that was a valiant effort

Thanks so much to both of you... this make my day!
should I remove some of these photo?

Your photos are too nice to frass!

The third antenommere looks too long for castanipes (the best feature for castanipes is the obsolete frontal margin, best viewed directly from above), although sometimes females have a longer segment 3. Size supports castanipes as it is one of the larger species.

Although only three Melantous may be 'officially' recorded from NB, most of the similis/communis-complex species are in New England and adject Canada so there is a potential for NSRs for NB. I'd be hesitant to rule-out species based on published records.

Hi Blaine,

There are actually five species of Melantotus recorded from New Brunswick:
1) Melanotus castanipes (Paykull)
2) Melanotus decumanus (Erichson)
3) Melanotus leonardi (LeConte)
4) Melanotus sagittarius (LeConte)
5) Melanotus similis (Kirby)

I agree that it's really hard to tell Melantotus spp. apart.

For this specimen, the shape of the frons rules out M. decumanus and the colour and size exclude M. leonardi and M. sagittarius. On the basis of size M. castanipes seems the best candidate (although on the basis of my observations I'm not convinced that M. similis doesn't get to 18.4 mm), but I agree with you that antennomere 3 looks too long for a female M. castanipes. I don't know: I think this genus is in need of revision.

it's a female castanipes.

I have a shot of the underside of it, could that help? Also, I still have the specimen and could easely take some others enlarged part..

thanks, Richard. love your pix.

side view and frontal views of the head/face (need to rule-out decumanus, too).

Face and frontal views of it are there..hope it will help.

any way of getting a straight-on face shot--as if you were looking directly at it. The main external key character for castanipes is the apparently obsolete frontal margin (the black rim looks to be missing mid-center). Sorry to be a pain :).

It's my pleasure to contribuate... I will take as many photo as you need, send it in few hours.. thanks

Melantous species, especially members of the similis/communis complex are VERY difficult to ID to the species-level without examining the specimen. Too many odd characters at different angles of head/pronotum. Ideally, male genitilia would help but I'm guessing this is a female.

Two more photo, hope you get the needed information..

in our decumanus pix, the intervals all look very flat basally (vs rather convex is this specimen)

published records are based on a very recent & thorough review(1), but you never know with the clickers, that's for sure...