Worldwide-distribution
Guides
Aeolus
click beetles
Aeolus is a genus of click beetles (family Elateridae) comprising over 220 described species distributed worldwide. Members of this genus possess the characteristic elaterid body plan with a prosternal process that engages with a mesosternal cavity, enabling the 'clicking' mechanism used to right themselves when overturned. The genus was established by Eschscholtz in 1829 and is currently classified within the subfamily Agrypninae and tribe Oophorini.
Anthidiini
Anthidiini is a tribe of bees in the family Megachilidae comprising at least 40 genera and approximately 840 described species. The tribe is strongly supported as monophyletic based on molecular and morphological evidence. Members exhibit diverse nesting strategies, with many species constructing nests from plant resins, plant fibers, or other collected materials. The tribe includes economically important pollinators as well as cleptoparasitic species in the genus Stelis.
Aphodiinae
Small Dung Beetles
Aphodiinae is a large and diverse subfamily of Scarabaeidae comprising more than 3,500 described species across over 380 genera and 12 tribes. Members are commonly known as small dung beetles, though not all species are associated with dung. The subfamily exhibits varied life strategies including coprophagy, detritivory, saprophagy, predation, inquilinism in ant or termite nests, and sand-dwelling habits. Aphodiines are found worldwide in diverse habitats from temperate rainforests to alpine zones and coastal dunes.
Asyndetus
Asyndetus is a large genus of long-legged flies in the family Dolichopodidae, containing over 100 described species with worldwide distribution. The genus was established by Loew in 1869. Species occur across diverse biogeographic regions including the West Indies, the Palaearctic, and Scandinavia. Several species have been subject to taxonomic revision, with numerous synonymizations and transfers to other genera.
Caeculidae
rake-legged mites
Caeculidae, commonly called rake-legged mites, is a family of large prostigmatic mites (750–3000 µm) and the sole family of the superfamily Caeculoidea. The family contains approximately 100 described species in seven genera distributed worldwide, with the oldest fossil records dating to the Cenomanian (approximately 100 million years ago) in Burmese amber. These mites are specialized ambush predators of arid environments, using modified forelegs to capture prey.
Cassidini
tortoise beetles
Cassidini is a large tribe of tortoise beetles within the leaf beetle subfamily Cassidinae, comprising approximately 40 genera and 600 species worldwide. Members are commonly known as "tortoise beetles" due to their domed, shield-like appearance. A 2017 phylogenetic analysis based on morphological characters found Cassidini to be nonmonophyletic with respect to Aspidimorphini, leading to the formal synonymization of the latter with Cassidini; the same study suggested Ischyrosonychini should also be included. Larvae construct distinctive defensive shields from exuviae and faeces using a telescopic anus, a trait that may represent a synapomorphy for the crown-clade Cassidinae.
Cecidomyiinae
gall midges, gall gnats
Cecidomyiinae is the largest subfamily in Cecidomyiidae, comprising over 600 genera and more than 5,000 described species. The subfamily exhibits remarkable ecological diversity: approximately 75% of species are herbivorous, many inducing galls on plants, while others are fungivores, predators, or parasitoids. Gall-inducing species attack a wide diversity of host plants worldwide and represent the most ecologically diverse gall-inducing group of organisms. Members can be distinguished from other Cecidomyiidae by characters of the male genitalia, antennal segment number, and larval abdominal bristles.
Centrotinae
Centrotinae is the largest subfamily of treehoppers (Membracidae) and the only subfamily with a worldwide distribution. It comprises approximately 1,350 species in 216 genera. The subfamily is characterized by morphological features including a posterior pronotal process that typically does not conceal the scutellum, and forewings with a truncated clavus and broad apical limbus. Centrotinae is considered the most primitive membracid subfamily based on fossil evidence and biogeographic patterns.
Cerambycinae
Round-necked Longhorn Beetles
Cerambycinae is a large subfamily of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) comprising over 715 genera and approximately 3,900 species. It represents one of the two most diverse subfamilies within Cerambycidae, rivaled only by Lamiinae. The subfamily exhibits worldwide distribution with particular diversity in the Americas, where 430 species in 130 genera occur in the neotropical realm. Members are characterized by morphological features including a rounded pronotum and specific maxillary palp structure.
Chrysopilus
snipe flies
Chrysopilus is a diverse genus of snipe flies in the family Rhagionidae, comprising approximately 300 species with worldwide distribution across all biogeographical regions. The genus includes both extant and fossil species, with some fossil members preserved in amber. Several species exhibit metallic scaling on the exoskeleton, giving adults a distinctive appearance. Larval development occurs in moist, decaying organic substrates including rotting wood and damp soil.
Conostigmus
Conostigmus is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the superfamily Ceraphronoidea and family Megaspilidae. It is the second-largest genus in Megaspilidae with over 170 extant species. The genus has a worldwide distribution, with greatest diversity in the Palearctic region. Sexual dimorphism is common in the genus, requiring molecular methods (28S rDNA) to associate males and females of the same species.
Copromyzinae
Copromyzinae
Copromyzinae is a subfamily of small flies within the family Sphaeroceridae, commonly known as lesser dung flies. The subfamily was established by Stenhammer in 1854 and contains approximately 19 genera, including Copromyza, the type genus. Members of this subfamily are characterized by their association with decaying organic matter, particularly dung, and are found across diverse geographic regions. The subfamily is well-represented in entomological collections, with over 2,600 observations documented on iNaturalist.
Dryops
long-toed water beetles
Dryops is a genus of long-toed water beetles in the family Dryopidae, with at least 20 described species and a worldwide distribution. The genus is particularly diverse in the Palaearctic region, where 34 species have been recorded. Members of this genus are aquatic beetles associated with freshwater habitats. Species such as Dryops rufipes and Dryops renateae have been documented from Turkey and Tajikistan respectively.
Eilica
Eilica is a genus of ground spiders in the family Gnaphosidae, established by Eugen von Keyserling in 1891. The genus comprises 28 species with worldwide distribution, though South America hosts 10 species including several with meridional distributions. Members are small to medium-sized spiders ranging from 2.2–7.8 mm in length. They are distinguished by distinctive cheliceral morphology including two or three translucent laminae on the cheliceral retromargin and anteriorly produced chelicerae with convergent endites.
Elaterinae
click beetles
Elaterinae is a subfamily of click beetles (family Elateridae) comprising 12 tribes distributed worldwide. Members possess the characteristic 'click' mechanism of the family, using a prosternal spine and mesosternal groove to spring themselves upright when overturned. The subfamily is taxonomically diverse and includes numerous genera across varied habitats. On Lord Howe Island, Australia, at least seven genera have been documented, including the endemic radiation of Ochosternus.
Epicautini
Epicautini is a tribe of blister beetles (family Meloidae) established by Parker & Böving in 1924. The tribe includes the large genus Epicauta (approximately 400 species), which is distributed nearly worldwide except Australia and Antarctica, with greatest diversity in temperate and semi-arid regions of the Americas. Members are known agricultural pests, with some species causing significant crop damage. The genus Epicauta is particularly diverse in northern Arizona, USA.
Eurymelinae
Eurymelinae is a subfamily of leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) with worldwide distribution. Members are phloem-feeding insects that maintain complex obligate symbioses with microorganisms including bacteria (Sulcia, Nasuia, Sodalis) and yeast-like fungi (Ophiocordycipitaceae) to synthesize essential amino acids. The subfamily exhibits notable ecological diversity, including ant-attended species that engage in trophobiosis.
Eustigmaeus
Eustigmaeus is a diverse genus of mites in the family Stigmaeidae containing more than 130 species with worldwide distribution across all zoogeographic regions except Antarctica. Species within this genus exhibit complex life cycles that may include an unusual tritonymphal stage, a trait documented in only two species within the family. Some species are associated with moss as a food source, while at least one species, E. johnstoni, has been recorded as an ectoparasite of sand flies. The genus is characterized by distinctive morphological features including specific arrangements of dorsal setae and shield structures.
Heliothrips
Heliothrips is a genus of thrips in the family Thripidae comprising approximately 18 described species. The genus includes economically significant pests, most notably Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (greenhouse thrips), which infests a wide range of cultivated plants. Members of this genus are characterized by their fringed wings and rasping-sucking mouthparts. Several species have been documented as polyphagous herbivores with broad host ranges spanning multiple plant families.
thripsThripidaepestagriculturehorticulturegreenhouse-thripspolyphagousHeliothrips-haemorrhoidalisbiological-control-targetquarantine-pestkiwifruit-peststrawberry-pestavocado-pestornamental-pestworldwide-distributionfringed-wingsThysanopteraPanchaetothripinaeHaliday-183618-speciesgeneralist-herbivorerasping-sucking-mouthpartsHydroptila
microcaddisflies
Hydroptila is a large genus of microcaddisflies (family Hydroptilidae) with worldwide distribution. Adults are small, typically collected using ultraviolet light traps near freshwater habitats. Larvae are known as "purse-case makers" that construct portable cases from silk and environmental materials such as filamentous algae. The genus exhibits substantial species diversity, with numerous regional endemics documented across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Hydroptilidae
Microcaddisflies, Purse-case Caddisflies
Hydroptilidae is the largest family of caddisflies (Trichoptera), comprising over 2,600 species in 76 genera and six subfamilies. Adults are minute, rarely exceeding 5 mm in length, making them the smallest caddisflies. They are characterized by simple hypermetamorphosis in larvae: early instars (I–IV) are caseless and free-living, while the final instar (V) constructs a distinctive purse-shaped portable case and develops a greatly enlarged (physogastric) abdomen as the primary feeding and growing stage. The family has a worldwide distribution, with subfamilies showing distinct regional patterns. Adults are strongly attracted to ultraviolet lights and may congregate in large numbers.
Kateretidae
Short-winged Flower Beetles
Kateretidae, commonly known as short-winged flower beetles, is a family of small beetles in the superfamily Cucujoidea. The family contains 10 extant and 4 extinct genera with at least 40 described species distributed worldwide except New Zealand. Adults feed on flowers (anthophagous), while larvae develop within flower corollas where they consume pollen (spermatophagous). The family has been the subject of taxonomic revision, with several Cretaceous amber fossils originally described as kateretids subsequently reclassified to other families.
Katianna
Katianna is a genus of globular springtails (Collembola: Symphypleona) with worldwide distribution. Members are distinguished by their minute size (approximately 1 mm), hairy antennae, and abundant setae covering the abdomen, particularly toward the posterior. The genus has been recorded across diverse regions including Europe, the Andes, Central Australia, the Caribbean, and Antarctica. A putative undescribed species from the Pacific Northwest, informally designated "Katianna species 10" or "Mtn Dew Katianna," was first documented in 2016 and rediscovered in 2024.
Leiodini
round fungus beetles
Leiodini is a tribe of small beetles within the family Leiodidae, commonly known as round fungus beetles. The tribe contains over 400 described species distributed across 19 genera. Members of this tribe are primarily associated with fungal habitats, particularly decomposing fungi and related organic matter. The group was established by Fleming in 1821 and represents a significant component of the beetle fauna in forest ecosystems.
Limoniidae
Limoniid Crane Flies, Limoniidae, Short-palped Crane Flies
Limoniidae is the largest family of crane flies, comprising over 10,700 species in more than 150 genera. Members are distinguished from other crane flies primarily by their wing posture at rest: wings are typically held folded along the body rather than perpendicular to it. The family includes notable wingless snow flies in the genus Chionea, which are active in winter. Limoniids are generally smaller than other crane flies and occupy diverse habitats worldwide. Recent phylogenetic studies indicate the family is paraphyletic, with some limoniids more closely related to Tipulidae and Cylindrotomidae than to other limoniids.
Lygaeidae
seed bugs, milkweed bugs, ground bugs
Lygaeidae is a family of true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) commonly known as seed bugs, milkweed bugs, or ground bugs. The family currently comprises approximately 60 genera in six subfamilies, though it was formerly much larger before numerous subfamilies were elevated to independent family status. Members are distributed worldwide and exhibit diverse feeding habits, with many species feeding on seeds, some on sap or seed pods, others being omnivores, and a few being insectivores. Several genera, including Lygaeus and Oncopeltus, are well-known for their association with milkweeds and their bright aposematic coloration.
Meconematinae
quiet-calling katydids, quiet crickets
Meconematinae is a subfamily of katydids (Tettigoniidae) commonly known as quiet-calling katydids or quiet crickets. The subfamily has a worldwide distribution with notable gaps in Antarctica and North America. It comprises three tribes: Meconematini (mostly Europe and Asia, with some African representation), Phisidini (pan-tropical), and Phlugidini (pan-tropical). Members are characterized by their ability to produce ultrasonic sound, with some species being miniature and brachypterous.
Nola
Nola is a genus of moths in the family Nolidae, described by William Elford Leach in 1815. The genus is the namesake of the subfamily Nolinae and occurs worldwide wherever suitable habitat is present. The genus includes numerous species, with at least one species, Nola sorghiella (sorghum webworm), recognized as an agricultural pest of sorghum in the eastern United States and Texas.
Pardosa
Thin-legged Wolf Spiders
Pardosa is a large genus of wolf spiders comprising over 500 described species with worldwide distribution except Australia. These spiders are generally small to medium-sized (3–12 mm body length), characterized by long, thin legs with prominent perpendicular spines. They occupy diverse habitats including wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, and high-elevation environments. Many species exhibit sexual dimorphism in coloration, with mature males often displaying distinct patterns from females. Species identification requires microscopic examination of genitalia.
Phaonia
Phaonia is a large genus of muscid flies comprising over 750 described species with worldwide distribution. Adults are generally medium-sized flies. Larval stages of studied species develop in decomposing organic matter including animal excrements and decaying plant material, functioning as decomposers in nutrient cycling.
Platyprosopus
Platyprosopus is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) comprising the monotypic tribe Platyprosopini. Species exhibit a nearly worldwide distribution and are consistently associated with humid environments near rivers. The genus is notable for possessing a distinctive set of three abdominal openings at the base of tergites and sternites, associated with a reinforced muscular system and presumed glandular cells, though the biological function of these structures remains unknown.
Pogonus
Pogonus is a genus of ground beetles (family Carabidae) comprising over 50 described species with a worldwide distribution. The genus is classified within the tribe Pogonini and subfamily Trechinae. At least one species, Pogonus chalceus, has been studied for genetic differentiation and local adaptation in salt-marsh environments. The genus shows genetic population structure across geographic regions, with evidence of adaptive divergence between habitats.
Silphini
carrion beetles
Silphini is a tribe of large carrion beetles within the rove beetle family Staphylinidae, subfamily Silphinae. Members are worldwide distributed and characterized by their association with decomposing animal matter. The tribe comprises approximately 114 described species across 12 extant genera, including well-known genera such as Silpha, Thanatophilus, and Necrophila. Recent phylogenetic studies have revealed complex relationships within the tribe, with evidence that some historically recognized genera may render Silpha paraphyletic.
Spilonota
Bud moths
Spilonota is a globally distributed genus of tortricid moths in the subfamily Olethreutinae. The genus contains approximately 35 described species, with members recorded across Europe, Asia, North America, and other regions. Several species are significant agricultural pests, particularly of fruit trees. The most extensively studied species, Spilonota ocellana (eye-spotted bud moth), is a well-documented pest of apple and other rosaceous crops.
Staphylinoidea
Rove, Ant-like stone, and Carrion Beetles
Staphylinoidea is a large and diverse superfamily of beetles with worldwide distribution, encompassing approximately 58,000 described species across six families. Adults range from minute (Ptiliidae at 0.3 mm, the smallest non-parasitic insects) to moderately large (Staphylinidae up to 50 mm, Silphidae up to 45 mm). The superfamily is characterized by distinctive wing and abdominal morphology: hind wings lack accessory posterior ridges, medial loops, wedge cells, and apical hinges; the 8th abdominal segment is not fully invaginated within the 7th; and the head typically lacks a coronal suture. Larvae possess 3-segmented maxillary palps with distinct galea and lacinia, well-developed tergites and sternites, and annular or annular-biforous spiracles without epistomal lobes.
Stilobezzia
Stilobezzia is a genus of predaceous biting midges in the family Ceratopogonidae, comprising more than 330 described species worldwide. Adult females are predators of other small insects. Immature stages develop in aquatic and semiaquatic habitats. The genus is absent from Antarctica and some islands.
Stomoxys calcitrans
Stable Fly, Barn Fly, Biting House Fly, Dog Fly, Power Mower Fly, Beach Fly, Lawn-mower Fly
Stomoxys calcitrans, commonly known as the stable fly, is a worldwide pest of livestock and humans. Both sexes are obligate blood-feeders, inflicting painful bites that cause significant economic losses in cattle operations through reduced weight gain and milk production. The species is easily mistaken for the common house fly but distinguished by its piercing-sucking mouthparts. Native to Eurasia and Africa, it has spread globally through human activity.
Tersilochinae
Tersilochinae is a worldwide subfamily of parasitic wasps within Ichneumonidae, comprising approximately 500 species across 24 genera. Members are koinobiont endoparasitoids that develop within living host larvae, primarily attacking Coleoptera including economically significant families such as Curculionidae and Chrysomelidae. This host specificity has led to their use in biological control programs. The subfamily exhibits broad geographic distribution with documented records from the Palearctic, Nearctic, Afrotropical, Neotropical, and Australasian regions.
Tiphiinae
Tiphiinae is the larger of two subfamilies in the family Tiphiidae, with worldwide distribution. Members are small to medium solitary wasps, up to 25 mm in length. The subfamily includes approximately twelve genera, with Tiphia being the most species-rich and widely studied. Males possess wings; females may be winged or wingless, with wingless females showing distinct thoracic segmentation.
Tipula
Common Crane Flies, Crane Flies, Daddy Longlegs
Tipula is a large genus of crane flies in the family Tipulidae, containing over 2,000 species distributed worldwide. Adults are characterized by elongated bodies, extremely long legs, and clear or brownish wings, with body lengths typically 15–20 mm. Larvae, known as 'leatherjackets' due to their tough cuticle, are soil-dwelling and feed on plant roots and decaying organic matter. Several species are significant agricultural pests in pastures and grasslands.
Tipulidae
Large Crane Flies, Crane Flies
Tipulidae is a large family of true flies in the order Diptera, comprising over 4,200 described species in more than 30 genera. Members are commonly known as crane flies or large crane flies, characterized by their elongated bodies and exceptionally long, slender legs. Adults are typically short-lived and often do not feed; their primary purpose is reproduction. Larvae occupy diverse moist habitats including soil, leaf litter, decaying wood, and aquatic environments, where most feed on decaying organic matter. The family has a fossil record extending to the Late Jurassic.
DipteraNematoceracrane-fliesdecomposerssaprophagousshort-lived-adultsmating-swarmsturfgrass-pestsharmless-to-humansworldwide-distributionLate-Jurassic-fossilsCharles-Paul-Alexandermaxillary-palps13-antennal-segmentsLimoniidaePediciidaemosquito-hawk-misnomerdaddy-longlegs-confusionleatherjacketsaquatic-larvaeterrestrial-larvaespring-emergencelight-attractionwingless-snow-crane-flies-in-genus-Chionea-(now-Limoniidae)Tmarus
Octopus Spiders
Tmarus is a large genus of crab spiders (family Thomisidae) established by Eugène Simon in 1875, with more than 230 described species distributed across all continents except Antarctica. These small to moderate-sized spiders (3.7–7.3 mm body length) are characterized by cryptic bark-like coloration and ambush predatory behavior. The genus exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females typically larger than males.
Typophorini
Typophorini is a tribe of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae, containing approximately 100 genera distributed worldwide. Members are primarily characterized by distinctive notches on the tibiae of the middle and hind legs, often referred to as antenna cleaners. The tribe also exhibits a subglabrous body surface and bifid pretarsal claws. Taxonomic organization follows five informal sections: Callisinites, Metachromites, Nodostomites, Pagriites, and Typophorites.
Unciolidae
Unciolidae is a family of marine amphipod crustaceans comprising approximately 9 genera and over 20 described species. The family has a worldwide distribution with records from deep-sea environments in the North Atlantic and shallow tropical waters such as the Great Barrier Reef. Members of this family exhibit diverse habitat preferences, from abyssal depths exceeding 2000 meters to coastal reef systems.
Yponomeutinae
ermine moths (subfamily)
Yponomeutinae is a subfamily of small moths (micromoths) in the family Yponomeutidae, containing the type genus Yponomeuta. The subfamily has worldwide distribution. Members are characterized by their small size and often distinctive wing patterns. The group has been subject to recent taxonomic revision, particularly in Asia where new species continue to be described.