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#50499
Matt-finish darkling beetle - Platydema ruficornis

Matt-finish darkling beetle - Platydema ruficornis
Hudson, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, USA
May 2, 2006
Size: about 4.5 mm

Images of this individual: tag all
Matt-finish darkling beetle - Platydema ruficornis Matt-finish darkling beetle - Platydema ruficornis Matt-finish darkling beetle - Platydema ruficornis Matt-finish darkling beetle - Platydema ruficornis Matt-finish darkling beetle - Platydema ruficornis Matt-finish darkling beetle - Platydema ruficornis

Moved
Moved from Platydema.

Platydema ruficorne
Finally checked your specimens out, and they are P. ruficorne. Antennae all red, body dorsum all dark brown with a matt surface.

 
Super!
Thanks for examining them, Don.

Tenebrionidae: Platydema sp.
A Platydema.

 
I'll guess P. flavipes
If it is, my pix are a great deal better than University of Florida's, which is surprising since they generally have very fine photos on their site. P. flavipes is listed for New Hampshire on UNH checklist.

 
My guess
based on the Florida images would be P. ruficorne, in which case they look pretty similar, and this species is also known from NH. I suppose someone could trek to the collection to settle it (who?). There are two groups each with a number of species, the shiny, larger, more elongate ones; and the shorter, more oval, dull ones (and then the one with red spots - no problem). Having the specimens in hand is really preferred to pursue species-level id's within these groups.

 
I'll send you a couple.
I got another today in a nook in a shelf fungus growing on birch.

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