Tenebrio Under Bark - Neatus tenebroides

Moved

… Stephen Cresswell, 3 April, 2007 - 6:43pm

I think: Neatus tenebrioides

reasons:
- stronger punctures on sides of pronotum;
- strong luster on elytra;
- habitat.

I just fixed up the Tenebrio spp. - compare info also.

You may move it, if you agree.

cheers, Boris

… Boris Büche, 2 April, 2007 - 6:50am

Neatus

Yes, Neatus tenebrioides does look very similar, I agree.

I do note that on this website showing N. tenebrioides:

entnemdept.ufl.edu/teneb/Neatus_tenebrioides.jpg

there are two deep dimples (depressions) on the pronotum that are easily seen in that photo. Do you think these dimples are just hidden by shadow in my photo?

AH, I JUST found another photo of this beetle, taken at the same time and of the same individual; I'll post it:

… Stephen Cresswell, 2 April, 2007 - 5:24pm

dimples

Such dimples are not seen not only in your photo, but in all in bugguide, and I have not seen similar in our domestic species, N.picipes, as well.
I assume that the dimples in the external pic are simply an individual feature, indicating a site where muscles are attached, that have been in action when the beetle was freshly emerged.

cheers, Boris

… Boris Büche, 3 April, 2007 - 1:45am

Could't find image match

However, Checklist of Eastern US species of Tenebrionidae site has pix for only a portion of the checklist so far. Great images there for what they do have.

… Jim McClarin, 9 February, 2006 - 5:38pm

Judging from D&D

Yes, judging from Dillon & Dillon the species are very close in their structures, striations, and punctations. It seems like the kind of thing that would be easier to identify using a university insect collection somewhere.

On the other hand, the "mealworm" pests are pretty well known, and if this is one of those someone has had first-hand experience with, we may hear from them yet.

--Stephen

Stephen Cresswell
Buckhannon, WV
www.stephencresswell.com

… Stephen Cresswell, 9 February, 2006 - 6:14pm