Explanation of Names
OBSCURUS: a Latin word meaning dark, dusky, or indistinct
Numbers
one of four species in this genus in North America
Identification
body black, slender; wings short, not covering abdomen; abdomen elongate, tapering to blunt-tipped point; legs and antennae (except for club) brownish-yellow
based on comparison with the few Internet images,
C. obscurus seems to have a more "smooth-tailed" profile (i.e. the dividing lines between its abdominal segments appear to be more indistinct or obscure than in
mexicanus), and it apparently has a short stalk separating the elytra and pronotum, not evident in web photos of
mexicanus (see
genus page for links to images of
C. mexicanus)
Range
Minnesota, North Dakota and Manitoba to New Brunswick, south at least to North Carolina [but absent from Florida], west at least to Mississippi and Colorado
Habitat
often found in tubular flowers such as morning glory and bindweed (Convolvulaceae)
Food
adults feed on pollen without damaging the flower; in the southern United States, C. obscurus feeds inside cotton blossoms
See Also
other species of
Conotelus are also black and similar in shape, but none of them are found in Canada, and
C. obscurus seems to be the only species in the northern United States as well (see
genus page for distribution of other species)
Internet References
live adult image of
C. obscurus (Marc-Andre Lachance, U. of Western Ontario)
food plants; PDF doc and other info (Marc-Andre Lachance
et al, U. of Western Ontario)
distribution in Canada; PDF doc (Checklist of Beetles of Canada and Alaska; Nitudulidae)
presence in Minnesota; list of
C. obscurus (Insects of Cedar Creek, Minnesota)
presence in Mississippi; citation on cotton flowers (Clarence Collison, Mississippi State U.)
common name reference (Insects International, Illinois)
Contributed by
Robin McLeod on 19 November, 2005 - 2:25pm
Additional contributions by
ghanley1Last updated 29 October, 2008 - 2:56pm
