth described by William Barnes in 1928. It is endemic to the Klamath Mountains of northwestern California and southwestern Oregon, and the Oregon Coast Range. It belongs to the Sympistis atricollaris species group, a complex of six similar gray species in the Pacific Northwest.
Tachinus crotchii
Crotch's Tachinus
Tachinus crotchii is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by George Henry Horn in 1877. It is native to western North America, with documented occurrences in British Columbia, California, Oregon, and Washington. Like other members of the genus Tachinus, it is associated with forest floor habitats and decaying organic matter. The species is named after George Robert Crotch, a British entomologist who collected extensively in North America.
Tachygyna vancouverana
Tachygyna vancouverana is a dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Chamberlin and Ivie in 1939. The species is restricted to the Pacific Northwest region of North America. As a member of the sheet-web weaving family Linyphiidae, it constructs horizontal webs for prey capture. Like other members of its genus, it is small-bodied and ground-dwelling.
Taracus pallipes
Taracus pallipes is a species of harvestman (order Opiliones) in the family Taracidae, native to western North America. The species was described by Nathan Banks in 1894. It is a relatively small, long-legged arachnid found in forested habitats. Observations and specimen records indicate a distribution centered in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, with records from Washington and Oregon.
Thrinaphe
Thrinaphe is a genus of flat-backed millipedes in the family Xystodesmidae, containing a single described species, T. hargeri. The genus was established by Rowland M. Shelley in 1993 based on specimens from the Cascade Mountains and Willamette Valley region. The name references the three-branched telopodite of the male gonopod and its similarity to the related genus Harpaphe.
Thrinaphe hargeri
Thrinaphe hargeri is a millipede species and the sole member of the genus Thrinaphe, described by Rowland M. Shelley in 1993. The species is endemic to the Cascade Mountains region along the Washington-Oregon border and the Willamette Valley in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It belongs to the family Xystodesmidae, a diverse group of flat-backed millipedes.
Trachykele blondeli
western cedar borer, powder worm beetle, western red cedar borer
Trachykele blondeli is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, known by common names including western cedar borer and powder worm beetle. Studies conducted in British Columbia from 1926–1930 documented its biology using caged red cedar trees to track larval development and adult emergence. The species is associated with Thuja plicata (western red cedar) as its primary host.
Trogloraptoridae
Cave Robber Spiders
Trogloraptoridae is a family of spiders established in 2012 to accommodate the single genus Trogloraptor, found in caves and old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest. The family was erected based on the unique morphology of Trogloraptor marchingtoni, which possesses distinctive raptorial claws unlike any other known spider. This discovery marked the first new family of spiders described from North America since the 1890s. The family represents a significant evolutionary lineage that has forced revisions to understanding of spider phylogeny.
Twiningia fasciata
Twiningia fasciata is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, described by Beamer in 1942. It belongs to the tribe Platymetopiini within the subfamily Deltocephalinae. The species is known from the Pacific Northwest region of North America, with records from California, Oregon, and Washington. As a member of the leafhopper family, it is presumed to feed on plant sap, though specific host plant associations have not been documented in the available literature.
Unamis
Unamis is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Omaliinae, containing approximately seven described species. The genus is native to western North America, with species distributed across British Columbia, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. It was established by Casey in 1893.
Vasingtona
Vasingtona is a genus of millipedes in the family Caseyidae, established by Chamberlin in 1941. The genus contains at least one described species, V. irritans. These millipedes belong to the order Chordeumatida, a group of small, often cryptic millipedes commonly known as snake millipedes or bristly millipedes.
Vespa mandarinia
Asian giant hornet, Japanese giant hornet, yak-killer hornet
Vespa mandarinia is the world's largest hornet species, native to temperate and tropical low mountains and forests of eastern Asia. It has been introduced to the Pacific Northwest of North America, where it was first detected in British Columbia and Washington State in 2019. The species poses significant threats to European honey bee colonies through coordinated group attacks, and its establishment could impact apiculture, ecosystems, and public health.
Vicelva vandykei
Vicelva vandykei is a small rove beetle (Staphylinidae) described by Hatch in 1957. The species is known from limited specimens and observations across a broad circumpolar distribution spanning northwestern North America and the Russian Far East. Records indicate presence in British Columbia, Yukon, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and the Magadan area of Russia. As a member of the subfamily Phloeocharinae, it is associated with forest floor habitats and decaying organic matter.