Southwestern-united-states
Guides
Monostoecha semipectinata
Monostoecha semipectinata is a small moth and the sole species in the monotypic genus Monostoecha. It was first described by George Duryea Hulst in 1898 and later placed in its own genus by David Stephen Fletcher in 1979. The species is known from the American Southwest, with records from arid and semi-arid regions. It belongs to the family Geometridae, commonly known as inchworm or geometer moths.
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.
Myrmecocystus mendax
honey ant, honeypot ant
Myrmecocystus mendax is a species of honeypot ant native to Mexico and the Southwestern United States. The species exhibits notable intraspecific variation in social organization: populations in the Sierra Ancha Mountains of central Arizona display primary polygyny with cooperative colony founding by multiple unrelated queens, while Chiricahua Mountains populations are predominantly monogynous with single-queen founding. Mature colonies in polygynous populations contain an average of 6.27 queens. The species produces specialized replete workers that serve as living food storage vessels.
Nasusina minuta
Nasusina minuta is a small geometrid moth first described by George Duryea Hulst in 1896. It is restricted to arid regions of the southwestern United States, where adults are active primarily in spring with additional late-season emergences. The species is notable for its diminutive size among geometrid moths.
Nenema confragosa
Nenema confragosa is a species of planthopper in the family Caliscelidae, described by Doering in 1941. It is one of several species in the genus Nenema, a group of small, often inconspicuous planthoppers found in arid regions of western North America. The species appears to be restricted to the southwestern United States, with records from Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. Like other Caliscelidae, it likely inhabits grassland and shrubland environments where it feeds on plant sap.
Nenema convergens
Nenema convergens is a species of planthopper in the family Caliscelidae, first described by Bunn in 1930. It belongs to the order Hemiptera, suborder Auchenorrhyncha, within the infraorder Fulgoromorpha. The species is recorded from the southwestern United States, specifically Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. Little is known about its biology, ecology, or host associations.
Neodactylota egena
Neodactylota egena is a small gelechiid moth described by Ronald W. Hodges in 1966. It is known from limited records in the southwestern United States, specifically California and Arizona. The species is characterized by its modest size and relatively plain gray-brown forewings with subtle discal markings.
Netrosoma fusiformis
Fusiform camel cricket
Netrosoma fusiformis is a species of grasshopper in the family Acrididae, subfamily Melanoplinae. The species was described by Scudder in 1897. It is associated with aridland scrub habitats in the southwestern United States and Mexico, particularly in the Big Bend region of Texas. The species has been observed sheltering beneath leaves of sotol (Dasylirion) during extreme midday heat alongside other flightless desert grasshoppers.
Neurocolpus simplex
Neurocolpus simplex is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, described by Van Duzee in 1918. It belongs to a genus of mirid bugs found in North America. The species is known from the southwestern United States, with records from Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and California. As a member of the Miridae, it is a true bug with piercing-sucking mouthparts.
Nicrophorus mexicanus
Mexican burying beetle
Nicrophorus mexicanus is a burying beetle in the family Silphidae, described by Matthews in 1888. The species is distributed across the southwestern United States and Central America, including Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. As a member of the genus Nicrophorus, it exhibits the characteristic behavior of burying small vertebrate carcasses to serve as food for developing larvae.
burying-beetlecarrion-beetleSilphidaeNicrophorinaeMatthews-1888scavengervertebrate-carcassparental-caresouthwestern-United-StatesCentral-AmericaMexicoGuatemalaEl-SalvadorHondurasArizonaCaliforniaColoradoKansasNew-MexicoNevadaTexasUtahIowadecompositioncarrionNicrophorusbeetleColeopterainsectarthropodNoctueliopsis brunnealis
Brown Bantam
Noctueliopsis brunnealis is a crambid moth described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1972. It occurs in the southwestern United States and exhibits bimodal adult flight activity. The species is known by the common name Brown Bantam.
Nolima pinal
Nolima pinal is a mantidfly species endemic to the southwestern United States, ranging from Arizona to Nevada. First described by Rehn in 1939, the species was redescribed in a 2019 taxonomic revision that synonymized N. dine and N. kantsi under it. The species is distinguished by distinctive male abdominal cuticular structures and genitalic morphology, including a strongly projecting, deeply bifid male mediuncus apex and a female spermatheca with a distal accessory gland. Its forewing has a short subcostal space with Sc contacting C near the middle of the costal margin, distal to the pterostigma base.
Norvellina flavida
Norvellina flavida is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, first described by Lindsay in 1938. It belongs to the tribe Platymetopiini within the subfamily Deltocephalinae. Like other leafhoppers, it is a true bug with piercing-sucking mouthparts used to feed on plant sap. The species is documented from the southwestern United States.
Octinodes amplicollis
Octinodes amplicollis is a species of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species has been documented in the southwestern United States, with confirmed observations in Arizona. Adults have been collected from flowers of Isocoma tenuisecta and other yellow composite flowers in late summer. The species belongs to a genus of small to medium-sized buprestid beetles.
Oeclidius transversus
Oeclidius transversus is a species of planthopper in the family Meenoplidae, first described by Ball in 1934. The species is currently accepted as valid, though it was previously listed as a synonym in some sources. It belongs to the infraorder Fulgoromorpha, a group of true bugs commonly known as planthoppers. Like other members of its family, this species is likely associated with specific host plants, though detailed biological information remains limited.
Ogdoconta moreno
Ogdoconta moreno is a small noctuid moth described by William Barnes in 1907. It is known only from southern Arizona in the United States, though its range likely extends into adjacent Mexico. The species exhibits distinctive wing patterning with contrasting light patches and angled transverse lines. Adults are active during the summer monsoon season.
Ogdoconta satana
A small noctuid moth described in 2013, characterized by uniformly dark ash-black forewings and contrastingly pale hindwings. The species is known from limited localities in the southwestern United States and likely occurs in adjacent Mexico. Its specific epithet references the Marvel comic character Satana, alluding to the moth's dark coloration.
Okanagana magnifica
Okanagana magnifica is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae, described by Davis in 1919. It is native to western North America, with documented occurrences in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico. The species belongs to the genus Okanagana, which comprises annual cicadas rather than periodical species. As with other Okanagana species, it likely inhabits arid and semi-arid environments characteristic of its southwestern range.
Okanagana schaefferi
A western North American cicada species described by Davis in 1915. Records indicate presence in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States including Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. As a member of the genus Okanagana, it belongs to a group of annual cicadas rather than the periodical cicadas of eastern North America.
Okanagana venusta
Okanagana venusta is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae, described by Davis in 1935. It belongs to the genus Okanagana, which contains numerous species of annual cicadas found in western North America. The species is documented from the southwestern United States including Arizona, California, and Utah. Like other Okanagana species, it is presumed to have a typical cicada life cycle involving nymphal development underground and adult emergence, though specific details for this species remain poorly documented.
Onthophagus coproides
Onthophagus coproides is a small dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Horn in 1881. It measures 11–14 mm in length. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it participates in dung decomposition and nutrient cycling in arid and semi-arid environments.
Orgamara reducta
Orgamara reducta is a species of planthopper in the family Dictyopharidae, first described by Ball in 1909. The species belongs to the subfamily Orgeriinae, a group commonly known as grass-feeding planthoppers. It is distributed across parts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Records indicate occurrence in California, New Mexico, and Baja California.
Orizabus pinalicus
Orizabus pinalicus is a rhinoceros beetle described in 2011 from the southwestern United States. It belongs to the genus Orizabus, a group of relatively small dynastine scarabs. The species is known from limited records in Arizona and Texas.
Pachybrachis dubiosus
Pachybrachis dubiosus is a species of case-bearing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It was described by J.L. LeConte in 1880. The species belongs to a genus characterized by small, rounded leaf beetles that often carry egg cases or debris on their bodies. Records indicate presence in North America, with observations documented in the southwestern United States.
Pachybrachis gilberti
Pachybrachis gilberti is a species of case-bearing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described by Barney in 2019. The genus Pachybrachis contains numerous small, often colorful leaf beetles commonly known as 'scriptured leaf beetles' due to their frequently ornate elytral patterns. This species was documented during a 2021 collecting trip in southeastern Arizona, where specimens were attracted to ultraviolet and mercury-vapor light stations in mesquite-acacia scrub habitat. As a recently described species, detailed natural history information remains limited.
Pachybrachis jacobyi
Pachybrachis jacobyi is a species of case-bearing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It was described by Bowditch in 1909. The species has been documented in the southwestern United States, particularly in Arizona, where it has been collected at light stations in mesquite-acacia scrub and oak-juniper woodland habitats. Like other members of the genus Pachybrachis, it is likely associated with woody vegetation, though specific host plant relationships remain poorly documented.
Pachybrachis othonus
Legume Case-bearing Leaf Beetle
Pachybrachis othonus is a case-bearing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, commonly known as the Legume Case-bearing Leaf Beetle. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1825 and is native to North America. It belongs to a genus characterized by larvae that construct protective cases from fecal material and shed skins.
Pachybrachis petronius
A species of flea beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described by Fall in 1915. The species has been documented in the southwestern United States, specifically in Arizona, where it has been collected at light stations in mesquite/acacia scrub habitat. Like other members of the genus Pachybrachis, it is likely associated with woody vegetation.
Pachybrachis stygicus
Pachybrachis stygicus is a small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, first described by Fall in 1915. The genus Pachybrachis is part of the tribe Pachybrachini, commonly known as the scriptured leaf beetles for their often intricate elytral patterns. The species epithet 'stygicus' derives from Greek mythology, referring to the river Styx, suggesting dark or gloomy coloration. Records indicate presence in North America, with observations documented in the southwestern United States.
Pachybrachis subvittatus
Pachybrachis subvittatus is a species of case-bearing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is a small beetle belonging to a genus of flea beetles and case-bearers distributed across North America. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1880. Like other members of its genus, it likely carries its eggs in cases constructed from fecal material, a characteristic trait of the Cryptocephalinae subfamily.
Pachybrachis tacitus
A small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described by Fall in 1915. Like other members of the genus Pachybrachis, this species is part of a diverse group of case-bearing leaf beetles found in North America. The species is documented from limited collection records, with observations spanning the southwestern United States.
Pachyschelus secedens
Pachyschelus secedens is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It occurs in Central America and North America, with confirmed records from the southwestern United States including Arizona. Field observations indicate it is associated with Desmodium species, on which it has been collected by beating vegetation.
Pantarbes capito
Pantarbes capito is a species of bee fly (family Bombyliidae) described by Osten Sacken in 1877. It is known from the southwestern United States, with records spanning from California to Wyoming. As a member of the bee fly family, it belongs to a group of flies that are typically pollinators and often parasitoids of other insects. The genus Pantarbes is classified within the subfamily Cythereinae.
Panthea greyi
Panthea greyi is a noctuid moth described in 2009 by Anweiler. It is known from montane regions of the southwestern United States, specifically in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and southern Utah, at elevations between 1524 and 2545 meters. Adults are active during summer months, with males having a wingspan of 38–45 mm and females 42–50 mm.
Paranthidium jugatorium
Sunflower Burrowing-Resin bee
Paranthidium jugatorium is a resin bee in the family Megachilidae, commonly known as the Sunflower Burrowing-Resin bee. It is native to North and Central America, with records spanning from the southwestern United States through Mexico. The species belongs to the tribe Anthidiini, a group known for constructing nests using plant resins and other materials. Four subspecies are recognized, differing in geographic distribution and minor morphological traits.
Paraptorthodius
glowworm beetles
Paraptorthodius is a genus of glowworm beetles in the family Phengodidae, established by Schaeffer in 1904. The genus contains at least three described species distributed in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Like other phengodids, members of this genus are bioluminescent, with luminescence produced primarily by larviform females and larvae. The genus belongs to the tribe Mastinocerini within the subfamily Phengodinae.
Paratyndaris tucsoni
Paratyndaris tucsoni is a species of jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) in the subfamily Polycestinae. It was described by Knull in 1938 and belongs to the subgenus Paratyndaris (Paratyndaris) Fisher. The genus Paratyndaris is a southwestern and Mexican group of beetles that are often poorly represented in collections. A 2004 revision by Nelson & Bellamy recognized three subgenera within Paratyndaris and provided comprehensive taxonomic treatment of the genus.
Paravilla mercedis
Paravilla mercedis is a species of bee fly in the family Bombyliidae, described by Coquillett in 1887. It occurs in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. As a member of the tribe Villini, it shares the characteristic bee-like appearance common to this group of flies.
Parvindela lemniscata
Parvindela lemniscata is a species of tiger beetle in the subfamily Cicindelinae. It was formerly placed in the genus Cylindera but has been transferred to Parvindela based on morphological and molecular evidence. The species occurs in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Adults are active during warmer months and are attracted to ultraviolet lights at night.
Pelecyphorus contortus
Pelecyphorus contortus is a species of darkling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853 from the southwestern United States. The species was originally described under the genus Microschatia before transfer to Pelecyphorus. Records indicate it occurs in arid regions, consistent with the desert-adapted ecology typical of many tenebrionid beetles. The genus Pelecyphorus is characterized by compact body forms and cryptic coloration suited to xeric environments.
Phaeoura perfidaria
Phaeoura perfidaria is a moth species in the family Geometridae, first described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1917. It is a medium-sized geometrid with a wingspan of 40–47 mm. The species is restricted to the southwestern United States.
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.
Pheidole tepicana
Tepic Big-headed Ant
Pheidole tepicana is a species of big-headed ant in the genus Pheidole, first described by Pergande in 1896. It belongs to the hyperdiverse ant genus Pheidole, which contains over 1,000 species and is characterized by its dimorphic worker castes. The species is found in the southwestern United States and Mexico, placing it within a region of high native ant diversity.
Phengodes arizonensis
Arizona Glowworm Beetle
Phengodes arizonensis is a species of glowworm beetle in the family Phengodidae. The species is known from North America, with observations concentrated in the southwestern United States. Like other phengodid beetles, it exhibits bioluminescence. Larvae of related Phengodes species are specialist predators of millipedes, employing unique strategies to circumvent millipede chemical defenses.
Philoponella oweni
Philoponella oweni is a small cribellate orb-weaver spider (4.7–7.1 mm) found in arid regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The species exhibits facultative semi-social behavior, with females living either solitarily or in communal groups of 2–40 individuals depending on web-site availability and prey abundance. Despite communal living, individuals do not cooperate in prey capture, web construction, or brood care. Communal females benefit from higher feeding rates and greater egg production, but suffer increased parasitism by pteromalid wasps, resulting in equivalent net reproductive success between strategies.
Pholisora mejicanus
Mexican Sootywing
Pholisora mejicanus, commonly known as the Mexican Sootywing, is a skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is distributed from the southwestern United States through most of Mexico, occupying open habitats including disturbed roadsides, railways, and mountainous gulches. The species exhibits rapid, darting flight typical of skippers and can be distinguished from similar Pholisora species by the blue-gray underside of its hindwings with contrasting black veins.
Phyllophaga idonea
Phyllophaga idonea is a species of May beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Sanderson in 1948. Like other members of the genus Phyllophaga, it belongs to a highly diverse group of scarab beetles with over 400 species in North America. Species in this genus are typically nocturnal as adults, with larvae feeding on plant roots in soil. The specific biology and ecology of P. idonea remain poorly documented compared to some congeners.
Phyllophaga vetula
Old Man June Bug
Phyllophaga vetula is a scarab beetle species in the family Scarabaeidae, commonly known as the Old Man June Bug. The species occurs across the southwestern United States and throughout much of Mexico. Like other members of the genus Phyllophaga, it belongs to a large and taxonomically challenging group of beetles often referred to as May beetles or June bugs. The genus contains over 400 species in North America, many of which are difficult to distinguish without examination of genitalia.
Picumna maculata
Picumna maculata is a species of planthopper in the family Issidae, described by Melichar in 1906. It belongs to the tribe Thioniini within the subfamily Issinae. Like other issid planthoppers, it is characterized by a compact body form and wings held in a tent-like position over the body. The specific epithet 'maculata' suggests a spotted or maculate color pattern, though detailed descriptions of adult morphology remain limited in available sources.
Pima occidentalis
snout moth
Pima occidentalis is a species of snout moth (family Pyralidae) native to the southwestern United States. The species was formerly treated as a subspecies of Pima albiplagiatella but is now recognized as distinct. Larvae are specialized feeders on Astragalus and Lathyrus species. Populations in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona produce two generations annually.