Rare-species
Guides
Tragosoma soror
Tragosoma soror is a species of longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Prioninae, described by Laplante in 2017. It belongs to a genus containing other large, wood-boring beetles. The species is known from very few records, with only a single observation documented on iNaturalist. Like other members of Tragosoma, it likely develops in coniferous wood, though specific biological details remain undocumented in the available literature.
Trigonarthris
flower longhorn beetles
Trigonarthris is a genus of flower longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae: Lepturinae) established by Haldeman in 1847. The name derives from Greek 'trigonon' (triangle) and 'arthron' (joint), referring to a triangular joint structure. The genus contains three recognized species: T. atrata, T. minnesotana, and T. proxima. Members are diurnal flower visitors, though individual species remain poorly documented biologically.
Typocerus deceptus
deceptive flower longhorn
Typocerus deceptus is a rare species of flower longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Lepturinae. Adults are diurnal and have been observed feeding on flowers of wild hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens). The species is named for its close resemblance to the common and widespread T. velutinus, with which it frequently co-occurs on shared flower hosts. First described by Knull in 1929, it remains poorly known biologically, with larval hosts and immature stages completely undocumented.
Vespula intermedia
Northern Red-banded Yellowjacket, American red-banded yellowjacket
Vespula intermedia is a rare social wasp species in the family Vespidae, described by Robert du Buysson in 1905. Its taxonomic status remains uncertain; it was previously listed as a synonym of Vespula rufa, but entomologists are divided on this classification. The species is native to northern regions of North America, with records from northern Canada, Maine, and Alaska. It is poorly known compared to more common yellowjacket species, with only 47 observations documented on iNaturalist as of the source date.
Xenorhipis hidalgoensis
Xenorhipis hidalgoensis is a small metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, notable for extreme sexual dimorphism in antennal structure. Males possess highly modified flabellate (comb-like) antennae with expanded distal segments covered in olfactory sensillae, while females retain typical serrate antennae. The species was first described from Hidalgo County, Texas, and is among the least frequently encountered buprestids in North America.
Xeralictus bicuspidariae
Xeralictus bicuspidariae is a rare bee species in the family Halictidae, discovered to play a central role in a floral mimicry system in the Sonoran Desert. The species is one of two rare Xeralictus bees involved in a pollination relationship with Mentzelia involucrata, a yellow-flowered plant in the family Loasaceae. Male bees patrol for females at these flowers, where they attempt to mate with females buried head-first in the blossoms. This behavior has been exploited by the orchid-like plant Mohavea confertiflora, which mimics both the appearance of Mentzelia flowers and the visual cue of a female bee abdomen, tricking males into attempting copulation and thereby transferring pollen.
Xylosteini
Tribe Xylosteini is a small, primitive group of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae: Lepturinae) containing rare forest-dwelling species. In Türkiye, the tribe comprises four species across two genera: Leptorhabdium (exclusively deciduous-feeding) and Xylosteus (feeding on both deciduous and coniferous trees). These beetles are considered forest pests of ecological and economic significance due to their wood-boring larval habits.
Zabrops tagax
Zabrops tagax is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Samuel Wendell Williston in 1883. The genus Zabrops is a small group within the diverse Asilidae family, which comprises predatory flies known for their aerial hunting behavior. This species is known from very few records, with limited documentation of its biology and ecology. Robber flies in this genus are generally associated with arid and semi-arid regions of western North America.