Rare

Guides

Plethochaeta varicolor
Plethochaeta varicolor is a species of dung fly in the family Scathophagidae, first described by Coquillett in 1901. The genus Plethochaeta is a small group within the Scathophagidae, a family commonly known as dung flies or yellow dung flies due to their association with dung and other decaying organic matter. Very few observations of this species exist in public databases, suggesting it is either genuinely rare, undercollected, or restricted to specific habitats. The specific epithet "varicolor" likely refers to variable coloration, though original description details are not widely accessible.
Scathophagidae dung-fly North-America rare undercollected
Policocnemis ungulatus
Policocnemis ungulatus is a moth species in the family Noctuidae. It is the sole species of the monotypic genus Policocnemis. The species was described from Texas in 1932. It remains poorly known with limited biological data available.
endemic rare monotypic-genus
Polistes dominula
European Paper Wasp
Polistes dominula is a highly successful invasive social wasp native to Eurasia that has established populations across North America, South America, New Zealand, South Africa, and other regions. First detected in North America near Boston in 1978, it has become one of the most abundant wasps on the continent. The species builds small, exposed paper nests in protected locations and preys primarily on live insects, particularly caterpillars. Unlike yellowjackets, it does not scavenge for meat or sugar. Its rapid spread has been attributed to ecological flexibility, superior competitive ability, and tolerance of human-altered environments.
invasive-species social-wasp paper-wasp predator pollinator urban-ecology eusocial nest-construction biological-control thermal-biology spatial-learning vibrational-communication aposematism honest-signal overwintering diapause Polistes Vespidae Hymenoptera North-America Europe New-Zealand South-Africa South-America monarch-butterfly caterpillar-predation nest-architecture gyne foundress dominance-hierarchy climate-change-impact energetics metabolic-rate microclimate suburban-habitat anthropogenic ornamental-pest vineyard-pest fruit-damage stinging-insect venom poison-gland warning-coloration Zahavian-signal Strepsiptera parasitoid Xenos behavioral-plasticity foraging learning memory thermoregulation ectothermy endothermy solar-radiation nest-temperature brood-development colony-survival multiple-founding single-founding season-length latitude temperate Mediterranean hibernacle overwintering-costs climate-warming range-expansion competition native-species-displacement biodiversity-impact conservation management control integrated-pest-management IPM identification antennae-color facial-markings caste reproduction male female sexual-dimorphism antennae abdomen wing mandible saliva paper comb cell pedicel trophallaxis larva pupa adult worker queen subordinate dominant aggression defense threat-display sting toxicity brightness coloration predator-avoidance prey caterpillar Lepidoptera butterfly moth garden agriculture vineyard orchard urban suburban rural forest habitat-preference temperature metabolism quiescence torpor survival fitness colony nest population abundance distribution range expansion invasion establishment introduction biotic-interaction trophic-cascade herbivory-suppression plant-fitness milkweed Danaus-plexippus monarch Nelson Tasman ecosystem-impact conservation-management biological-invasion ecology behavior physiology morphology taxonomy systematics nomenclature gender-agreement Latin Christ 1791 Vespa-dominula basionym catalogue-of-life GBIF iNaturalist observation citizen-science photography illustration field-guide orange black yellow red color-pattern size wing-length body compact legs short face square triangular dark curled straight elbowed blunt pointed tip Zahavian costly-signal hunt forage nectar honeydew aphid scale-insect flower grape umbellifer fennel lovage insect meatball feed emerge chew cap hexagonal wood-fiber bark exposed open umbrella stalk ant repellent substance coat protect location eave attic tree branch vine shrub cavity bird-box bee-hive shed grave-lantern overwinter shelter protected thermal climate cold winter spring summer autumn fall season month day activity defend threat display raise tiptoe social dominance hierarchy reproductive egg lay found cooperate compete selfish passive-aggressive individual recognition facial-marking cognition mushroom-body brain intelligent artist architect navigation plasticity spatial relocating food resource dish bait training experience vibration communication signal substrate-borne abdominal wagging oscillation secretion modulation perceive react movement attention feeding inspection body-temperature ambient solar radiation metabolic cost energetic expenditure efficiency warming change impact increase invasive spread success competitive ability flexibility adaptation reaction response condition year variation productivity founding single multiple rate benefit cooperation predation parasitism vesparum stylopid stylopization parasite host infestation mite Acari wasp fly effect community decline Danaus plexippus mortality instar early late larger smaller vulnerable resistant discovery chance contact direct recruitment nestmate site cascading trophic cascade herbivory suppression plant growth production Asclepias net exclusion experiment outcome suggestion strong detrimental ecosystem strategy method development protection biodiversity region first 2016 recent established exotic congener chinensis longer comparison higher lower greatest area built structure native unsuccessful translocate unable thrive warmer origin contributor factor research thesis insight behaviour knowledge direction aid effective journal publication DOI 10.26686 wgtn 14538585 v1 University Wellington Victoria MSc student dissertation study investigation analysis data field resident report local indirect interaction level function service provision natural pest biocontrol ornamental decorative crop damage fruit cherry western Colorado at least ripening choice preference height ground strata microsite environment closed habitat dense vegetation surrounding bush Patagonia Argentina Chile NW detected 2003 sympatric coexistence overlap minimal facilitation behavioral process interspecific semi-urban poorly studied species Hypodynerus labiatus new light finding contribution understanding collecting anthropized highlight importance consideration Ethology 10.1111 eth 13505 abstract only limited detail full text required 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ReplyDelete RepliesReplyOut prairieSeptember 8:02 keeping cabbage worm seen RepliesReplyAnonymousSeptember 13 2:06 PM becoming here Upper Peninsula Michigan pendulum seems swung ago everywhere vanishingly rare haven't again house right RepliesReplyL.R ShimerSeptember 4:35 head gal work everybody else kinda egalitarian RepliesReplyLarryMay 9:34 directed Bev Wigney BTW lived NE Missouri detailed presented Thanks cogent scientifically accurate summary insect's life-cycle RepliesBug EricMay 3:47 kind compliments Delete RepliesReplyReplyAdd commentLoad Blog currently reply reader himself Working resolve Newer Older Subscribe Atom Demonized hosting 4 p.m.Saturday Jan 20 Room 1124 Academic Surge 455 Crocker Lane campus Attendees chat check 50,000 vespid eight-million free friendly Parking estimate 2000 described inhabit 500 undescribed headline-grabbing giant Vespa mandarinia formerly Asian news media dubbed murder hornet confuse identify sheet example hidden rodent burrow wall huge 100,00 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Polycesta arizonica
Sky Island Polycesta
Polycesta arizonica is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, commonly known as the Sky Island Polycesta. It belongs to the subgenus Polycesta (Arizonica) and is found in the Sky Islands region of southeastern Arizona. The species is associated with oak-juniper woodland habitats at moderate elevations.
Buprestidae Polycestinae wood-boring-beetle Sky-Islands Arizona oak-associated rare
Polycesta hageni
Polycesta hageni is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Barr in 1949. It is endemic to North America. Like other members of the genus Polycesta, it is associated with woody host plants, though specific biological details remain poorly documented. The species is rarely encountered and has only a handful of documented observations.
Buprestidae jewel-beetle metallic-wood-boring-beetle North-America rare poorly-known Tularensia
Polyphylla avittata
spotted Warner valley dunes June beetle, spotted Warner valley dunes scarab beetle
Polyphylla avittata is a species of scarab beetle in the subfamily Melolonthinae, commonly known as the spotted Warner valley dunes June beetle. The species is endemic to sand dune habitats in the Warner Valley of Utah. Like other members of the genus Polyphylla, it exhibits sexual dimorphism in antennal structure, with males possessing enlarged, lamellate antennae used to detect female sex pheromones. The species is rarely encountered and poorly documented in scientific literature.
scarab-beetle June-beetle endemic sand-dune psammophile nocturnal sexual-dimorphism lamellate-antennae pheromone-detection rare poorly-known
Polyphylla pubescens
Eglin Uplands Scarab Beetle
Polyphylla pubescens is a rare, endemic scarab beetle restricted to the upland habitats of Eglin Air Force Base and adjacent inland areas in the Florida panhandle. Adults are moderately sized for the genus, with males measuring 17.5–19 mm and females slightly larger at 19–20 mm. The species is distinguished from congeners by a strong lateral elytral margin that extends to the base. Like other members of the genus Polyphylla, males possess greatly enlarged, fan-like antennae used to detect female sex pheromones, while females are likely flightless and remain buried in sandy substrates. The species is part of the pubescens species group within Polyphylla.
endemic rare Florida Scarabaeidae Melolonthinae sand-associated flightless-female pheromone-mediated-mating pubescens-species-group military-land conservation-concern Eglin-Air-Force-Base
Porphyrorhegma
Porphyrorhegma is a monotypic genus of crambid moths in the subfamily Odontiinae, established by Munroe in 1961. The genus contains a single species, Porphyrorhegma fortunata, recorded from California. Knowledge of this genus is limited due to its rarity and restricted distribution.
monotypic California-endemic rare Crambidae Odontiinae
Porphyrorhegma fortunata
Porphyrorhegma fortunata is a moth species in the family Crambidae, subfamily Odontiinae. It is the sole member of its genus, described by Munroe in 1961. The species has been recorded from California, North America. Very few observations exist, and most aspects of its biology remain undocumented.
rare endemic poorly-known monotypic-genus
Poultonella
Poultonella is a genus of jumping spiders in the family Salticidae, endemic to the United States. It was established by George and Elizabeth Peckham in 1909 and named in honor of British entomologist Edward Bagnall Poulton. The genus contains only two described species: P. alboimmaculata and P. nuecesensis. These spiders are characterized by distinctive cephalothorax and eye arrangements.
jumping-spider Salticidae North-America endemic rare
Prasinalia imperialis
Algodones White Wax Jewel Beetle
Prasinalia imperialis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, commonly known as the Algodones White Wax Jewel Beetle. It is endemic to the Algodones Dunes of North America, with an extremely restricted geographic range. The species is rarely observed, with only five documented observations on iNaturalist. As a member of the jewel beetle family, it likely exhibits the characteristic metallic coloration and wood-boring larval habits typical of Buprestidae, though specific details remain poorly documented.
endemic desert sand-dunes rare jewel-beetle
Problema bulenta
Rare Skipper
Problema bulenta, commonly known as the rare skipper, is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is one of the most elusive butterflies in the United States, with populations restricted to isolated brackish river marshes along the Atlantic Coast. The species was first described from a drawing by John Abbot in Georgia, with no specimens collected again until the 1920s. Its extreme rarity and specific habitat requirements have made it a subject of conservation concern.
rare marsh-dependent brackish-habitat conservation-concern Atlantic-Coast-endemic
Proceratium silaceum
Silaceum-clade Hairy Curltail Ant
Proceratium silaceum is a rare ant species first described by Roger in 1863. It belongs to the Proceratiinae subfamily, a group characterized by cryptobiotic lifestyles that make them infrequently collected. The species has been recorded in South America, with distribution data documented in Brazil. It is part of the P. micrommatum clade within the genus Proceratium.
ant Proceratiinae rare cryptobiotic South-America
Prostomis
Prostomis is a genus of beetles in the family Prostomidae, established by Latreille in 1819. The genus contains at least 28 accepted species distributed across multiple continents. Members of this genus are xylophilous (wood-associated) beetles with a documented fossil record extending to the mid-Holocene in Europe. The genus is considered rare in modern faunas, with some species no longer present in regions where they occurred historically.
xylophilous rare fossil paleoentomology woodland-indicator
Protanyderus
Protanyderus is a genus of primitive crane flies in the family Tanyderidae, a small family of Nematocera within Diptera. The genus was established by Handlirsch in 1909 and includes at least one accepted species, P. stackelbergi, described from Central Asia. Tanyderidae are considered one of the most basal lineages of crane flies, retaining plesiomorphic characteristics. Members of this genus are rarely encountered and poorly represented in collections.
primitive-crane-flies Tanyderidae Nematocera rare Central-Asia
Pseudasydates inyoensis
Pseudasydates inyoensis is a species of soft-winged flower beetle in the family Melyridae. The species is known from a single iNaturalist observation, indicating it is likely rare or poorly documented. The genus Pseudasydates is placed within the diverse beetle family Melyridae, whose members are commonly known as soft-winged flower beetles and are often found on flowers and vegetation.
Melyridae Coleoptera rare data-deficient soft-winged-flower-beetle
Pseudethmia protuberans
Pseudethmia protuberans is a small moth and the sole species in its genus. It is endemic to the lower elevation deserts of south-eastern California and probably north-eastern Baja California. The species was described by Clarke in 1950. It belongs to the family Ethmiidae, a group of small moths often associated with arid habitats.
endemic desert monotypic-genus rare California-fauna
Pseudironidae
crabwalker mayflies
Pseudironidae is a monotypic family of mayflies containing a single genus, Pseudiron, with one described species, Pseudiron centralis. These insects are commonly referred to as crabwalker mayflies, a name reflecting their distinctive locomotion. The family represents a rare example of extreme taxonomic reduction in Ephemeroptera, with its entire diversity contained within one species.
mayfly monotypic rare riverine sand-dwelling North-America
Pterombrus
Pterombrus is a genus of small, slender wasps in the family Thynnidae (formerly placed in Tiphiidae). The genus contains at least one described species, Pterombrus rufiventris, which is a rare parasitoid of tiger beetle larvae. These wasps are poorly known and seldom photographed, with most biological knowledge derived from a single detailed study of the western subspecies P. rufiventris hyalinatus. Adults are active during summer months and are associated with grassland habitats where their hosts occur.
parasitoid tiger-beetle-parasite grassland rare Thynnidae Cicindelidae solitary-wasp
Pterombrus rufiventris
Pterombrus rufiventris is a parasitoid wasp in the family Thynnidae, native to North America. The species is notable for its specialized life history as a parasite of tiger beetle (Cicindela) larvae. It is considered rare but has been documented across a wide geographic range from southern California to Texas and eastward to Georgia and Virginia. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism typical of thynnid wasps, with wingless females and winged males. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate form in the eastern range and P. r. hyalinatus in the western portion of its distribution.
parasitoid tiger-beetle-parasite rare wingless-female grassland Thynnidae Cicindela-parasite summer-active ground-running
Purealus beckelorum
A recently described cleonine weevil endemic to the southern High Plains, representing the type species of its monotypic genus. Distinguished from all other world Cleonini by two unique character states: widely separated procoxae and a distinctly tumescent, asperate base of elytral interval 3. A moderately robust, wingless species with body length 7.8–9.4 mm. Known from only nine specimens despite targeted collecting efforts.
new-genus wingless ground-dwelling winter-active rare endemic cryptic cleonine-weevil southern-High-Plains monotypic-genus
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.
Pyralidae Phycitinae Pacific-Northwest montane rare underdocumented
Renia mortualis
Renia mortualis is a species of litter moth in the family Erebidae, first described by William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough in 1912. The species has been documented in the Huachuca Mountains of southeastern Arizona. It belongs to the subfamily Herminiinae, a group commonly known as litter moths due to the larval habit of feeding on dead plant material. Records for this species remain sparse, with limited observational data available.
rare endemic understudied Herminiinae litter-moth Arizona-endemic Huachuca-Mountains
Rhadalus testaceus
Rhadalus testaceus is a species of beetle in the family Rhadalidae. The species is documented from extremely limited observation records, with only two observations recorded in iNaturalist. As a member of Coleoptera, it possesses hardened forewings (elytra) characteristic of beetles. The specific epithet "testaceus" refers to a brick-red or brownish-orange coloration. Beyond basic taxonomic placement, little detailed biological information has been published for this species.
Coleoptera Rhadalidae rare data-deficient understudied
Rhaphiomidas terminatus
flower-loving fly
Rhaphiomidas terminatus is a species of mydas fly endemic to California. It belongs to the family Mydidae, a group of large, predatory or nectar-feeding flies. The species is commonly known as the flower-loving fly, reflecting its association with flowers. It is among the least-documented members of a poorly studied family in North America.
endemic California Mydidae rare
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.
weevil Curculionidae Pacific-Northwest rare poorly-known
Rhopalolemma
Rhopalolemma is a genus of cuckoo bees in the family Apidae, established by Roig-Alsina in 1991. The genus belongs to the tribe Biastini within the subfamily Nomadinae. Two species have been described: R. robertsi (1991) and R. rotundiceps (1997). As cuckoo bees, members of this genus are presumed to be cleptoparasites that lay eggs in the nests of host bees.
cleptoparasitic cuckoo-bee Nomadinae Biastini Neotropical rare poorly-known Roig-Alsina-1991 R.-robertsi R.-rotundiceps
Rhopalosomatidae
Rhopalosomatid Wasps
Rhopalosomatidae is a small family of aculeate wasps containing approximately 68 extant species in four genera: Rhopalosoma, Olixon, Liosphex, and Paniscomima. Adults are solitary and often ant-like in appearance. Larvae are obligate ectoparasitoids of crickets (Orthoptera: Grylloidea), attaching to the lateral side of the host between the metafemur and abdomen. The family exhibits remarkable morphological diversity, with winged species typically nocturnal and brachypterous species mainly diurnal. The family has a worldwide tropical and subtropical distribution, absent from Europe and Antarctica.
ectoparasitoid cricket-parasite ant-mimic rare nocturnal brachypterous fossil Cretaceous cryptic-species solitary tropical Grylloidea Hymenoptera Aculeata Vespoidea
Ropronia
Ropronia is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Roproniidae, a small and poorly known group within the superfamily Proctotrupoidea. The genus was established by Provancher in 1887 and represents one of the few extant genera in its family. Roproniidae are considered relictual wasps with limited species diversity and restricted geographic distributions. Members of this genus are rarely encountered and poorly represented in collections.
parasitoid rare relictual basal-Hymenoptera North-America
Ropronia garmani
Ropronia garmani is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Roproniidae, a small and poorly known group of Hymenoptera. The species was described by William H. Ashmead in 1898. Roproniidae are considered relictual wasps with uncertain phylogenetic placement, sometimes allied with Stephanidae or other basal hymenopteran lineages. Very few specimens of R. garmani have been documented, with only 8 observations recorded on iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff.
parasitoid relict-taxon rare basal-Hymenoptera wood-boring-beetle-parasitoid
Roproniidae
Roproniidae is a family of parasitic wasps in the superfamily Proctotrupoidea. The family contains only two extant genera, *Ropronia* and *Xiphyropronia*, with the remainder known from fossils dating from the Jurassic to Paleocene. Extant species occur in Eurasia and North America. At least some living species parasitize larvae of tenthredinid sawflies.
parasitoid fossil rare poorly-known
Salebriaria grandidentalis
Salebriaria grandidentalis is a species of moth in the family Pyralidae. The genus Salebriaria is a small group of snout moths primarily distributed in North America. Very few observations of this species exist in public databases, indicating it is either genuinely rare or underreported. The specific epithet 'grandidentalis' refers to large teeth, likely describing a diagnostic feature of the male genitalia or wing markings.
pyralid snout-moth rare data-deficient North-America
Salpingogaster punctifrons
Rusty-tailed Spittlebug-killer
Salpingogaster punctifrons is a rare and elusive syrphid fly known from limited observations in Florida. The species exhibits Batesian mimicry of mud dauber wasps, with distinctive elongated abdominal morphology that sets it apart from typical hoverflies. Its common name references predatory behavior toward spittlebug nymphs.
mimicry predator rare endemic Florida
Saltonia
Saltonia is a monotypic genus of North American cribellate araneomorph spiders containing the single species Saltonia incerta. The genus was first described in 1942 and has undergone several taxonomic revisions, most recently moved to the family Argyronetidae in 2025. It represents a rare relict lineage restricted to hypersaline desert habitats in southwestern North America.
spider cribellate monotypic relict hypersaline desert salt-flat rare
Scaphomorphus pleuralis
Scaphomorphus pleuralis is a species of weevil in the family Curculionidae, genus Scaphomorphus. The genus Scaphomorphus is a group of lixine weevils (subfamily Lixinae) distributed in the Americas. The species epithet 'pleuralis' refers to lateral (pleural) features, likely describing some aspect of the thoracic structure. Very few documented observations of this species exist, with only a single observation recorded on iNaturalist, indicating it is either rare, cryptic, or under-collected. The genus is related to Scaphomorphus subcylindricus, a Florida endemic found on Lupinus ocalensis (Ocala lupine).
weevil Curculionidae Lixinae Scaphomorphus rare under-collected Americas
Schizax
Schizax is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) established by LeConte in 1873. It is monotypic, containing only the single species Schizax senex. The genus is placed in the subfamily Cerambycinae and tribe Trachyderini.
monotypic longhorn-beetle Cerambycidae Cerambycinae Trachyderini North-America LeConte-1873 rare data-deficient
Sericomyia carolinensis
Two-spotted Pond Fly
Sericomyia carolinensis is a rare hoverfly (Syrphidae) endemic to the southeastern United States. Adults are distinguished by an all-yellow face, paired narrow yellow spots on the abdomen, and a yellow pilose scutellum. The species has been observed feeding on pear blossoms. Though the larval stage remains undocumented, it likely possesses the 'rat-tailed' morphology characteristic of the genus, inhabiting nutrient-rich aquatic environments such as bog mat pools.
rare endemic southeastern-US hoverfly pollinator data-deficient
Shotwellia
Shotwellia is a monotypic genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. The sole described species, Shotwellia isleta, is a rare North American grasshopper known from limited locations in the Chihuahuan Desert. It has historically been difficult to classify phylogenetically due to its unique morphological characteristics. The genus is currently placed within the Chortophaga genus group based on molecular and morphological evidence.
monotypic rare conservation-concern band-winged-grasshopper Chihuahuan-Desert-specialist endemic
Sierolomorpha
Sierolomorpha is the sole genus of Sierolomorphidae, a family of rare parasitoid wasps containing approximately 10 described species. These wasps are restricted to the Northern Hemisphere and are among the least known hymenopterans. Their biology remains largely undocumented due to their scarcity and the difficulty of locating specimens.
rare parasitoid wasps Northern-Hemisphere poorly-known
Sierolomorphidae
Sierolomorphidae is a small family of aculeate wasps containing 13 extant species across two genera, Sierolomorpha and Proscleroderma. The family has a fossil record extending to the Early Cretaceous, with specimens known from amber deposits. They are solitary wasps of rare occurrence, predominantly distributed in the Northern Hemisphere.
aculeate rare ectoparasitoid-suspected cretaceous-fossil northern-hemisphere solitary
Sobarocephala setipes
Sobarocephala setipes is a species of fly in the family Clusiidae, first described in 1924 by Axel Leonard Melander and Naomi George Argo. It belongs to the subfamily Sobarocephalinae within this family of small to medium-sized acalyptrate flies. The species is known from very few records, with only one documented observation in iNaturalist as of the available data.
Diptera Clusiidae Sobarocephalinae rare under-documented
Somatochlora brevicincta
Quebec Emerald, Robert's Emerald
Somatochlora brevicincta is a rare dragonfly in the family Corduliidae, first described by Canadian entomologist Adrien Robert in 1954. It belongs to the 'ringed' group of emeralds, distinguished by faint whitish rings on the abdomen. The species is among the rarest Odonata in Canada, with a transcontinental distribution across boreal and subarctic regions. It is classified as vulnerable to critically imperiled across most of its range.
dragonfly emerald bog-specialist peatland rare conservation-concern subarctic boreal
Somatochlora calverti
Calvert's Emerald, Andre Flies
Somatochlora calverti is a rare, range-restricted dragonfly in the family Corduliidae. It is endemic to the southeastern United States, primarily known from the Florida panhandle with scattered records in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. The species is a habitat specialist associated with shallow seepage streams and steephead ravines. Its nymph has never been collected in the field, and its reproductive microhabitat remains speculative based on analogy to sympatric congeners.
dragonfly emerald endemic rare habitat-specialist seepage-stream steephead-ravine bioindicator conservation-concern Sphagnum sandhill-forest Florida southeastern-United-States nymph-unknown Corduliidae Odonata Anisoptera
Somatochlora margarita
Texas emerald
Somatochlora margarita, the Texas emerald, is a dragonfly endemic to the United States with a highly restricted range in eastern Texas and western Louisiana. It inhabits river systems and is rarely observed due to its habit of perching in forest canopies. The species was described by Donnelly in 1962 and is considered one of the more poorly known North American emeralds.
endemic rare riverine canopy-dwelling conservation-concern
Spaniacris deserticola
Spanistic Desert Grasshopper, Coachella Valley Grasshopper
Spaniacris deserticola is a large-bodied grasshopper in the family Romaleidae, known from extremely limited localities in the Sonoran Desert of southern California and adjacent Sonora, Mexico. The species is considered rare and localized, with most records concentrated in the Coachella Valley region. It belongs to a small genus within the lubber grasshopper group, characterized by flightless adults and aposematic coloration typical of chemically defended romaleids.
flightless desert-endemic rare romaleid coachella-valley sonoran-desert
Speleonychia sengeri
Speleonychia sengeri is a troglobitic harvestman (order Opiliones) described by Briggs in 1974. The genus Speleonychia is endemic to cave systems in western North America. As a member of the family Cladonychiidae, this species belongs to a group of small, eyeless, pale-colored arachnids adapted to subterranean environments. Very few observations exist—only five records on iNaturalist—reflecting its restricted habitat and cryptic lifestyle.
troglobite cave-dwelling karst western-North-America rare eyeless palearachnid endemic
Sphaerobothris
Sphaerobothris is a genus of jewel beetles in the family Buprestidae, subfamily Buprestinae, and tribe Chrysobothrini. The genus was established by Semenov-Tian-Shanskij and Richter in 1934. It contains five described species distributed in North America, with S. ulkei being the most frequently encountered and collected by entomologists. Members of this genus are associated with Ephedra (joint-fir) as host plants.
Buprestidae Chrysobothrini Ephedra joint-fir desert-beetles Southwest-North-America rare jewel-beetles buprestid wood-boring-beetles
Sphaeropsocus bicolor
Sphaeropsocus bicolor is a species of booklouse in the family Sphaeropsocidae, described by Mockford in 2013. It belongs to the order Psocodea, a group of small, soft-bodied insects commonly known as barklice and booklice. The genus Sphaeropsocus is part of a family characterized by distinctive morphological features, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited. Only a single observation has been recorded in public databases.
booklouse barklouse Sphaeropsocidae Psocodea Mockford-2013 rare data-deficient
Sphegina lobulifera
Black-lobed Pufftail
Sphegina lobulifera is a rare syrphid fly known from eastern North America. Adults are flower-visiting insects that obtain nectar and pollen from floral resources. The species belongs to the pufftail group, characterized by distinctive abdominal morphology. Larvae develop in decaying sap accumulations under bark in moist woodland habitats.
rare saproxylic wet-woodland pollinator
Sphindocis
Sphindocis is a monotypic genus of minute tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae. The genus contains a single described species, Sphindocis denticollis, described by Fall in 1917. It is classified within the subfamily Sphindociinae, a small lineage of Ciidae. Very few observations of this genus exist, with only two records documented on iNaturalist.
monotypic rare minute-tree-fungus-beetle