Spotlight Specimens in the Museum
Moths
Following is a sampling of the New Mexican moths (Lepidoptera) that are in the Arthropod Museum. Most were collected by Dr. Greg Forbes, who is an Adjunct at the Department of Entomology, Plant Pathlogy and Weed Science and has donated his time and effort to improve our moth collection at the Museum.
Click on the image for a larger view:
Geometridae: Biston betularia
Geometridae: Caripeta suffusata
Noctuidae: Black Witch Moth, Ascalapha odorata
Noctuidae: Copanarta aurea
Noctuidae: Euscirrhopterus gloveri
Geometridae: Galenara consimilis
Geometridae: Merisca gracea
Geometridae: Metanema inatomaria
Geometridae: Nemoria unitaria
Saturniidae: Automeris cerops
Saturniidae: Automeris zephyria
Sphingidae: Eumorpha achemon
Saturniidae: Hemileuca juno
Saturniidae: Hemileuca oliviae
Arctiidae: Holomelina costata
Saturniidae: Hyalophora gloveri
Sphingidae: Manduca rustica
Sphingidae: Pachysphinx occidentalis
Geometridae: Pero behrensaria
Geometridae: Phaeoura perfidaria
Spingidae: Proserpinus jaunita
Geometridae: Snowia montanaria
Geometridae: Spargania aurata
Sphingidae: Sphinx dollii
Noctuidae: Drasteira divergens
Noctuidae: Drasteira howlandi
Noctuidae: Mamestra configurata
Noctuidae: Gerra sevorsa
Noctuidae: Matigramma rubrosuffusa
Noctuidae: Melipotis indomita
Noctuidae: Miracavira brillians
Noctuidae: Pseudaletia unipuncta
Noctuidae: Rhizagrotis albalis
Noctuidae: Richia lobato
Noctuidae: Schinia bicuspida
Noctuidae: Schinia regina
Noctuidae: Schinia rosetincta
Noctuidae: Striacosta albicosta
Arctiidae: Aemelia ambigua
Arctiidae: Arachnis picta
Arctiidae: Bertholdia trigon
Arctiidae: Dysschema howardi
Arctiidae: Estigmene acrea
Arctiidae: Euchaetes gigantia
Arctiidae: Gnamptonychia ventralis
Arctiidae: Grammia f-pallida
Arctiidae: Hypercompe permaculata
Arctiidae: Pygarctia spraguei
Noctuidae: Acontia bella
Arctiidae: Holomelina ostenta
Beetles
The Arthropod Museum beetle collection is quite varied. The collection is especially rich in species of the families Meloidae (primarily because of the generosity of the late Floyd Werner of the University of Arizona), Carabidae (especially Cicindelinae or tiger beetles), Scarabaeidae, Cerambycidae, Chrysomelidae and Curculionidae
Carabidae: Cicindela marutha
Meloidae: Lytta mirifica- the possibly extinct Anthony Blister Beetle
Carabidae: Cicindela nevadica olmosa- The Alamosa Tiger Beetle
Meloidae: Lytta cyanipennis
Carabidae: Cicindela obsoleta
Scarabaeidae: Onthophagus gazella
Scarabaeidae: Paracotalpa sp.
Scarabaeidae: Phanaeus mexicanus
Scarabaeidae: Phanaeus quadridens
Scarabaeidae: Phanaeus vindex
Carabidae: Amblycheila cylindriformis
Carabidae: Amblycheila picolomini
Scarabaeidae: Chrysina beyeri
Scarabaeidae: Chrysina gloriosa
Scarabaeidae: Chrysina lecontei
Carabidae: Cicindela debilis
Carabidae: Cicindela formosa rutilovirescens
Cerambycidae: Synaphaeta guexi
Carabidae: Tetracha carolina
Scarabaeidae: Dynastes granti male
Rhipiphoridae: Rhipiphorus scaber, a beetle collected by T. D. A. Cockerell in the 1890s
Orthopteroids
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Acrididae: Shotwellia isleta - female and male of one of the rarest grasshoppers in North America |
Tettigoniidae: Capnobotes fuliginosus
Mantidae: Stagmomantis limbata (females)
Hymenoptera
We have many ants, bees and wasps in New Mexico, but it is also true that many families are not well documented. Here is a sampling of our as yet limited collection
Pompilidae: Anoplius nigrinus
Pompilidae: Cryptocheilus severini
Pompilidae: Pepsis formosa pattoni
Pompilidae: Pepsis thisbe - the tarantula hawk and our state insect!
Pompilidae: Perisopompilus phoenix
Formicidae: Neivamyrmex nigrescens - a native army ant
| Formicidae: Odontomachus clarus - a primitive ponerine ant from the Organ Mountains |
Mutillidae: Dasymutilla gloriosa
Mutillidae: Dasymutilla klugii
Sphecidae: Sphecius grandis
Siricidae: Tremex columba - a horntail
True Bugs
True bugs (order Hemiptera) include all those insects that entomologists recognize as bugs in the scientific sense. This is Dr. Scott Bundy's special interest.
Reduviidae: Apiomerus spissipes
Lygaeidae: Oncopeltus fasciatus
Notonectidae: Notonecta kirbyi
Reduviidae: Rasahus biguttatus
Reduviidae: Triatoma gerstaeckeri
Reduviidae: Triatoma lenticularius
Belostomatidae: Abedus species male with eggs on back
Belostomatidae: Lethocerus sp.
Pentatomidae: Cosmopepla decorata
Pentatomidae: Chlorochroa ligata
Galastocoridae: Galastocoris sp.
Nepidae: Ranatra
Dragonflies
New Mexico has an astonishing number of dragonflies and damselflies (over 100 species) for a state with relatively little open water. They include everything from huge aeshnid dragonflies to some tiny coenagrionid damselflies. Unfortunately the colors fade after death and these are best photographed alive. The specimens shown here are in envelopes, as are used commonly by specialists in these remarkable insects.
Aeshnidae: Oplonaeshna armata
Libellulidae: Libellula puchella (male)
Libellulidae: Libellula saturata (male)
Libellulidae: Perithemis tenera (male)
True Flies
Flies (Order Diptera) are the bane of man's existence. Mosquitoes and tabanids bite us, muscids pester us and blow flies get into our meat if it is left open. Still syrphid, robber and dolichopodid flies often eat pest insects and many flies are involved in pollination. Included here are a few of the more interesting dipterans in the Arthropod Museum collection.
Asilidae: Megaphorus pulchrus
Asilidae: Ospriocerus longulus
Asilidae: Proctacanthus nearno
Mydidae: Rhaphiomidas painteri