Tragidion - Tragidion densiventre

Moved

… margarethe brummermann, 27 January, 2009 - 6:15pm

Agree with Ted -

Especially notable in this female: five elytral costae, and the costae curving inward toward the suture, relatively narrow black basal band on elytra.
Did you find this on Baccharis sarothroides?

… Hartmut Wisch, 27 January, 2009 - 5:16pm

It all fits now

Ted just e-mailed that he had the wrong male in his photo of deceptum. He sent me the right one now and I am posting it.
Yes, most of them were on desert broom.

… margarethe brummermann, 27 January, 2009 - 5:43pm

I believe...

...this is Tragidion densiventre, based on the dark orange rather than yellow orange elytra, the inward curving elytral costae, the narrow black basal band on the elytra, and the all black antennae. This species occurs in lower desert habitats, while T. deceptum occurs at higher montane elevations, although the two species can co-occur (even feeding on the same shrubs) in zones of contact.

… Ted C. MacRae, 27 January, 2009 - 2:19pm

Well,

The gold ones and the darker orange ones were mating...I have to look at the Molino basin elevation. That area certainly has oaks as well as mesquites and is on the slope of the 10000 ft high Catalina Mnts.

… margarethe brummermann, 27 January, 2009 - 3:48pm

Males...

...of T. densiventre are golden. There are several characters that distinguish the two species, including width of the basal black band on the elytra (narrower in densiventre, about the same length as the scutellum; and wider in deceptum, extending about twice the length of the scutellum) and the length of the elytral intervals (extending only to about the posterior third in deceptum; longer in densiventre, extending almost to the elytral apices). The two species can occur together in transitional habitats such is this - Swift & Ray (2008) even noted them feeding together on the same Baccharis bushes.

… Ted C. MacRae, 27 January, 2009 - 5:21pm

Moved

Moved from Tragidion.

… margarethe brummermann, 27 January, 2009 - 1:37pm

Tragidion annulatum

This is a female specimen. They are excellent Pepis mimics, and beautiful beetles.

… Dennis Haines, 6 December, 2007 - 3:55pm