Specialist-herbivores
Guides
Amorpha
false indigo, false indigos, leadplant, desert false indigo, indigo bush
Amorpha is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) native to North America, ranging from southern Canada through most of the United States to northern Mexico. The genus is distinguished by its unique floral morphology: unlike typical pea-family flowers with the standard wing and keel petal structure, Amorpha flowers possess only a single petal, giving the genus its Greek name meaning "deformed" or "without form." The approximately 15 species include shrubs and subshrubs occupying diverse habitats from prairies to riparian corridors, with some species serving as important larval host plants for specialized insects and others showing invasive tendencies outside their native ranges.
Caryocolum
Curved-horn moths
Caryocolum is a genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae, commonly known as Curved-horn moths. The genus contains over 80 species distributed across the Palearctic and Nearctic realms, with the highest diversity in mountainous regions of Europe. Species are specialized feeders on plants in the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), particularly genera such as Cerastium and Stellaria. The genus has been subject to intensive taxonomic revision due to high levels of cryptic diversity, with numerous species described in recent decades using integrative approaches combining DNA barcoding and morphology.
Corythaica
eggplant tingids, lace bugs
Corythaica is a genus of lace bugs (family Tingidae) commonly referred to as eggplant tingids. The genus contains more than 20 described species distributed in the Neotropical region. Species in this genus are predominantly specialist feeders on plants in the family Solanaceae, with several species recognized as economically important agricultural pests.
Stenoptilia
plume moths
Stenoptilia is a genus of plume moths in the family Pterophoridae. Species in this genus are characterized by their specialized feeding relationships with particular host plants, often as seed predators or bud/flower feeders. The genus has been documented across Europe, Asia, and South America, with some species showing strong habitat specificity and limited dispersal capacity.