Sand-dune-specialist
Guides
Agrotis arenarius
Sable Island Cutworm Moth
Agrotis arenarius is a noctuid moth endemic to Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. First described by Neil in 1983, this species is known from only a handful of observations. Its restricted distribution to a single small island makes it one of the most geographically limited Agrotis species. The specific epithet "arenarius" refers to the sandy habitat of its island home.
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.
Alydus calcaratus
ant bug
Alydus calcaratus is a large, dark plant bug in the family Alydidae with a Holarctic distribution spanning Europe, Asia, and northern North America. It is the sole representative of its family in northern Central Europe outside the Alps. Adults are 10–12 mm, blackish with an orange-red dorsal abdomen visible only in flight, and exhibit wasp-like resemblance. Nymphs are convincing ant mimics with an unclear relationship to ant nests. The species feeds primarily on fallen legume seeds, with carrion-feeding also observed.
Ammopelmatus kelsoensis
Kelso Dunes Jerusalem Cricket, Kelso Jerusalem cricket
Ammopelmatus kelsoensis is a large, flightless orthopteran insect endemic to the Kelso Dunes of California. It belongs to the family Stenopelmatidae, commonly known as Jerusalem crickets. The species is distinguished from congeners by specific leg spine and spur characteristics, including short, spatulate apical tibial spurs and reduced ventral spines on the fore and hind tibiae. Adults are active in midsummer. The species has been collected exclusively from burrows of Rhachocnemis colonies, where it has been observed preying on nymphs of that genus.
Ammopelmatus mescaleroensis
Mescalero Jerusalem Cricket
Ammopelmatus mescaleroensis is a species of Jerusalem cricket endemic to the sand dunes of southeastern New Mexico. First described by Tinkham in 1979, it was later found to be conspecific with A. monahansensis, which was synonymized under A. mescaleroensis in a 2024 phylogenomic revision. A neotype has been designated for this species. The species is nocturnal and has been observed in sand dune habitats at night.
Anerastia lotella
Sandhill Knot-horn, Sandhill Knot-horn moth
Anerastia lotella, commonly known as the Sandhill Knot-horn moth, is a small pyralid moth with a chromosome-level genome assembly available. Adults are active in July and are single-brooded. The species shows phenotypic variation between coastal and inland populations, with coastal individuals typically larger and paler.
Anoplius cleora
Anoplius cleora is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. It is closely related to and morphologically similar to Anoplius aethiops, requiring microscopic examination to distinguish between the two. The species is associated with open sand dune habitats, where it replaces its congener A. aethiops. Like other members of the genus, it is a solitary hunter that provisions underground nests with paralyzed wolf spiders as food for its larvae.
Arethaea mescalero
Mescalero Thread-leg Katydid
Arethaea mescalero is a species of thread-leg katydid in the family Tettigoniidae, described by Hebard in 1936. This phaneropterine katydid is endemic to sand dune habitats in the southwestern United States, particularly in New Mexico. The species is characterized by its slender, elongated legs adapted for life in sandy environments. It is one of several species in the genus Arethaea, commonly known as thread-leg katydids, which are specialized for sandy habitats.
Chrysobothris nelsoni
Chrysobothris nelsoni is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Westcott & Alten in 2006. The species is known from sand dune habitats in southern Utah and northern Arizona, where it is associated with Eriogonum alatum (winged buckwheat) as its larval host plant. Adults are bright metallic green and have been observed resting on the basal rosette of leaves of their host plant during daylight hours. The species appears to have a relatively narrow seasonal activity period, with most records from late May through June.
Cicindela albissima
Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle
Cicindela albissima is a highly endemic tiger beetle restricted to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes in southern Utah. Adults are distinguished by nearly pure white elytra with reduced pigmentation, contrasting with a bronze to brown thorax. The species exhibits a bimodal adult activity pattern with peak abundance in mid-April to early May, followed by a smaller secondary emergence in late August to October. Originally described as a subspecies of C. limbata, molecular and morphological evidence elevated it to full species status. The entire global population occupies approximately 400 hectares, making it one of North America's most geographically restricted tiger beetles.
Cicindela arenicola
St. Anthony Dune Tiger Beetle, Idaho Dunes Tiger Beetle
Cicindela arenicola is a rare, endemic tiger beetle restricted to sand dune ecosystems in southern Idaho and southwestern Montana. First described by Rumpp in 1967 from the St. Anthony Dune system of the Snake River Valley, this species is one of several closely related sand dune endemics in the C. maritima species group. Adults display striking coloration with bold white elytral markings, green and copper highlights on the head and pronotum, and dense white pubescence on the sides and undersurface. The species is considered globally imperiled due to its extremely limited range and ongoing habitat degradation from invasive plants, cattle trampling, and off-road vehicle traffic.
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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blowout tiger beetle
Cicindela lengi, the blowout tiger beetle, is a flashy tiger beetle species endemic to dry sand habitats of the central and northern Great Plains of North America. Despite its common name suggesting exclusive association with barren sand blowouts, it occupies a broader range of sandy environments including dune margins, sand flats, and sandy roadsides. The species is uncommon throughout most of its range, though locally abundant in certain areas of Nebraska. It is frequently mistaken for the more common Cicindela formosa due to similar coloration, representing a case of convergent evolution between distantly related taxa.
Cicindela limbata
Sandy Tiger Beetle
Cicindela limbata, the sandy tiger beetle, is a North American tiger beetle species specialized for life in dry sand dune habitats. It is characterized by extensive white maculations on the elytra that serve as thermal reflectance adaptations. The species exhibits a fragmented distribution across the Great Plains and boreal regions, with five recognized subspecies showing geographic variation in maculation patterns and body size correlated with local climate conditions. Populations display behavioral thermoregulation through midday burrowing into sand to avoid extreme surface temperatures.
Cicindela limbata limbata
Sandy Tiger Beetle
Cicindela limbata limbata is the nominate subspecies of the sandy tiger beetle, restricted to dry sand blowout and dune habitats in the Nebraska Sandhills and adjacent areas of Wyoming and South Dakota. It is characterized by extensively developed white maculations on the elytra with metallic green or blue sutural areas and discal markings. The subspecies exhibits distinct thermal adaptations including dense ventral pilosity and midday burrowing behavior to avoid extreme surface temperatures. Eastern populations show reddish suffusion in the green sutural areas, while western populations lack this trait.
Cicindela limbata nympha
Nymphal Tiger Beetle
Cicindela limbata nympha is a subspecies of sandy tiger beetle restricted to open sand habitats of northern Montana, North Dakota, and the Canadian Prairie Provinces. It is separated from the nominate subspecies by a distributional gap to the south. Individuals exhibit more extensively developed white maculations on the elytra than the nominate form, with darker intervening areas. This subspecies is part of a fragmented distribution pattern across North America that likely resulted from historical climate-driven contractions of sand dune habitats.
Cicindela scutellaris yampae
Yampa Tiger Beetle
Cicindela scutellaris yampae, the Yampa Tiger Beetle, is a distinctive subspecies of the Festive Tiger Beetle endemic to sand dune habitats in northwestern Colorado, particularly the Yampa River Valley. First described by Rumpp in 1986, it is characterized by its striking red, white, and blue coloration. The subspecies occurs sympatrically with Cicindela formosa gibsoni in sandy blowout habitats with sparse vegetation. It is considered rare and has been documented from only a handful of localities in Moffat County, Colorado.
Cicindela theatina
Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle, Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle
Cicindela theatina is a sand dune endemic tiger beetle restricted to approximately 290 km² in and around Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado. Adults measure about 13 mm in length and display distinctive violin-shaped markings on the elytra with iridescent green-blue heads. The species exhibits classic thermoregulatory behaviors of sand-dwelling tiger beetles, including basking, stilting, and burrowing to cope with extreme temperature fluctuations. Its entire range falls within protected lands, contributing to its relatively secure conservation status despite its extremely limited distribution.
Cicindela waynei
Bruneau Dune Tiger Beetle, Bruneau Tiger Beetle
Cicindela waynei is a rare, range-restricted tiger beetle endemic to sand dune habitats in southwestern Idaho. It belongs to the C. maritima species group, a clade of sand-dune specialists in central and western North America. The species is classified as globally imperiled by state and federal land management agencies due to its small population size and vulnerability to habitat degradation. It was first described in 2001 and remains one of the most geographically constrained tiger beetles in North America.
Coelus
Dune Beetles
Coelus is a genus of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) endemic to coastal dune habitats along the Pacific Coast of North America. Species within this genus are restricted to sandy beach and dune ecosystems, with some members showing island endemism. The genus includes both mainland and Channel Island species, with documented phylogeographic structure among island populations. Coelus species are part of the tribe Coniontini within the subfamily Pimeliinae.
Copablepharon longipenne
Dusky Dune Moth
Copablepharon longipenne is a noctuid moth native to the Great Plains and southwestern North America. It inhabits sand dune ecosystems where larvae live and feed underground near host plants. The species has a single annual generation, with adults active in mid-summer. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate form and C. l. serraticornis.
Daihinibaenetes arizonensis
Arizona giant sand treader cricket
Daihinibaenetes arizonensis is a wingless orthopteran in the family Rhaphidophoridae, endemic to sand dune habitats near Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. It is among the largest members of its genus, with collected specimens exceeding 2 cm in length. The species exhibits nocturnal activity and specialized fossorial behavior, digging burrows up to 18 inches deep in sand. It is active primarily in spring and is presumed to perish during summer heat.
Daihinibaenetes tanneri
Utah sand-treader cricket
Daihinibaenetes tanneri is a species of camel cricket endemic to sandy habitats in Utah. It belongs to the family Rhaphidophoridae, commonly known as cave crickets or camel crickets. The species is named after the entomologist Wilmer W. Tanner. Very few observations exist, with only four records documented on iNaturalist.
Daihiniodes hastifera
Arizona sand-treader cricket
Daihiniodes hastifera is a flightless cricket known as the Arizona sand-treader cricket. It belongs to the family Rhaphidophoridae, commonly called camel crickets or cave crickets. The species is endemic to arid regions of western North America. Its common name reflects its specialized adaptation to sandy desert habitats.
Embaphion muricatum
Embaphion muricatum is a darkling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae. The species is characterized by a notably explanate, or flattened and expanded, body form that gives it a distinctive appearance among tenebrionids. It has been documented from sand dune habitats in the southwestern United States and from prairie regions in Canada. Observations indicate it is active during late summer and early fall, with adults frequently encountered at night.
Habroscelimorpha dorsalis media
White Beach Tiger Beetle
Habroscelimorpha dorsalis media is a subspecies of tiger beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as the White Beach Tiger Beetle. This subspecies inhabits coastal sand dune environments where it exhibits specialized behaviors for survival in sandy habitats. The larvae of this subspecies display a distinctive defensive behavior: when disturbed, they leap from their burrows, grasp their tail with their mandibles, and allow wind to roll them wheel-like across the sand surface. This rolling escape mechanism has been documented on barrier island dunes off the coast of Georgia.
Habroscelimorpha dorsalis saulcyi
Saulcy's Beach Tiger Beetle
Habroscelimorpha dorsalis saulcyi is a subspecies of beach tiger beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as Saulcy's Beach Tiger Beetle. It is part of a species complex associated with coastal sandy habitats. The subspecies is distributed across parts of the southern United States, Mexico, and Cuba. Like other members of the genus Habroscelimorpha, it is adapted to open, sandy environments where it hunts small invertebrate prey.
Lepismadora algodones
Algodones Sand Jewel Beetle
Lepismadora algodones is a tiny jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) and the sole member of its genus. Described in 1987, it represents the most recently discovered new genus of jewel beetle in the United States. The species exhibits an extraordinarily restricted distribution, having been found only in a single old canal on the west side of the Algodones Sand Hills in southeastern California. Its closest known relative is the genus Eudiadora, known only from Argentina, indicating a remarkable disjunct biogeographic relationship.
Megasoma sleeperi
Sleeper's Elephant Beetle
Megasoma sleeperi is a species of rhinoceros beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is endemic to the Algodones Dunes of southeastern California and adjacent areas of southwestern Arizona and northwestern Mexico. Like other members of the genus Megasoma, it is among the largest beetles in North America. Males possess prominent horns used in combat with other males. The species was described by Hardy in 1972 and is named in honor of collector R. C. Sleeper.
Omorgus texanus
Omorgus texanus is a skin beetle in the family Trogidae, first described by LeConte in 1854. The species is known from Texas in the United States and extends south into northeastern Mexico (Nuevo León, Tamaulipas). Like other members of the genus, it is associated with dry, sandy habitats and has been observed feeding on dried animal matter. The species is part of a diverse genus of hide beetles that play important roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling in arid environments.
Osmia integra
Osmia integra is a solitary mason bee species in the family Megachilidae, native to North America. It is distinguished by its nesting behavior in sand dune habitats, where it constructs shallow nests. The species was described by Cresson in 1878 and includes two recognized subspecies: O. i. integra and O. i. nigrigena. Like other Osmia species, it is a native pollinator, though specific ecological details remain understudied.
Polyphylla
Lined June Beetles
Polyphylla is a genus of scarab beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae, containing approximately 50–85 species distributed across North America, Central America, southern and central Europe, northern Africa, and southern Asia. The genus is commonly known as "lined June beetles" due to the distinctive white elytral scales that form longitudinal stripes on most species. Adults are nocturnal and strongly attracted to lights, while larvae are root-feeders with extended development periods.
Polyphylla decemlineata
Ten-lined June Beetle, Watermelon Beetle
Polyphylla decemlineata is a large scarab beetle native to western North America, commonly known as the Ten-lined June Beetle or Watermelon Beetle. Adults are notable for their distinctive ten white stripes on dark elytra and greatly enlarged, fan-like antennae in males. The species is strongly attracted to lights and exhibits distinctive pheromone-mediated mating behavior where males actively search for flightless females. Larvae develop underground, feeding on roots of grasses and other plants.
Polyphylla hammondi
Hammond's Lined June Beetle
Polyphylla hammondi is a large scarab beetle in the subfamily Melolonthinae. Adults measure 24.8–35.5 mm in length and are highly variable in coloration with almost no stripes or mottling. Males possess greatly enlarged, fan-like antennae used to detect female sex pheromones. The species is strongly associated with sand dune habitats across the Great Plains and southwestern North America. Males are attracted to lights at night and exhibit distinctive splayed-antennae behavior when actively searching for females. Females are rarely encountered and may be flightless.
Polyphylla monahansensis
Monahans ten-lined June beetle, Monahan's ten-lined June beetle
Polyphylla monahansensis is a large scarab beetle endemic to sand dune habitats of the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico. Like other members of the genus, males possess greatly enlarged, fan-like antennae used to detect female sex pheromones. The species is nocturnal and attracted to lights, with males actively searching for flightless females after sunset. It is one of several Polyphylla species specialized to sandy environments in this region.
Polyphylla nubila
Atascadero June beetle
Polyphylla nubila, the Atascadero June beetle, is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is native to North America, with distribution records indicating presence in California, USA. The species belongs to the genus Polyphylla, a group commonly known as lined June beetles or ten-lined June beetles, characterized by males with enlarged, fan-like antennae used to detect female sex pheromones. Like other members of this genus, P. nubila is likely associated with sandy habitats and exhibits nocturnal activity patterns.
Polyphylla pottsorum
Polyphylla pottsorum is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is a member of the diverse genus Polyphylla, commonly known as lined June beetles, which are characterized by their large size and distinctive antennae. The species was described by Hardy in 1978.
Polyphylla starkae
Auburndale Scrub Scarab Beetle
Polyphylla starkae is a large scarab beetle endemic to Florida's Lake Wales Ridge, where it inhabits specialized scrub habitat. The species belongs to the pubescens species complex and exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism: females are flightless with reddish-brown, fused elytra, while males are capable of flight and possess dark elytra with patchy light brown setae. The specific epithet honors collector Donna Stark, and the common name references Auburndale, Florida, near its restricted range.
Polyphylla uteana
Coral Pink Sand Dunes June Beetle
Polyphylla uteana is a large scarab beetle endemic to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes in southwestern Utah. Males possess exceptionally developed lamellate antennae with seven highly elongate plates that fan open to detect female pheromones. The species is nocturnal and attracted to ultraviolet light. Like other Polyphylla species, females are likely flightless and rarely encountered.
Polyphylla variolosa
Variegated June Beetle
Polyphylla variolosa, commonly known as the Variegated June Beetle, is a scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is a medium-sized species, approximately 2 cm in length, with reddish-brown coloration. Males possess enlarged, fan-like antennae with seven antennomeres that are longer than those of females, which they use to detect female sex pheromones. The species is associated with sandy soil habitats, particularly in coastal and Great Lakes regions of eastern North America.
Prionus palparis
Prionus palparis is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1824. It belongs to the subfamily Prioninae, a group of large, robust beetles commonly known as prionids or sawyers. The species has been recorded from sand dune habitats in the southwestern United States, particularly in New Mexico. Like other members of the genus Prionus, males are attracted to prionic acid, a sex pheromone component used in field studies to detect and collect specimens.
Psammopolia arietis
Psammopolia arietis is a noctuid moth restricted to Pacific Coast sand beaches from Mendocino, California to south-western Alaska. Adults fly from late July to early September. The larvae inhabit sand dunes and feed on specific coastal plants including beach pea, seashore knotweed, and yellow sand-verbena. The species is absent from the inland Strait of Georgia, indicating a strict dependence on outer coastal habitats.
Pseudocotalpa giulianii
Giuliani's dune scarab, Giuliani's dune scarab beetle
Pseudocotalpa giulianii is a sand dune-inhabiting scarab beetle endemic to Nevada, United States. It is named for Derham Giuliani, who first collected the species from the Amargosa Desert. The species exhibits sexual size dimorphism, with males measuring 17–25 mm and females 14–22 mm in length.
Pseudocotalpa sonorica
Sonoran shining leaf chafer
Pseudocotalpa sonorica is a species of shining leaf chafer endemic to the Algodones Dunes in North America. The holotype male measures 21 mm in length. The species belongs to the family Scarabaeidae and has been described in detail including its larval stage.
Rhaphiomidinae
Rhaphiomidinae is a subfamily of mydid flies (Diptera: Mydidae) comprising the genus Rhaphiomidas and its close relatives. These are among the largest flies in North America, with adults reaching substantial body sizes. The group is notable for its extreme rarity, highly restricted geographic distributions, and brief adult activity periods concentrated in desert spring or fall seasons. Several species are of significant conservation concern due to habitat specialization on sand dune systems.
Trogloderus vandykei
Trogloderus vandykei is a darkling beetle (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in the psammophilic genus Trogloderus. Originally described as a subspecies of T. costatus from outside 29 Palms, California, it was elevated to species status by Johnston (2018). The subspecific name T. costatus mayhewi was synonymized with T. vandykei. Like other members of its genus, this species is associated with sandy habitats in the western United States.
Trogloderus verpus
Trogloderus verpus is a psammophilic darkling beetle described in 2019 from the eastern Colorado Plateau. It belongs to a genus restricted to dunes and sandy habitats in the western United States, with species having diversified during the mid-Pleistocene in response to geographic features of the Intermountain Region.