Tennessee
Guides
Arianops unicoi
Arianops unicoi is a species of ant-loving beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by Barr in 1974. The specific epithet 'unicoi' references the Unicoi Mountains, part of the southern Appalachian range in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. As a member of the subfamily Pselaphinae, it belongs to a diverse group of small rove beetles typically associated with forest floor habitats. The species is known from a restricted geographic range in the southeastern United States.
Catocala serena
Serene Underwing
Catocala serena, the serene underwing, is a moth in the family Erebidae. It is found in eastern North America from southern Ontario and New England south to Tennessee, and west to Illinois and eastern Wisconsin. Adults are active from July to September with one generation per year. The larvae feed on shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) and black walnut (Juglans nigra).
Chlorotettix iridescens
Chlorotettix iridescens is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Deltocephalinae. Described by DeLong in 1916, this species is placed in the tribe Pendarini. Distribution records indicate occurrence in Tennessee, USA. As a member of the genus Chlorotettix, it shares characteristics typical of this leafhopper group, though specific details about its biology remain poorly documented in available sources.
Dicymolomia
Dicymolomia is a genus of crambid moths established by Zeller in 1872, containing approximately eight described species. The genus is placed in subfamily Glaphyriinae. Dicymolomia julianalis has been documented as a seed predator on musk thistle (Carduus nutans) in Tennessee, with larvae feeding within seed heads and reducing seed production. The genus has been recorded from the United States, including Vermont and Tennessee.
Hadenoecus barri
Barr's Cave Cricket
Hadenoecus barri is a species of camel cricket described by Thomas H. Hubbell in 1978. It belongs to the family Rhaphidophoridae, a group of wingless, humpbacked crickets commonly known as cave crickets or camel crickets. The species occurs in North America, with confirmed records from Tennessee. Like other members of its genus, it is likely adapted to dark, humid cave environments.
Hadenoecus opilionides
Tennessee cave cricket
Hadenoecus opilionides, commonly known as the Tennessee cave cricket, is a camel cricket species described by Hubbell in 1978. It belongs to the family Rhaphidophoridae, a group of wingless crickets specialized for life in dark, humid environments. The species is known from two recognized subspecies: H. o. australis and H. o. opilionides. Records indicate it occurs in Tennessee and broader North America.
Homoeosoma asylonnastes
Homoeosoma asylonnastes is a species of snout moth in the family Pyralidae, described by Goodson and Neunzig in 1993. It is known from limited observations in eastern North America, specifically Tennessee and West Virginia. The species belongs to a genus containing several sunflower-associated moths, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Leptusa gimmeli
Leptusa gimmeli is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described from Tennessee in 2010. It belongs to the genus Leptusa, a group of small, often overlooked staphylinids. The species was established based on specimens collected in the eastern United States. As a recently described taxon, detailed biological information remains limited.
Selonodon papillatus
Selonodon papillatus is a species of click beetle in the family Cebrionidae, described as new to science in a 2001 revision of the genus Selonodon. It is one of 17 new species described from the southern United States in this taxonomic work. The species is known from Tennessee and belongs to one of six recognized species groups within the genus based on cladistic analysis. Like other cebrionids, adults are likely nocturnal and males possess distinctive morphological features used in species identification.
Sigela penumbrata
Stippled Sigela Moth
Sigela penumbrata, commonly known as the stippled sigela moth, is a small moth species in the family Erebidae. It is native to North America, with documented occurrences in Tennessee and Florida. The species was described by Hulst in 1896.
Solenopsis richteri
Black Imported Fire Ant, BIFA
Solenopsis richteri, the black imported fire ant, is a South American native fire ant species that has been introduced to North America. Once considered a subspecies or color variant of Solenopsis invicta, it is now recognized as a distinct species with demonstrably different range and ecological preferences. It appears more cold-tolerant and less dominant than the red imported fire ant. In its native Argentina, it is attacked by six species of Pseudacteon phorid flies that significantly reduce its foraging activity. The species hybridizes with S. invicta where their ranges overlap, particularly in Tennessee. In Eritrea, it has been documented as a serious agricultural pest of crops and grazing areas.
Tolus
Tolus is a monotypic genus of harvestmen in the family Phalangodidae, described by Goodnight & Goodnight in 1942. The sole described species, Tolus appalachius, is known only from two caves in Tennessee, United States. This genus represents a rare example of cave-adapted opilionid fauna in the Appalachian region.
Tolus appalachius
Appalachian Cave Harvestman
Tolus appalachius is a small, eyeless cave-dwelling harvestman endemic to Tennessee. It is the sole described species in the genus Tolus. First described in 1942, this troglobitic arachnid is known from only a handful of cave systems in the Appalachian region. Its highly restricted distribution and specialized subterranean habitat make it vulnerable to environmental disturbances.
Trechus tuckaleechee
Trechus tuckaleechee is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Trechinae, described by Barr in 1962. It belongs to the genus Trechus, a large and widespread group of small carabid beetles commonly known as blind beetles or trechine ground beetles. The species epithet 'tuckaleechee' likely references Tuckaleechee, a location in Tennessee, USA, suggesting a restricted geographic distribution. Like other Trechus species, it is presumably adapted to subterranean or cryptic habitats.
Vaejovis carolinianus
southern unstriped scorpion, southern devil scorpion
Vaejovis carolinianus is a small, dark scorpion native to the southeastern United States and the only scorpion species native to Tennessee. Adults are generally less than 2 inches in length with claws and tail extended. The species exhibits defensive behaviors including stinging and chelae pinches, with risk assessment capabilities that allow it to modify responses based on environmental features such as refuge availability. It is a generalist predator of smaller arthropods and has been observed to be cannibalistic.