Taxonomically-complex
Guides
Acidocerinae
Acidocerinae is a cosmopolitan subfamily of water scavenger beetles (Hydrophilidae) containing over 500 species in 23-24 genera, making it one of the largest and most morphologically heterogeneous lineages in the family. The subfamily occupies a key phylogenetic position as sister to the largely terrestrial Cylominae+Sphaeridiinae clade. Recent taxonomic revisions (2013, 2021) have substantially restructured generic boundaries, establishing new genera such as Colossochares, Novochares, Aulonochares, Ephydrolithus, and Primocerus while synonymizing former subgenera of Helochares.
Ancylis comptana
Strawberry leafroller
Ancylis comptana is a tortricid moth whose larvae roll leaves of strawberry plants, historically recognized as a significant pest in North American strawberry cultivation. The species has undergone taxonomic revision, with populations formerly identified as A. comptana now often assigned to A. fragariae or other species, creating confusion in older literature. Adults are small moths with distinctive wing patterns. The species complex remains under study.
Bembidion
Bembidion is the largest genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae by number of species. All species are small, measuring less than 7.5 mm, and are characterized by rapid movement. The genus exhibits a biantitropical distribution pattern, occurring in temperate regions of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres but absent from tropical zones. Taxonomic subdivision of the genus remains unresolved, with multiple attempts to split it into smaller genera failing to achieve general acceptance.
Colias tyche
Booth's sulphur, pale Arctic clouded yellow
Colias tyche is a small to medium-sized butterfly in the family Pieridae, distinguished by its pale green to greenish-white or greenish-yellow wings with visible brown veins and grey-green suffusion on the hindwing bases. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in wing borders: males have dark borders with pale yellow spots, while females have wider dark borders with black spots. It is one of the northernmost Colias species, with a Holarctic distribution spanning Arctic and subarctic regions of North America and Eurasia. The species name references Tyche, the Greek deity of chance and luck.
Depressariinae
Depressariinae is a subfamily of moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea, comprising approximately 600 species as of 1999. Modern classifications treat this group as the distinct family Depressariidae, though its taxonomic position has historically varied, with placements in Elachistidae sensu lato or expanded Oecophoridae. The group exhibits highest diversity in temperate regions, particularly the Holarctic, and is presumed to be of Palaearctic origin. Larvae typically develop in leaves spun together with silk, as stem borers, or as seed and flower feeders of dicotyledonous plants.
Dolichopus
long-legged flies
Dolichopus is the largest genus in the family Dolichopodidae, comprising over 600 species worldwide. Adults are small flies, typically less than 8 mm in length, with nearly all species exhibiting metallic greenish-blue to greenish-bronze coloration. The genus name derives from Greek words meaning 'long foot,' referring to the elongated legs characteristic of its species. Members of this genus are predatory on other small insects and display complex courtship behaviors involving specialized leg ornaments in males.
Eucosma
Eucosma is a large genus of small tortricid moths with at least 670 described species worldwide. The genus has a Holarctic and Indomalayan distribution, with approximately 150 species in the Nearctic region and 53 in Europe. New species continue to be discovered even in well-studied regions. Species exhibit considerable variation in coloration, ranging from plain to boldly patterned.
Harpalini
ground beetles
Harpalini is a large tribe of ground beetles (family Carabidae, subfamily Harpalalinae) containing over 1,900 described species across approximately 103 genera. Members are predominantly nocturnal ground beetles distributed across all major biogeographic regions including the Palaearctic, Oriental, Afrotropical, Neotropical, Nearctic, and Australian regions. The tribe includes economically significant genera such as Harpalus, a diverse group with numerous Palaearctic species, and Trichotichnus, which comprises over 260 species worldwide. Taxonomic research on Harpalini focuses heavily on species descriptions, distribution records, and generic revisions, with recent work describing new species from China, Brazil, India, and Australia.
Ichneumoninae
Ichneumoninae is the second largest subfamily of Ichneumonidae, with over 420 genera and 4,375 described species distributed worldwide. Members are typically large, conspicuous, and often brightly colored parasitoid wasps. They are koinobiont or idiobiont endoparasitoids of Lepidoptera, with larvae developing inside moth and butterfly caterpillars or pupae. The subfamily was recently reorganized from 15 tribes to 7 tribes, with Ichneumonini containing well over 300 genera.
Omus californicus lecontei
Omus californicus lecontei is a subspecies of night-stalking tiger beetle in the family Cicindelidae. As a member of the genus Omus, it is characterized by nocturnal adult activity and fossorial larval habits. The subspecies is part of the taxonomically challenging Omus californicus complex, which has historically caused confusion with related taxa such as Omus submetallicus. Adults are typically encountered through targeted searching of larval burrows rather than general collecting methods.