Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#46385
Phengodes plumosa - Phengodes - male

Phengodes plumosa - Phengodes - Male
Apalachicola National Forest Whitehead Lake Campground, Liberty County, Florida, USA
March 29, 2006
Size: 14 mm
Very interesting antennae. Plumose and feathery. Attracted to UV lights.

Images of this individual: tag all
Phengodes plumosa - Phengodes - male Phengodes plumosa - Phengodes - male

Moved
Moved from Phengodes plumosa. I don't think this is plumosa, which Wittmer says has the head almost always yellowish.

Moved
Moved from Glowworms.

 
basis of this ID?
I've been looking through the literature on this group. I have looked at the 1970's key by Wittmer, and it is all based on microscopic characters. I cannot find any documentation that members of this genus can be assigned to species based on photographs. Maybe I'm missing something?

 
you're correct
As far as I can tell, aside from some cases where coloration and location can really help narrow down species, it appears measurements of the interocular distance and length of antennal segments 4 to 6 are often needed.

I wonder
Do bioluminescent insects, such as the female Phengodes, emit any UV light?

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.