Palm-associated
Guides
Atheloca
Atheloca is a genus of snout moths in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Phycitinae, containing two species: A. subrufella and A. bondari. Both species are associated with palms, particularly coconut (Cocos nucifera). A. subrufella occurs in the Americas from the southern United States through the Caribbean to Brazil, while A. bondari is found in South America and parts of Central America and the Caribbean. The genus was established by Carl Heinrich in 1956.
Cedusa inflata
Cedusa inflata is a derbid planthopper in the family Derbidae. Its larvae develop exclusively in decaying palm tissue, a specialized habitat that directly determines where adults occur. Adults are found on living palms, specifically the same palm species where larval development took place. This tight coupling between larval habitat and adult distribution represents a notable ecological pattern among planthoppers.
Cyclocephalini
Masked Chafers and Rice Beetles
Cyclocephalini is a tribe of scarab beetles within the subfamily Dynastinae, comprising 14 genera and over 500 species. The tribe includes the most speciose genus of dynastines, Cyclocephala, with more than 350 species. Members are primarily Neotropical in distribution and are commonly known as masked chafers and rice beetles. These beetles are strongly associated with flowers, serving as pollinators and florivores, with many species exhibiting specialized relationships with palm inflorescences and other flowering plants.
Dinapate wrightii
Giant Palm Borer
Dinapate wrightii, the Giant Palm Borer, is the largest species in the beetle family Bostrichidae, reaching approximately 5 cm in length. Adults are non-feeding and live about two weeks. The species is native to extreme southern California and Baja California Sur, Mexico, with most records from the Coachella Valley. It is a pest of fan palms, particularly Washingtonia species.
Oecleus
Oecleus is a genus of cixiid planthoppers (Hemiptera: Cixiidae) established by Stål in 1862. Species in this genus have been documented in Brazil, Jamaica, and Costa Rica, with host associations primarily involving palms, particularly coconut (Cocos nucifera) and date palm (Phoenix). Some species have been detected in surveys targeting potential vectors of lethal yellowing disease in palms, though a confirmed vector role has not been established. The genus has been subject to phylogenetic analysis using COI, 18S, and H3 sequence data to clarify relationships within the tribe Oecleini.
Phloeolaemus
Phloeolaemus is a genus of small beetles in the family Laemophloeidae, established by Casey in 1916. The genus contains at least 16 described species distributed across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. These beetles are associated with dead and decaying plant material, particularly in palm and woody debris habitats.
Smicripidae
palmetto beetles
Smicripidae is a small family of beetles in the superfamily Cucujoidea, commonly known as palmetto beetles. The family contains a single extant genus, Smicrips, with six species distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. The fossil record includes extinct species from Eocene Europe and the extinct genus Mesosmicrips from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. Larvae inhabit decaying vegetation, while adults are frequently associated with palm inflorescences and occasionally other flowering plants.
Sufetula carbonalis
Sufetula carbonalis is a small crambid moth described in 2013 from Florida. The species name refers to its dark charcoal-colored wing markings. Adults are active across multiple months, with larval stages suspected to feed on palm roots.
Xylastodoris
royal palm bug
Xylastodoris is a monotypic genus of true bugs in the family Thaumastocoridae, containing the single species Xylastodoris luteolus. The genus is commonly known as the royal palm bug due to its strict association with the royal palm (Roystonea regia). It was described by Barber in 1920 and is placed in the subfamily Xylastodoridinae. The genus represents a highly specialized lineage with an extremely narrow host range.
Xylastodoris luteolus
Royal Palm Bug
Xylastodoris luteolus is a thaumastocorid true bug that feeds exclusively on royal palms (Roystonea regia). Adults are golden-yellow, darkening with age; nymphs are pale yellow to orange. The species completes development from egg to adult in approximately 30 days at 80°F, passing through five nymphal instars. Its feeding causes distinctive yellow spots on leaflets that expand into brown necrotic areas, resulting in premature leaf death. No natural enemies have been documented.