Trox capillaris

Moved

Thanks a lot for your help! Moved from Hide or Skin Beetles.

… Matthew Roth, 13 March, 2007 - 5:05pm

Trox

Its Trox capillaris. The black tufts of setae are distinctive.

… Brad Barnd, 26 November, 2006 - 6:42pm

I'm Sorry

I've just seen on your comment that you thought it belonged to the unistriatus group. Do you still think so since I have uploaded the new photos or was I correct? I think it is group tuberculatus, but you're the expert:-)

… Matthew Roth, 15 January, 2006 - 7:09pm

well ..

I'm finding it difficult to tell from the photo evidence - did you run it through the key? Something still bothers me - are there tubercles on the head, or just tufts of setae? Check also description for base of pronotum and reflexed elytral margins.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 16 January, 2006 - 7:25am

No Luck

Sorry I have taken so long to respond. I am having trouble identifying this beetle. This genus is very hard to ID to species. Unless you can ID it or know an expert who would be able to help, I think it is best to move it back to a genus level. If you/I move it to the Trox page, should I delete the guide pages I created or let them there? Thanks for you help.

… Matthew Roth, 25 January, 2006 - 12:02pm

Trox tuberculatus.......

I am pretty sure this is species Trox tuberculatus after studying it for a bit. In the PDF file you gave me, it breaks genus Trox into groups. After studying the pronotum markings and the hind femur, I found it defiantly belongs to the tuberculatus group. I then looked under the info for this group and found that only one species lives east of the Mississippi River, T. tuberculatus. A photo of T. tuberculatus can be seen here. I have not yet learned how to dissect the genitalia on any insects, but it states in A Revision of the Genus Trox in North America, “The genitalia in this group are much more similar than are those in the other groups.” I am pretty certain of the ID anyway. I'll create the tuberculatus group and create the species guide page under that. I’ll upload some of photos of the distinct markings to help with future Ids. Thanks for providing me with the link to this great Trox paper.

… Matthew Roth, 15 January, 2006 - 1:12pm

Have I got..

Have I got a deal for you, see here - get a free download of the last monograph on the group by Vaurie (1955). She considered Omorgus a synonym of Trox - valid again.

Definitely not suberosus, the sculpturing of the pronotum is diagnostic - Vaurie divided these up into groups based on that. Yours looks like its belongs in the T. unistriatus Group.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 12 January, 2006 - 9:22pm

Thanks!

Sorry about the wait. My computer doesn't have DSL, so I had to wait to download that until I could use my Dad's computer at work. I'll take a look at it in the next week and see if I can ID my specimen to a species.

… Matthew Roth, 14 January, 2006 - 5:25pm