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Photo#380838
Eleodes osculans

Eleodes osculans
Burton Mesa, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
March 24, 2010
Size: 14 mm
Found under bark of a fallen oak.
My photos on the dark bark didn't show the beetle well. So, a beetle in hand is better than two in the bush.
Just re-checked this specimen in the collection of Cal State U. Northridge. Doesn't stand out at all from all the other E. osculans, and definitely has reddish-brown pile. I think this also shows in my photos, though perhaps not as well.

Images of this individual: tag all
Eleodes osculans Eleodes osculans

Eleodes nigropilosus
not osculans. Note the hair color- all black!

 
I don't think so,
have specimens of this as well as nigripilosus:


Being a skeptic, in case that my vision was off the day Jim Hogue and I examined the specimens, I'll take another look soon.

 
I thought the same
it's a nigripilosus looking specimen. I saw a bunch like this today, so curious what the verdict is...

 
Well,
time to take another look at the specimen, though will not have time until next week Thursday. Might have made a mistake.

 
I recently determined (with Alice Abela's help)
that my black-haired Eleodes were osculans. So hair colour alone is not suggestive of nigropilosus it seems. Rather, the shape and morphology of the beetle itself.

Nonetheless your beetle here seems a bit narrow in shape for osculans, perhaps?

Good looking photos, Hartmut!
These guys are absolutely everywhere in the foothills around my place right now. When I go for my evening walk, I've taken to counting them and it's not hard to spot 5 or 6 ambling across the fire road in a relatively short amount time. Other beetles being included in my daily walking count include: Phloeodes diabolicus (usually 2nd runner up) and Coelocnemis (in 3rd place). :-)

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