A firefly to identify... - Lucidota atra

Moved

… Will Chatfield-Taylor, 10 April, 2010 - 9:24am

Bonjour Michel. Je pense que...

vous êtes sur la bonne piste et c'est un très bel image de Pyropyga (et non Ellychnia), mais quelle est la raison pour choisir decipiens au lieu de nigricans? Par contre, soyez averti que je ne suis pas l'expert des Lampyridés. Attendez SVP l'opinion de M. =v= belov ou d'autres...

… Denis A. Doucet, 22 March, 2010 - 10:29am

Just to test my French...

You are on the right track and it's a very beautiful image of Pyropyga (and not Ellychnia), but what is the reason for choosing decipiencs instead of nigricans? Par contre, you know averti, that I am not an expert on Lampyrids. Please wait for the opinion of V belov and others..

Is that right?

… Will Chatfield-Taylor, 23 March, 2010 - 8:47pm

Oui Monsieur

C'est très bien.
(I hope that I didn't make too many mistakes : ).

… Beatriz Moisset, 24 March, 2010 - 3:17pm

I was not as sure...

But now (upon further reading) that it appears the trait to choose decipiens is the width of the black margin on the pronotum (apparently nigricans has a relatively thick dark pronotal margin similar to Ellychnia, which your specimen does not), so yes decipiens, as Blaine said and I hope others will corroborate!

… Denis A. Doucet, 22 March, 2010 - 10:36am

Now I am wondering...

if this might be Lucidota atra. Compare the antennae of your specimen with

Apparently this is an important character to distinguish Pyropyga from Lucidota..

… Denis A. Doucet, 22 March, 2010 - 11:18am

pas sans hésitation, mais ce dernier choix me plaît le mieux

… v belov, 22 March, 2010 - 1:57pm

Hello all,Lucidota or Pyr

Hello all,

Lucidota or Pyropyga? This is the question...

I'm really hesitating between both genus because the pictures on the web can easily misled by wrong identifications.

Do you know where I can see correct pictures of both species for comparison?

Thank you very much in advance,

Michel

PS. Here is a picture I took in the past (2008, July 12th) in Quebec, Canada that I have identified being Pyropyga decipiens. Was I wrong?
http://parcours.pilonm.org/pictures/insectes/pyropygaDecipiens1.jpg

PPS. Merci Denis pour les commentaires au sujet de ces images. C'est bien apprécié :-)

… pilonm, 25 March, 2010 - 3:38pm

I believe your ID request is Lucidota

but the image with the link above is Pyropyga decipiens. It is the thickness of antennae that really count, I think. Do go look at the guide pages here on Bug Guide and compare your specimen with both Pyropyaga decipiens and Lucidota atra

… Denis A. Doucet, 25 March, 2010 - 4:40pm

Bonjour Denis,Finalement

Bonjour Denis,

Finalement en comparant les photos sur Bugguide.net je suis du même avis. Je crois aussi que les antennes sont un bon indicateur pour distinguer les genres. Il s'agit donc de Lucidota atra (un lifer pour moi :-) ).

Merci infiniment!

A+

Michel

… pilonm, 26 March, 2010 - 1:17pm

I'd go with...

Pyropyga decipiens. Ellychnia corrusca appears to have a broad black band on the later pronotal borders.

… Blaine Mathison, 22 March, 2010 - 10:22am

Hello Blaine, Comparing t

Hello Blaine,

Comparing the antennas it looks like this Fire beatle is Lucidota atra.

Thanks for your help :-)

Michel

… pilonm, 26 March, 2010 - 1:21pm