Restricted-range
Guides
Acrolophitus pulchellus
Idaho point-headed grasshopper
Acrolophitus pulchellus is a species of grasshopper in the family Acrididae, endemic to Idaho in the United States. It occupies a highly restricted range in dry, sparsely vegetated shrubland habitats on foothills and floodplains. The species is characterized by its pointed head, soft hairy body covering, and distinctive green and white coloration. It is closely associated with stemless mock goldenweed (Stenotus acaulis) as an important host plant.
Acronicta valliscola
Acronicta valliscola is a small noctuid moth described by André Blanchard in 1968. It is known exclusively from Big Bend National Park in western Texas, making it one of the most geographically restricted species in the genus. The species has a wingspan of 30–35 mm. Very little is known about its biology or ecology due to its limited known distribution and few documented observations.
Aethecerinus hornii
Horn's Aethecerinus Long-Horned Beetle
Aethecerinus hornii is a rare longhorned beetle (family Cerambycidae) endemic to Florida scrub habitat in Highlands and Lee counties. Described by Lacordaire in 1869, this species belongs to the tribe Trachyderini, a group known for bright coloration, flower-feeding behavior, and diurnal activity. The species is extremely restricted in range and poorly represented in collections, with only five observations documented.
Aglaothorax longipennis
Santa Monica shieldback katydid, Santa Monica Mountains Shieldback
Aglaothorax longipennis is a shieldback katydid endemic to the United States, specifically known from the Santa Monica Mountains region of California. It belongs to the family Tettigoniidae, which includes katydids, crickets, and bush-crickets. The species was originally described as Neduba longipennis before being transferred to the genus Aglaothorax. It has been studied at Topanga State Park, indicating a restricted range within coastal southern California.
Aleptina arenaria
Aleptina arenaria is a small noctuid moth described in 2011. The species is known exclusively from White Sands National Park in New Mexico, where it inhabits the gypsum sand dune field. Its specific epithet references this specialized sandy habitat. The species is known from only two observations, making it one of the most geographically restricted moths in North America.
Apantesis edwardsii
A tiger moth in the family Erebidae, Apantesis edwardsii was described by Stretch in 1872. It has a highly restricted distribution, known only from the San Francisco area of California and Klamath County in Oregon. The species was transferred from the genus Grammia to Apantesis in a taxonomic revision that consolidated several related genera.
Apocrisias thaumasta
Apocrisias thaumasta is the sole species in the monotypic moth genus Apocrisias, described by John G. Franclemont in 1966. The species belongs to the family Erebidae and is known from a restricted range in the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is classified within the subfamily Arctiinae (tiger moths), though detailed biological information remains limited due to its rarity and narrow distribution.
Autographa speciosa
Autographa speciosa is a noctuid moth in the subfamily Plusiinae, known from a restricted range in western North America. The species was described by Ottolengui in 1902. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 38 mm and are active in midsummer. The limited geographic distribution and specific habitat associations make this a regionally significant species for Pacific Northwest and California lepidopteran fauna.
Bagisara brouana
Bagisara brouana is a noctuid moth described by A.D.C. Ferguson in 1997. It is known from only two US states—Louisiana and Mississippi—representing one of the most geographically restricted species in the genus. Its extremely limited range has been hypothesized to reflect specialized larval host plant associations, potentially to a single plant genus or species with similarly restricted distribution. The species belongs to the subfamily Bagisarinae, a small New World group whose biology remains poorly documented.
Cambarus tartarus
Oklahoma Cave Crayfish
Cambarus tartarus is a critically endangered cave-dwelling crayfish endemic to two caves in Delaware County, Oklahoma. Described in 1972, this species has one of the most restricted ranges of any North American crayfish. The IUCN assessed it as Critically Endangered in 2010, noting an extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future due to its tiny geographic range and vulnerability to groundwater contamination.
Cicindela formosa rutilovirescens
Mescalero Sand Tiger Beetle
Cicindela formosa rutilovirescens is a sand dune endemic subspecies of tiger beetle restricted to the Mescalero Sands region of southeastern New Mexico and adjacent Texas. First described by Rumpp in 1986, it is distinguished from other C. formosa subspecies by its distinctive greenish-red to coppery coloration. The subspecies is active in late summer and fall, with adults running on open sandy surfaces. It is considered uncommon and patchily distributed within its restricted habitat range.
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Timbisha Tiger Beetle
Cicindela timbisha is a recently described tiger beetle species endemic to a single freshwater spring locality in Inyo County, California, east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The species occupies an extremely restricted geographic range of less than 5 hectares, making it highly vulnerable to extinction. Adults have been observed ovipositing in damp dark soils along the spring margin. The specific habitat requirements and highly localized distribution suggest this species has precise microhabitat needs associated with freshwater spring environments in an otherwise arid region.
Cybaeus
Soft Spiders
Cybaeus is a genus of araneomorph spiders in the family Cybaeidae, first described by Ludwig Carl Christian Koch in 1868. The genus contains approximately 198 species distributed across America, Europe, Japan, Korea, and China. North American species are classified into Holarctic and Californian clades, with many exhibiting restricted geographic ranges and conservation concerns. Females of different species are difficult to distinguish, particularly in North America; species identification relies heavily on examination of male pedipalps.
Eupithecia pretansata
Pug moth
Eupithecia pretansata is a small geometrid moth in the pug moth genus Eupithecia. It is known from a restricted range in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, specifically the Huachuca Mountains of Arizona and Chihuahua. Like other Eupithecia species, it exhibits the characteristic narrow wings and distinctive resting posture typical of pug moths. The species was described by Grossbeck in 1908.
Flexamia huroni
Huron River Leafhopper
Flexamia huroni is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, described by Bess & Hamilton in 1999. It belongs to the genus Flexamia, a group of leafhoppers known for their specialized host plant associations with grasses. The species is named after the Huron River in Michigan, where it was first collected. Like other members of the genus, it likely exhibits strong ecological dependence on specific grass host plants.
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lobal-biodiversity-information-facilityesbiodiversity-image-portalspanish-collectionstype-specimenlichenantarcticabernensisliyellowstoneGomphurus gonzalezi
Tamaulipan Clubtail
Gomphurus gonzalezi, commonly known as the Tamaulipan clubtail, is a dragonfly species in the family Gomphidae. It is restricted to a narrow geographic range along the lower Rio Grande, occurring in Texas, USA and San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The species was originally described by Dunkle in 1992. The genus Gomphurus was elevated from subgenus to genus rank in 2017, reclassifying this species from Gomphus.
Gomphurus ozarkensis
Ozark Clubtail
Gomphurus ozarkensis is a clubtail dragonfly endemic to the south-central United States. Described in 1975, it occupies a restricted four-state range spanning southeastern Kansas, eastern Oklahoma, western and northern Arkansas, and southern Missouri. The species exhibits geographic variation across three distinct subpopulations separated by watershed boundaries. Its limited distribution has prompted conservation concern.
Hylaeus graenicheri
Graenicher's Masked Bee, Graenicher's Yellow-faced Bee
Hylaeus graenicheri is a species of masked bee in the family Colletidae, endemic to southern Florida. It is one of only five Colletidae species restricted entirely to Florida. Like other members of the genus Hylaeus, it is nearly hairless and wasp-like in appearance, with yellow or white facial markings. The species is poorly known due to its restricted range and limited study.
Lithophane leeae
Lithophane leeae is a noctuid moth described in 2009, notable for its extremely restricted distribution. It is known solely from the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona, making it one of the most geographically limited species in its genus. The species was named by Walsh and remains poorly known due to its rarity and limited study.
Macrobaenetes sierrapintae
Sierra Pinta Giant Sand-treader Cricket
Macrobaenetes sierrapintae is a species of camel cricket in the family Rhaphidophoridae, endemic to the Sierra Pinta mountains of southwestern Arizona. Described by Tinkham in 1962, it belongs to a genus specialized for life in sandy desert habitats. The species is among the largest members of the genus Macrobaenetes. Like other members of this genus, it possesses enlarged hind tarsi adapted for locomotion on loose sand.
Macroscytalus chisosensis
Macroscytalus chisosensis is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae. It is endemic to the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park in Texas, USA. The species is known from a limited number of specimens collected at high elevations in this isolated mountain range. Its restricted distribution makes it a notable example of localized endemism in the Chihuahuan Desert region.
Melanoplus indicifer
spinecercus short-wing grasshopper, east coast scrub grasshopper
Melanoplus indicifer is a species of spur-throated grasshopper endemic to a restricted range in Florida. It inhabits scrub habitats on the Atlantic Coastal Ridge in Palm Beach County. The species is characterized by short wings, a trait reflected in one of its common names. Its limited distribution makes it vulnerable to habitat loss from development and fire suppression.
Microcentrum minus
Texas Angle-wing Katydid, Texas Anglewing
Microcentrum minus, commonly known as the Texas Angle-wing Katydid, is the smallest species in the genus Microcentrum. It is a leaf-mimicking katydid found only in extreme south Texas, making it the most geographically restricted member of its genus in the United States. Like other angle-wing katydids, it exhibits cryptic green coloration and produces sound through stridulation.
Milgithea alboplagialis
Milgithea alboplagialis is a small snout moth in the family Pyralidae, first described by Harrison G. Dyar in 1905. It is known only from the Huachuca Mountains in southeastern Arizona, where it inhabits montane environments. The species is characterized by a relatively modest wingspan of 23–27 mm. Like other members of its genus, it belongs to the subfamily Epipaschiinae, a group of pyralid moths whose larvae are generally associated with dead or decaying plant material.
Neduba carinata
shield-backed katydid
Neduba carinata is a shield-backed katydid endemic to Fremont Peak in San Benito County, California. Formerly applied broadly to katydids across the western United States, this name now applies only to a restricted population following elevation of most subspecies to full species status. It is distinguished from the similar N. diabloica by a pronotum that is slightly longer and narrower.
Ogdoconta sexta
Ogdoconta sexta is a small noctuid moth described in 1913 from extreme southern Texas. Adults are active in spring and early summer, with a secondary flight period in September. The species has a very restricted known range, limited to two counties at the Texas-Mexico border.
Optioservus phaeus
Scott optioservus riffle beetle
Optioservus phaeus is a species of riffle beetle (family Elmidae) described by White in 1978. It belongs to a genus of small aquatic beetles inhabiting running waters. The species was described as part of a taxonomic revision based on male genitalia, elytral patterns, and geographic distribution. It is known from a highly restricted range in Kansas.
Paradonus beckeri
Paradonus beckeri is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, described by Stibick in 1991. It belongs to the genus Paradonus, which is part of the diverse Elateridae family characterized by their ability to produce a clicking sound through a prosternal process that snaps against a mesosternal groove. The species is known from limited collection records in eastern Canada.
Phalaenophana extremalis
Phalaenophana extremalis is a moth species in the family Erebidae, first described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1912. It is known from a restricted range in the southwestern United States. The species has been subject to taxonomic revision, with some authorities placing it in the genus Phaeolita.
Polyphylla donaldsoni
Donaldson's lined June beetle
Polyphylla donaldsoni is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Skelley in 2003. It is a member of the lined June beetle genus Polyphylla, which is most diverse in the southwestern United States. Adults are medium-sized beetles that closely resemble Polyphylla pubescens but can be distinguished by specific morphological features. The species has an extremely restricted distribution, known only from central Georgia.
Sigmoria ainsliei
Sigmoria ainsliei is a large flat-backed millipede in the family Xystodesmidae, endemic to a narrow region of eastern Tennessee. First described in 1921, it is one of the largest xystodesmid millipedes in North America, with adults exceeding 50 mm in length. The species has a highly restricted distribution spanning approximately 50 km from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Knoxville.
Slaterobius chisos
Slaterobius chisos is a species of seed bug in the family Rhyparochromidae, described by Slater & Sweet in 1993. It is known from the Chisos Mountains region of western Texas, a rugged desert mountain range within Big Bend National Park. The species belongs to a genus of ground-dwelling seed bugs associated with arid and semi-arid habitats. Like other members of Rhyparochromidae, it is presumed to feed on seeds, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented. The species is rarely collected and appears to have a restricted geographic range.
Tricholita ferrisi
Tricholita ferrisi is a small noctuid moth described in 2009, known exclusively from two sky island localities in southeastern Arizona. The species occupies high-elevation coniferous forest habitats in the Madrean Sky Islands region. All known specimens were collected by light trap in late July, suggesting a narrow seasonal activity window.