Synonymy
Guides
Berosus sayi
Berosus sayi is a species of water scavenger beetle in the family Hydrophilidae, native to North America. First described by Thomas Say in 1825 as Berosus striatus, it was later renamed Berosus sayi by Hansen in 1999. The species is characterized by a distinctive morphological trait in females: a small tooth on the suture near the apex of each elytron.
Carpophilus pilosellus
Carpophilus pilosellus is a species of sap-feeding beetle in the family Nitidulidae. It has been established as a junior synonym of Carpophilus marginellus Motschulsky, 1858 based on examination of type specimens. The species belongs to a genus containing several agricultural pests, though specific biological details for C. pilosellus itself remain poorly documented.
Cheirodes
Cheirodes is a genus of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) in the tribe Melanimonini. The genus was established by Géné in 1839 and was revived in 1973 when T. J. Spilman synonymized the later name Anemia (Laporte, 1840) with Cheirodes. It contains numerous species distributed across Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America, organized into six recognized subgenera. Many species were originally described under Anemia and later transferred to Cheirodes.
Chlorophorus fainanensis
Chlorophorus fainanensis is a longhorn beetle species in the family Cerambycidae, originally described by Maurice Pic in 1918. The species is currently treated as a synonym of Chlorophorus signaticollis in some taxonomic databases, though it remains recognized as a valid species in others. It belongs to the diverse genus Chlorophorus, which contains numerous bamboo-feeding species. The taxonomic status of this species appears to be unsettled, with conflicting treatments across major biodiversity databases.
Chlorostrymon simaethis sarita
Sarita Hairstreak
Chlorostrymon simaethis sarita is a subspecies of hairstreak butterfly in the family Lycaenidae, historically described from Baja California. It is currently treated as a synonym under Chlorostrymon simaethis, though some sources maintain it as a valid subspecies. The name honors its type locality and has been subject to taxonomic revision.
Colopterus niger
Colopterus niger is a small sap beetle in the family Nitidulidae, originally described by Thomas Say in 1823. The species is currently treated as a synonym of Carpophilus niger in some taxonomic databases, reflecting ongoing systematic revisions within the genus. It occurs in North America and belongs to a group of beetles commonly associated with fermenting plant materials and fungal substrates.
Ellychnia facula
Ellychnia facula is a species of firefly in the family Lampyridae. It is currently treated as a synonym of Photinus faculus in some taxonomic databases, though the original combination under Ellychnia persists in literature. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1854 and is recorded as widespread across North America. Like other members of the genus Ellychnia, this species belongs to the 'dark firefly' group—adults that lack the light-producing organs typical of most fireflies.
Elytroleptus divisus
Elytroleptus divisus is a longhorned beetle species in the family Cerambycidae, originally described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1884. The species was previously known as Elytroleptus dichromaticus until that name was synonymized with E. divisus in a 2013 taxonomic revision. The species exhibits intraspecific polychromatic variation in coloration. Like other members of its genus, E. divisus is a lycid beetle mimic, displaying orange and black coloration that resembles the aposematic warning coloration of distasteful net-winged beetles (family Lycidae). The genus Elytroleptus is distributed throughout the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America, with most species occurring in arid and semi-arid regions.
Empoa gillettei
Empoa gillettei is a Nearctic leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, originally described by Van Duzee in 1917. It belongs to the gillettei complex—a group of 14 Nearctic species within Typhlocyba subgenus Empoa that share identical male genitalia. Two nominal species, Empoa acericola and E. caryata (both Christian, 1953), have been synonymized with E. gillettei based on color variation. The species is documented from multiple localities across western and northern North America.
Empoa saffrana
Empoa saffrana is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, originally described as Typhlocyba saffrana by McAtee in 1926. It belongs to the subgenus Empoa of Typhlocyba and is part of the gillettei species complex—a group of 14 Nearctic species that share identical male genitalia and are distinguished primarily by host plant associations and color variation patterns. The species E. elmata Christian, 1953 was synonymized with E. saffrana in a 1983 revision. Like other members of its complex, it is a plant-feeding insect with piercing-sucking mouthparts.
Eurycercus longirostris
Eurycercus longirostris is a Holarctic cladoceran crustacean first described by Hann in 1982. A 2011 taxonomic revision synonymized E. vernalis with E. longirostris due to lack of morphological and genetic justification for their separation. The species has a broader distributional range than previously recognized and belongs to the subgenus Eurycercus (Eurycercus). As a member of the Eurycercidae family, it shares characteristics with other chydorid-like cladocerans including a rounded carapace and specialized feeding appendages.
Euschistus tristigmus luridus
Euschistus tristigmus luridus is a subspecies of the brown stink bug Euschistus tristigmus, first described by Dallas in 1851. A 2022 taxonomic revision corroborated Uhler's 1861 proposal to synonymize this subspecies under Euschistus tristigmus tristigmus, based on morphological overlap between subspecies and their sympatric distribution. The taxon was included in a study formalizing the ictericus group within the subgenus Euschistus (Euschistus), though E. tristigmus itself was excluded from this group.
Exosphaeroma inornata
Exosphaeroma inornata is a sphaeromatid isopod originally described by Dow in 1958 from California. The species was later synonymized with E. media George and Stromberg 1968 from San Juan Island, Puget Sound, with differences between original descriptions attributed to author errors or phenotypic variations. It is a wide-ranging intertidal species with documented occurrence from San Diego, California north to San Juan Island, Washington, though a significant distribution gap exists between Humboldt Bay and Puget Sound.
Graphops curtipennis
Graphops curtipennis is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is distributed across North America. The species was described by F.E. Melsheimer in 1847. Phortus creticus, originally reported from Crete, was synonymized with this species by Daccordi in 1977 and is not actually found on that island. Two subspecies are recognized: G. c. curtipennis and G. c. schwarzi.
Hybomitra sonomensis
horse fly
Hybomitra sonomensis is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It belongs to a species group that has been subject to taxonomic revision, with Hybomitra philipi now synonymized with it. The species occurs in western North America. It has been historically confused with related species, particularly Hybomitra enigmatica, which was described as a new species based on immature stages and adult morphology.
Meligramma triangulifera
Variable Roundtail
Meligramma triangulifera is a hoverfly species first described from Europe in 1843. Taxonomic revisions have synonymized several Nearctic species names (M. tenuis, M. cincta) under this species, expanding its recognized range. Identification keys exist for both adult and puparial stages. The species has been recorded across Europe and the Nearctic region.
Neobisnius terminalis
A rove beetle species in the genus Neobisnius, recognized as valid with two subspecies: N. t. terminalis and N. t. elegantulus (Horn). Formerly considered distinct species, N. delicatulus and N. adustus are now synonymized under this name. The species is part of a taxonomic revision recognizing 39 New World species in the genus, with adults described and illustrated.
Paederus grandis
Paederus grandis is a rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, first described by Austin in 1877. The species was previously known as Paederus lecontei until Swift and Ray (2010) synonymized the two names under the older epithet grandis. It is recorded from the southwestern United States (Arizona, California) and Mexico. Like other members of the genus Paederus, it likely possesses defensive chemistry, though specific studies on this species are lacking.
Pellenattus peninsularis
Pellenattus peninsularis is a small jumping spider in the family Salticidae, first described by Emerton in 1925. The species exhibits notable sexual dimorphism in abdominal patterning and shows geographic color variation, with western populations appearing lighter than those elsewhere in its range. It has been recorded across Canada and the United States.
Pemphigus monophagus
Pemphigus monophagus is a root-feeding aphid in the family Aphididae, described by Maxson in 1934. It belongs to the genus Pemphigus, which comprises aphids that typically form galls or inhabit root systems of host plants. Like other Pemphigus species, it is frequently misidentified in agricultural contexts and has been confused with other root-infesting aphids in online discussions.
Piezogaster auriculatus
Piezogaster auriculatus is a species of leaf-footed bug in the family Coreidae, tribe Nematopodini. The species was described by Stål in 1862. A taxonomic revision synonymized Piezogaster scitus with P. auriculatus due to inability to find consistent diagnostic characters separating the two. Distributional data have been updated to exclude previously reported occurrences in New Mexico and Texas; the species is present in Mexico and Central and South America.
Platnickina mneon
A comb-footed spider in the family Theridiidae, originally described from a female specimen collected in Saga Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan in 1906. The species was recently reinstated as valid based on distinct body coloration, markings, genital morphology, and molecular data (partial mitochondrial COI gene), having been previously synonymized with Yunohamella lyrica. Molecular analysis revealed that females previously identified as Platnickina mneon are conspecific with males associated with Yunohamella varietas, leading to the latter's synonymization. The species is currently classified under the genus Platnickina, though it was transferred to Yunohamella in the revision that reestablished its validity.
Sepedophilus littoreus
Sepedophilus littoreus is a rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, originally described from the Palearctic region by Linnaeus in 1758. The species has been introduced to North America, where it is now established across much of Canada and the northeastern and midwestern United States. Historical North American names knoxii and carissimus were synonymized with S. littoreus in a 1976 revision. It belongs to the genus Sepedophilus, which comprises small, agile beetles commonly found in decaying plant matter.
Stenochironomus hilaris
Stenochironomus hilaris is a non-biting midge in the family Chironomidae, originally described by Walker in 1848. The species has been recognized under three junior synonyms (S. taeniapennis, S. zonopterus, and S. exquisitus) that were synonymized based on revisionary work on the Stenochironomus complex. As a member of the subgenus Stenochironomus s.str., its larvae are specialized wood miners with highly modified morphology including dorsoventrally flattened head capsules, expanded thoracic segments, and long, flaccid abdomens. The species occurs in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions.
Stygnocoris sabulosus
hairy groundbug
Stygnocoris sabulosus is a small dirt-colored seed bug in the family Rhyparochromidae. The species was described by Schilling in 1829 and has been widely recorded across the Holarctic region. A taxonomic revision established S. sabulosus as the senior synonym of S. pygmaeus (R.F. Sahlberg, 1848). It is commonly known as the hairy groundbug.
Tabanus erythraeus
Tabanus erythraeus is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Bigot in 1892. The species has a complex taxonomic history, with Catalogue of Life listing it as a synonym of Tabanus fuscus while GBIF and iNaturalist recognize it as a valid accepted species. As a member of the genus Tabanus, it shares the characteristic large size, robust body, and biting mouthparts typical of horse flies. Very little specific information is available for this particular species in the provided sources.
Tachyerges niger
Tachyerges niger is a small weevil species in the family Curculionidae. It is currently recognized as a valid species within the genus Tachyerges, though some taxonomic databases list it as a synonym of Rhynchaenus niger. The species has been documented in the northeastern United States, with records from Vermont. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with woody plants, though specific host relationships remain poorly documented.
Taracus packardi
Taracus packardi is a species of harvestman (Opiliones) in the family Taracidae. First described by Simon in 1879, this species occurs in North America. The taxon was revised in 2016, with Taracus nigripes Goodnight & Goodnight, 1943 synonymized with T. packardi.
Tidesmus episcopus
Tidesmus episcopus Chamberlin, 1943 is a small-bodied millipede and the type species of the genus Tidesmus (family Macrosternodesmidae). The species was originally described from western North America and is one of four recognized species in the genus. Phreatodesmus cooki Loomis, 1960 has been synonymized with this species. The family Macrosternodesmidae was redefined in a 2007 revision that clarified the generic placement of several western North American species.
Trophithauma rostrata
Trophithauma rostrata is a spider crab species in the family Inachidae, formerly classified under the genus Macropodia. Molecular genetic analysis (COI barcode) demonstrated that Macropodia parva should be synonymised with T. rostrata, while M. longipes was determined to be a synonym of M. tenuirostris. The species occurs in the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions. Like other inachid crabs, it exhibits epibiosis, carrying algae and other sessile organisms on its carapace.
Tychius soltaui
Tychius soltaui is a species of weevil in the family Curculionidae, described by Casey in 1892. The species was formerly treated as distinct from Tychius hirsutus Clark, which has been synonymized with it. It occurs in North America, with records from the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The species belongs to a genus with Old World origins, with multiple independent dispersal events from Eurasia contributing to the North American fauna.
Zophodia grossulariella
Gooseberry Fruitworm Moth
Zophodia grossulariella is a species of pyralid moth commonly known as the Gooseberry Fruitworm Moth. It occurs in Europe and North America, where its larvae develop inside gooseberry fruits. The species is recognized as a synonym of Zophodia convolutella in some taxonomic databases, reflecting ongoing nomenclatural uncertainty.