Reduced-wings
Guides
Achurum minimipenne
Tamaulipan Toothpick Grasshopper
A slant-faced grasshopper in the family Acrididae, characterized by its slender, elongated body form typical of toothpick grasshoppers. The species occurs in the southern United States and Mexico. Like other members of the genus Achurum, it exhibits cryptic coloration adapted to its environment.
Allocapnia rickeri
Midwest Snowfly
Allocapnia rickeri is a small winter stonefly in the family Capniidae, commonly known as the Midwest Snowfly. It is one of numerous small, dark stoneflies in the genus Allocapnia that emerge during cold months when few other insects are active. The species has been documented across the central and eastern United States. Like other capniids, it is associated with clean, cold streams and is an important indicator of water quality.
winter-stoneflybioindicatorcoldwaterPlecopteraCapniidaeAllocapnialoticemergencebrachypteryapterygenitalia-identificationFrison-1942Midwestsoutheastern-USclean-water-indicatorJanuary-Marchsmall-stoneflywingless-femalestream-insectshreddergathererseasonal-resourcewater-qualityaquatic-insectterrestrial-adultshort-lived-adultovipositionsubmerged-eggshigh-dissolved-oxygenlow-temperaturecentral-USeastern-USAlabamaArkansasDelawareGeorgiaIllinoishexapodhemimetabolousEuholognathaNemouroideaArctoperlariaInsectaArthropodaAnimaliaGBIFCatalogue-of-LifeiNaturalistNCBItaxonomyaccepted-species1942FrisonRickerMidwest-Snowflysnowflysmall-dark-stoneflyclean-streamsriverswell-oxygenatedlotic-habitatcold-monthswinter-activitywing-reductionfemale-apterymale-flightepiproctparaproctterminaliataxonomic-revisioncongenersdistribution-recordsobservations9-observationseukaryotemetazoanarthropodinsectstoneflywinter-emergingJanuaryFebruaryMarchcold-weathernear-freezingbelow-freezingwater-surfacesubmerged-substratesallochthonous-organic-materialstream-ecosystemsseasonal-food-resourceinsectivorous-birdspredatorsscarce-preyunpollutedno-economic-importancestream-monitoringwater-quality-indicatorhigh-quality-coldwatermicroscopic-examinationtaxonomic-keysmale-terminaliareliable-separationgenitalic-examinationoverlapping-distributionsimilar-habitatsmall-sizeunder-10-mmbody-lengthreduced-wingsabsent-wingsfully-developed-wingsspecific-identificationpublished-descriptionsillustrationssubsequent-revisionscharacteristicfamily-Capniidaecommon-nameextended-nymphal-periodone-to-two-yearsshort-liveddoes-not-feedaquatic-nymphclean-cold-streamslow-temperaturesyear-roundwinter-monthsJanuary-through-Marchfamilycentered-Midwestextends-southeasternUnited-Statesdocumentedappearsmost-reliablydistinguishedsubtle-differencesterminal-abdominal-structuresshould-be-comparedagainstpublishedsubsequentgenus-levelcharacterizedreducedabsentfemalesfully-developedmalesrequires-examinationmale-genitaliastructureparaproctsreliableseparationoverlapssimilarmanyexternallydefinitivereliesmicroscopicexaminationcomparisonkeysusedbiologicalindicatorprogramspresenceindicatescoldconditionsno-directeconomicimportanceshreddersgatherersprocessingallochthonousorganicmaterialstreamecosystemsseasonalfoodresourceinsectivorousbirdsotherwhenalternativepreyscarceserveshigh-qualityhabitatsdevelopmentaquaticnymphalstagesterrestrialadultstagenymphsdevelopstreamsextendedperiodlikelyonetwoyearsbasedrelatedspeciesadultsdo-notfeedactiveduringweatherairtemperaturesmaynearbelowfreezingwingedcapableflightwinglessshort-wingedremainwatersurfacematingoccurwinterenteringdepositeggssubmergedsubstratessmallcommonlyknownnumerousdarkemergefewinsectscentraleasternassociatedcleanimportantundermmbodylengthmembersgenuswingspossessfullydevelopedspecificidentificationlevelwithinrequiresmalegenitaliaparticularlymostreliablysubtledifferencestheseterminalabdominalstructuresshouldcompareddescriptionstaxonomicrevisionswinter-emergingmaintainlowhighdissolvedoxygenlevelsthroughoutyearUnitedStatesdistributioncenteredextendssoutheasternmonthstypicallythroughthisactivitygivesrisecommonnamedonotprovidesqualitymonitoringnodirecthabitatmorphologysizegenitalicBathysmatophorini
Bathysmatophorini is a small, basal tribe of leafhoppers in the subfamily Errhomeninae. Species are characterized by robust bodies and dull brown or grey coloration. The tribe was historically classified within Evacanthinae due to morphological similarities. Many females exhibit reduced, non-functional wings. The group is considered rare and has limited distribution in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Brachyinsara hemiptera
least katydid
Brachyinsara hemiptera, commonly known as the least katydid, is a small phaneropterine katydid species first described by Hebard in 1939. It belongs to the family Tettigoniidae and is characterized by its diminutive size compared to other katydids. The species is distributed in North America, with records from Mexico and California.
Calythea micropteryx
Calythea micropteryx is a species of root-maggot fly in the family Anthomyiidae, originally described by Thomson in 1869. The species epithet "micropteryx" refers to reduced or small wings. Very few observations of this species exist in public databases, with only three records on iNaturalist, indicating it is either genuinely rare, cryptic, or underreported.
Caurinus dectes
snow scorpionfly
Caurinus dectes is a species of snow scorpionfly in the family Boreidae, endemic to western North America. It is one of only two species in the genus Caurinus, distinguished by its extremely small size (approximately 2 mm), reduced wings, and flea-like appearance. The species is univoltine, with a life cycle adapted to cool, moist coastal forest environments where it feeds on leafy liverworts.
Drymaplaneta
Shining Cockroaches
Drymaplaneta is an Australian genus of cockroaches in the family Blattidae, comprising six endemic species. Two species, D. heydeniana and D. semivitta, have been introduced to New Zealand. Members of this genus are characterized by reduced, lobiform tegmina and the absence of hind wings, distinguishing them from other Methanini. They are primarily outdoor-dwelling insects that feed on decaying organic matter.
Morsea
monkey grasshopper
Morsea is a genus of monkey grasshoppers in the family Eumastacidae, comprising approximately seven described species. These insects are endemic to the southwestern United States, with species distributed across California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. The genus was established by Scudder in 1898. Species within Morsea are typically associated with arid and semi-arid habitats including chaparral, pinyon-juniper woodland, and sand dune environments.
Oligacanthopus prograptus
Oligacanthopus prograptus is a small cricket species in the family Mogoplistidae, described by Rehn and Hebard in 1912. It belongs to a genus characterized by reduced wing structures and distinctive body ornamentation. The species is known from limited observations in Florida, with only nine documented records on iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff. Mogoplistidae crickets are commonly called scaly crickets due to their distinctive scale-like body covering.
Scleroderminae
Scleroderminae is a subfamily of small parasitoid wasps within the family Bethylidae. Members of this subfamily are characterized by their compact body form and reduced wing venation compared to other bethylids. They are primarily known as parasitoids of beetle larvae, particularly those in wood-boring and stem-boring families. The subfamily includes genera such as Sclerodermus, which has been studied for its potential in biological control.