Texas
Guides
Aphonus texanus
Aphonus texanus is a species of rhinoceros beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Gill and Howden in 1985. It belongs to the subfamily Dynastinae, which includes the well-known rhinoceros and Hercules beetles. The species is native to the south-central United States.
Apteromechus texanus
Apteromechus texanus is a species of hidden snout weevil in the beetle family Curculionidae, described by Fall in 1925. The species is found in North America and is part of the genus Apteromechus, which comprises weevils with reduced or absent wings (apterous condition). Very little specific information has been published about this species beyond its original description and basic distribution records.
Araeoderes
Araeoderes is a monotypic genus of fungus weevils in the family Anthribidae, containing a single described species, A. texanus. The genus was established by Schaeffer in 1906. As members of Anthribidae, these beetles are associated with fungal associations rather than plant-feeding like true weevils (Curculionidae). The single species is known from Texas.
Aramos ramosa
Aramos ramosa is a moth in the family Cossidae (carpenter moths). Adults are known from Texas in the United States and the Mexican states of Quintana Roo and Yucatán. Flight records indicate adult activity in June and from August through October. Available information on this species is limited.
Arethaea arachnopyga
Big Bend Thread-leg Katydid, Spider-tail Thread-legged Katydid
Arethaea arachnopyga is a phaneropterine katydid in the family Tettigoniidae, described by Rehn and Hebard in 1914. The species is known from the Big Bend region of Texas and adjacent Mexico, where it inhabits arid and semi-arid environments. Like other members of the genus Arethaea, it possesses the characteristic extremely slender, thread-like hind legs that give these katydids their common name.
Arethaea grallator
Stilt-walker Katydid
Arethaea grallator, commonly known as the stilt-walker katydid, is a species of phaneropterine katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It was described by Scudder in 1877 and is found in North America, with confirmed records from Oklahoma and Texas. The species belongs to a genus characterized by elongated, slender body proportions.
Arethaea phantasma
Rio Grande thread-leg katydid, Rio Grande katydid
Arethaea phantasma is a species of phaneropterine katydid in the family Tettigoniidae, commonly known as the Rio Grande thread-leg katydid. It was described by Rehn & Hebard in 1914. The species is characterized by extremely slender, thread-like legs that give the genus its common name. It occurs in sand dune habitats and arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Armalia texana
Armalia texana is a species of darkling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae, described by LeConte in 1866. The genus Armalia is a small group within this large family, and A. texana appears to be primarily associated with arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico. Like other tenebrionids, this species is likely nocturnal and adapted to xeric conditions. The specific epithet "texana" indicates the type locality or primary association with Texas.
Atascosa
Atascosa is a genus of snout moths in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Phycitinae. It was established by George Duryea Hulst in 1890. The genus is known from the United States (Texas) and Colombia. As a genus of Phycitinae, it belongs to a diverse group of pyralid moths commonly known as snout moths due to their prominent labial palps.
Ateuchus texanus
Ateuchus texanus is a dung beetle species in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Robinson in 1948. It belongs to a genus known for dung-rolling and tunneling behaviors. The species occurs in parts of the southern United States and Mexico.
Atta texana
Texas Leafcutter Ant, Town Ant, Parasol Ant, Fungus Ant, Cut Ant, Night Ant
Atta texana is a fungus-farming leafcutter ant and the northernmost species in the genus Atta, distributed across Texas, Louisiana, and northeastern Mexico. Colonies are large and polygynous, containing several queens and up to several million workers. Foragers harvest leaf material from over 200 plant species to cultivate symbiotic fungus gardens, making this species a significant agricultural and ornamental pest capable of defoliating a citrus tree within 24 hours.
Attaphila fungicola
ant cockroach
Attaphila fungicola is a small myrmecophilous cockroach species described by Wheeler in 1900. The species is notable for its obligate association with leaf-cutter ants (Atta spp.), living within ant colonies. It belongs to the family Ectobiidae and has been documented in Texas and other parts of North America. The common name "ant cockroach" reflects this specialized ecological relationship.
Atymna simplex
Atymna simplex is a treehopper species in the family Membracidae, first described by Van Duzee in 1908. It belongs to the subfamily Smiliinae and tribe Smiliini. The species has been recorded in Arizona and Texas, with limited observational data available.
Baryceros texanus
Baryceros texanus is a species of ichneumon wasp in the family Ichneumonidae, first described by Ashmead in 1890. As a member of the parasitoid wasp family Ichneumonidae, this species likely functions as a parasitoid of other insects, though specific host relationships have not been documented in the provided sources. The species is known from Texas and surrounding regions, with 244 observations recorded on iNaturalist.
Bicilia iarchasalis
Bicilia iarchasalis is a crambid moth described by Francis Walker in 1859. Adults are active during two periods: March through May and August through September. The species has a broad Caribbean-Gulf distribution, with larvae feeding specifically on Rivina humilis.
Bolbocerosoma ritcheri
Bolbocerosoma ritcheri is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae, first described by Howden in 1955. The species belongs to a genus characterized by their burrowing behavior and association with soil substrates. It occurs in parts of North America including Texas and northeastern Mexico.
Bothriocera knulli
Bothriocera knulli is a small planthopper in the family Cixiidae, described by Caldwell in 1943. It belongs to the tribe Bothriocerini and is found in the southwestern United States, specifically Arizona and Texas. Like other cixiids, it is a phloem-feeding insect associated with vascular plants. The species epithet honors Joseph Knull, a prominent American coleopterist who described many western North American beetles.
Bothriocera tex
Bothriocera tex is a species of planthopper in the family Cixiidae, first described by Kramer in 1983. It belongs to the tribe Bothriocerini within the subfamily Cixiinae. The species is known from Texas and Belize based on distribution records. As a member of the Cixiidae, it is a small, typically cryptically colored insect that feeds on plant phloem sap.
Brachiacantha barberi
Barber's lady beetle
Brachiacantha barberi is a small lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae, tribe Hyperaspidini. It belongs to the dentipes group within the genus Brachiacantha. The species was described by Gordon in 1985 and is named for H. S. Barber. It is known from North America, with records from Texas and additional Neotropical localities reported in taxonomic revisions.
Brachiacantha testudo
Turtle Lady, Texas Ten-spotted Spurleg
A small North American lady beetle distinguished by its distinctive spotted pattern and turtle-like appearance. Adults measure 2.25–3.30 mm. The species has been recorded from Texas and is known by two common names reflecting its appearance and distribution.
Brachypnoea texana
Brachypnoea texana is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is endemic to the Edwards Plateau in Texas, with a restricted geographic range. The species was first described by American entomologist Charles Frederic August Schaeffer in 1919. Limited information is available regarding its biology and ecology.
Bradycinetulus rex
earth-boring scarab beetle
Bradycinetulus rex is an earth-boring scarab beetle described by Cartwright in 1953. It belongs to the family Geotrupidae, a group commonly known as earth-boring dung beetles for their habit of digging burrows in soil. The species is known from the Nearctic region, with records from Texas. Like other members of its genus, it likely exhibits the fossorial (burrowing) habits characteristic of the family.
Bradyrhynchoides constrictus
broad-nosed weevil
Bradyrhynchoides constrictus is a species of broad-nosed weevil in the beetle family Curculionidae. It was described by Pierce in 1913. The species is known from North America, with confirmed distribution records from Texas. As a member of the subfamily Entiminae, it possesses the characteristic short, broad rostrum typical of this group.
Brucita marmorata
Marbled Palm Forest Leaf Beetle
Brucita marmorata is the sole described species in the genus Brucita, a group of skeletonizing leaf beetles in the family Chrysomelidae. The species is known from Texas in the United States and Guatemala in Central America. The common name "Marbled Palm Forest Leaf Beetle" suggests association with palm forest habitats, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Bucculatrix simulans
Bucculatrix simulans is a small ribbed cocoon-making moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1963. It occurs in central North America from Texas northward to Iowa and east to Ohio. Adults are active primarily from January through July, with a wingspan of 9.5–10 mm. The larvae are known to feed on Helianthus (sunflower) species and create distinctive stem galls.
Cactobrosis fernaldialis
blue cactus borer
Cactobrosis fernaldialis, commonly known as the blue cactus borer, is a snout moth species found in desert regions of the southwestern United States. Adults exhibit bivoltine flight periods in spring and late summer through autumn. The species is notable for its larval specialization on Ferocactus wislizeni.
Calephelis perditalis
Rounded Metalmark, Lost Metalmark
Calephelis perditalis is a small metalmark butterfly in the family Riodinidae, described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1918. The species occurs from Texas and Mexico southward through Central America to Venezuela. Its common names, "rounded metalmark" and "lost metalmark," reference the rounded wing margins and the species epithet perditalis (Latin for "lost"). The species has two recognized subspecies: the nominate form and C. p. donahuei described in 1971.
Calocoris texanus
Calocoris texanus is a species of true bug in the family Miridae, first described by Knight in 1942. It belongs to the genus Calocoris, a group of plant bugs within the suborder Heteroptera. The species is known from the Nearctic region, with confirmed records from Texas.
Calosima albapenella
Calosima albapenella is a small moth in the family Blastobasidae, recorded from Texas and Florida in the United States. The species has a wingspan of approximately 19 mm or less. Its larvae are associated with dry, beetle-infested citrus fruit, specifically oranges damaged by Arseocerus fasciculatus.
Calosoma simplex
simple beautiful black searcher
Calosoma simplex is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Carabinae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1878. It belongs to the genus Calosoma, whose members are known for arboreal hunting behaviors and caterpillar predation. The species occurs in southwestern North America, including parts of the United States and Mexico. Like other Calosoma species, it likely functions as a predator of caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects.
Calycopis isobeon
dusky-blue groundstreak
Calycopis isobeon, the dusky-blue groundstreak, is a small hairstreak butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It ranges from Venezuela northward through Central America and Mexico to central Texas. The species is extremely similar in appearance to the red-banded hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops), and the two are sometimes treated as conspecific due to their close morphological resemblance.
Carmenta armasata
Carmenta armasata is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, first described by Herbert Druce in 1892. It is known from Texas in the southern United States. The species belongs to a genus of seed-feeding clearwing moths primarily distributed in the Americas. Like other sesiids, adults likely mimic wasps or hornets in appearance.
Catocala texanae
Texan Underwing
Catocala texanae, the Texan Underwing, is a moth in the family Erebidae described by George Hazen French in 1902. It is endemic to Texas, with adults active from May to June. Like other underwing moths, it likely exhibits the characteristic resting posture with cryptic forewings concealing brightly patterned hindwings.
Cedusa vanduzeei
Cedusa vanduzeei is a species of planthopper in the family Derbidae, first described by Flynn and Kramer in 1983. It belongs to the subfamily Breddiniolinae and tribe Cedusini. The genus Cedusa is part of the diverse planthopper superfamily Fulgoroidea, which contains many economically important agricultural pests. This species is one of numerous small, often overlooked insects within the Hemiptera that inhabit various plant communities.
Cenophengus pallidus
Pale South Texas Glowworm
Cenophengus pallidus is a species of glowworm beetle in the family Phengodidae. It was described by Schaeffer in 1904 and is found in North America. The species is commonly known as the Pale South Texas Glowworm. Like other phengodid beetles, adults are bioluminescent, with females and larvae typically exhibiting the characteristic glowworm luminescence more prominently than males.
Cephalospargeta
Cephalospargeta is a monotypic moth genus in the family Nolidae, established by Möschler in 1890. It contains a single species, Cephalospargeta elongata, which occurs in the southern United States (Texas) and Caribbean islands (Puerto Rico, Jamaica). The genus was historically classified in Noctuidae but has been reassigned to Nolidae based on phylogenetic revisions.
Cephalotes texanus
Texanus-group Turtle Ants
Cephalotes texanus is a species of arboreal ant in the genus Cephalotes, commonly known as turtle ants. The species is characterized by its ability to glide through the air when falling from trees, a behavior facilitated by enlarged, flattened legs. It exhibits phragmosis, a defensive adaptation where soldiers use their uniquely shaped heads to block nest entrances. The species inhabits pre-existing cavities in wood, particularly those created by longhorn beetle larvae, rather than constructing its own nests. Native to Texas and northeastern Mexico, it was first described by Felix Santschi in 1915.
Ceraleptus probolus
Ceraleptus probolus is a species of leaf-footed bug in the family Coreidae, described by Froeschner in 1963. It is a member of the subfamily Pseudophloeinae and is known from North America, with confirmed records from Texas. As with other members of the genus Ceraleptus, it is characterized by the leaf-like expansions on the hind legs typical of this group of true bugs.
Ceuthophilus variegatus
variegated camel cricket
Ceuthophilus variegatus is a camel cricket species described by Scudder in 1894. Like other members of the genus Ceuthophilus, it possesses the characteristic humpbacked appearance, extraordinarily long antennae, and powerful hind legs that define camel crickets. The species is recorded from northeastern Mexico and Texas, placing it in the southern portion of the genus's North American range. As with other Ceuthophilus species, it likely inhabits dark, damp environments including caves, woodlands, and human structures.
Chalcedectus texanus
Chalcedectus texanus is a species of chalcidoid wasp in the family Chalcedectidae, originally described by Brues in 1907. The species is known from Texas, as indicated by its specific epithet and distribution records. Chalcedectidae is a small family of parasitoid wasps within the superfamily Chalcidoidea.
Chariesterus cuspidatus
Chariesterus cuspidatus is a species of leaf-footed bug in the family Coreidae, first described by Distant in 1892. It belongs to the tribe Chariesterini within the subfamily Coreinae. The species has been recorded from parts of North and Central America including Texas, northwestern Mexico, and Panama. Like other members of Coreidae, it is a true bug with piercing-sucking mouthparts. Available information about its biology and ecology remains limited.
Charlesella viticola
Charlesella viticola is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Lamiinae. It was described by Schaeffer in 1908. The species belongs to the tribe Desmiphorini, a group of relatively small to medium-sized cerambycids often associated with woody plants. Very few observations of this species have been documented, with only three records in iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff.
Chauliognathus discus texanus
Chauliognathus discus texanus is a subspecies of soldier beetle in the family Cantharidae. Soldier beetles, also known as leatherwings, are recognized by their soft, flexible elytra and typically aposematic coloration of black with orange, red, or yellow markings. This subspecies belongs to a genus containing multiple species distributed across North America, with adults commonly observed on flowers where they feed on nectar, pollen, and small arthropod prey. The subspecies epithet 'texanus' indicates a geographic association with Texas or the broader south-central region of the United States.
Chauliognathus scutellaris
Texas soldier beetle
Chauliognathus scutellaris, commonly known as the Texas soldier beetle, is a species of soldier beetle in the family Cantharidae. The species occurs in Central America and North America. Like other members of the genus Chauliognathus, it is likely associated with flowers and exhibits diurnal activity patterns, though species-specific ecological details remain limited in published literature.
Chionodes phalacra
Chionodes phalacra is a small gelechiid moth with a wingspan of approximately 9 mm. It is characterized by dark fuscous forewings marked with distinctive pale cream-colored spots and streaks. The species has been recorded from Texas, Arizona, Mexico, and Cuba.
Chlorotettix scutellatus
Chlorotettix scutellatus is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, first described by Osborn in 1918. The genus Chlorotettix belongs to the tribe Pendarini within the subfamily Deltocephalinae. This species is part of a diverse group of leafhoppers that feed on plant sap using piercing-sucking mouthparts. Information on this specific species is limited in the provided sources, though the genus is known to contain numerous species distributed across North America.
Chlosyne eumeda
Eumeda Checkerspot
Chlosyne eumeda is a checkerspot butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, described by Godman and Salvin in 1894. It is primarily found in Mexico, with rare strays occasionally reaching southern Arizona and southern Texas. The species belongs to a genus of brush-footed butterflies known for their distinctive checkered wing patterns.
Chrysobothris culbersoniana
Chrysobothris culbersoniana is a jewel beetle species in the family Buprestidae, described by Knull in 1943. It belongs to the Chrysobothris femorata species group, a taxonomically challenging complex of wood-boring beetles that was revised by Wellso and Manley in 2007. The species is known from limited records in North America, with observations documented from Texas and New Mexico.
Chrysobothris mescalero
Chrysobothris mescalero is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described in 2007 by Wellso and Manley. It belongs to the taxonomically challenging Chrysobothris femorata species-group. The species is endemic to sand dune habitats in New Mexico and west Texas, where it develops exclusively in oak (Quercus) species. Adults are characterized by uniformly brown frons and clypeus in both sexes, and three distinct elytral costae with indistinct foveae.
Chyphotes belfragei
Chyphotes belfragei is a species of wasp in the family Chyphotidae, a small group of solitary wasps sometimes referred to as 'bradynobaenid wasps' or 'velvet ants' due to their wingless females and ant-like appearance. The species was described by Blake in 1871. Chyphotidae wasps are characterized by reduced wing venation and a distinct body form that separates them from related families. Very little specific biological information has been published for this particular species.