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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Scarab, Stag and Bess Beetles (Scarabaeoidea) » Sand-loving Scarab Beetles (Ochodaeidae)
Photo#139747
Sand-loving Scarabs + one
Copyright © 2006 Jim McClarin

Sand-loving Scarabs + one
Organ Mts., Doña Ana County, New Mexico, USA
August 6, 2006
These are all the presumed Sand-loving Scarab specimens (plus one other scarab) I collected the night of August 6 last year (2006) at my UV lights on greasewood/mesquite/cactus incline below jagged spires of the Organ Mountains. There appear to me to be 3 - 6 species here.

I have yet to get a good view of a mesotibial spine to say for sure whether it is plain or pectinate/crenulate and I haven't even looked for diagnostic interlocking formations around the elytral angle (wherever that is). I doubt my lens system is up to the task of recording the needed detail on these little guys and I had inconclusive viewing results in one try with my 40x macroscope. I may have to ship them out for expert examination...

I will no doubt post a group shot (smaller group) collected from my Aug. 9, 2006 UV light setup as well.
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Contributed by Jim McClarin on 25 August, 2007 - 7:49pm
Last updated 26 August, 2007 - 10:55am

Found more :-)
It turns out that I had taken some images of this family before leaving New Mexico last year (Aug. 2006), including some live shots that I'm posting momentarily.
… Jim McClarin, 26 August, 2007 - 10:29am login or register to post comments

 
If
the Texas checklist is any indicator, there may be a dozen or so species in NM. The NM searchable list is no help.
… Phillip Harpootlian, 26 August, 2007 - 8:00pm login or register to post comments

detail
of that upper right specimen would be good - doesn't look like Ochodaeus. The obviously visible mandibles is an important diagnostic character. Only some Aphodiines in the Scarabaeidae have that, mostly Aegialiini - all the others are now in their own families; Hybosoridae, Glaresidae, Geotrupidae and Ochodaeidae. You certainly have at least three species here.
… Phillip Harpootlian, 25 August, 2007 - 8:03pm login or register to post comments

 
I noted that in my title
but have just now edited the text to reflect that I knew one was not an ochadaeid. In fact, it was the only non-ochadaeid-looking scarab I still have from that date. I do have closeups that I will post.

I photographed quite a few scarabs before I left New Mexico and gave the specimens to NMSU. I've yet to post any of those images plus a bunch of other New Mexico images. It's a greed problem I have. I hate to miss collecting opportunities and regularly collect new specimens that get in the way of finishing up the ones before. Like I'm running my MV lights tonight and haven't shot a single beetle from last night's MV session, let alone posted any. Insane :-) I still have loads of stuff from Mt. Washington and vicinity, my flotsam harvest, the 2005 Maine Coleoptera Blitz, and a hundred other collecting forays since discovering bugguide, plus stuff from before I found bugguide.
… Jim McClarin, 25 August, 2007 - 10:26pm login or register to post comments

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