Understudied-taxa
Guides
Cossulinae
Cossulinae is a subfamily of carpenter moths within the family Cossidae. The group comprises approximately six recognized genera distributed primarily in the New World. Members of this subfamily are relatively understudied compared to other cossid lineages, with limited documentation of their biology and ecology.
Jubini
Jubini is a tribe of minute rove beetles within the subfamily Pselaphinae (Staphylinidae), first described by Raffray in 1898. Members of this tribe are Neotropical in distribution and are among the most abundant beetles in rainforest leaf litter. The tribe contains genera such as Morphogenia, which exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism. Despite their ecological abundance, the biology and ecological roles of Jubini remain poorly studied due to limited taxonomic expertise.
Litochropus
Litochropus is a genus of small beetles in the family Phalacridae, established by Casey in 1890. Members of this genus are among the least studied phalacrid beetles, with very few documented observations. The genus is characterized by minute body size and association with fungal habitats. As with other phalacrids, these beetles likely inhabit decaying plant matter and fungal fruiting bodies, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Oxytorinae
Oxytorinae is a subfamily of ichneumonid wasps within the family Ichneumonidae. The genus Oxytorus, the primary representative of this subfamily in the New World, comprises 11 described species with distribution ranging from North America through Central America to South America. The subfamily was first recorded in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2024 through DNA barcoding of historical specimens, representing a significant range extension for the group. Species identification relies on morphological features of the thorax, wings, and antennae, with taxonomic reviews providing illustrated keys for New World species.