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Photo#120944
Artemato*podidae? No, it's - Dolotarsus lividus

Artemato*podidae? No, it's - Dolotarsus lividus
Jefferson Notch area, Coos County, New Hampshire, USA
May 26, 2007
Size: about 8 mm
I figured this was just another plain, brown cli*ck beetle when I fished it out of the swimming pool at the Jefferson Notch Motel. I still thought so when I was photographing it, although I did notice the red highlights on the sides of the elytra that I thought might provide an ID clue.

When I saw the enlarged images, however, I began to suspect this beetle belonged to an entirely different family. For one, the rear corners of the elytra were hardly acute, nor did this beetle seem to have a clicking mechanism on its underside. These points butressed my impression that the shape of the head and antennae were not elaterid. Due to the shape and hairiness of this animal I'm guessing Atemato*podidae.

The posture is no doubt a tad unnatural due to my insistence that the beetle straighten out so I could get a good dorsal view. I basically squished it with my thumb. It seemed to be near or completely dead already.

Images of this individual: tag all
Artemato*podidae? No, it's - Dolotarsus lividus Artemato*podidae? - Dolotarsus lividus Artemato*podidae? - Dolotarsus lividus Artemato*podidae? - Dolotarsus lividus Artemato*podidae? - Dolotarsus lividus

aka Dolotarsus lividus

Moved
Moved from Beetles.

Special thanks
to Ueno Teruhisa of Japan, Tim Moyer of New Jersey, and now Per Lofgren of Sweden for ID suggestions. I had wanted to do a little more research on this ID before moving it but was on the verge of leaving on a week-long collecting trip to Mt. Washington in New Hampshire and had no time. I'm back now and received the following this morning from Per Lofgren:

This species was collected once in Sweden in 1944. It was a Finnish guy who found it. Don't ask me why he was in Sweden in summer 1944 instead of defending Finland from Russia but he was.

In Europe it is a species living in large spruce logs in quite swampy habitats. Larvae and adult eat a common fungi, Trichaptum abietinum.

It is seen as extinct in Sweden, occurs very rarely in Finland, not so rare in swamp forests in Poland and Russia.

My interest is if this species still occurs in Sweden, and I have tried for some time to find it there outside Östersund on Storflon by using insect traps but have not yet succeded.

Xylita livida has also a very special way of living and it is out flying as far as I know very early in spring, which is why I asked you for photographing date.

Best regards,

Per Lofgren

 
historical and ecological comments
"This species was collected once in Sweden in 1944. It was a Finnish guy who found it. Don't ask me why he was in Sweden in summer 1944 instead of defending Finland from Russia but he was."

1944 Soviets had other problems then invading Finland (1939/40), thanks to the Fuehrer.

"Xylita livida has also a very special way of living and it is out flying as far as I know very early in spring, which is why I asked you for photographing date."

I just examined several specimens from the Bavarian mountains, collected with canopy traps in May. More common there than the second species, laevigata.

strange one
with a quick bounce between AmBeetles and Downie and Arnett I couldn't seem to find a match for Atemato*podidae. 2 of the 3 species mentioned in AmBeetles for NH are much smaller than 8mm. But it's a strange family that seems to have changed makeup alot over the years, so perhaps I'm not looking in the right place in D&A. And determining families is not my strength, but what would you say to Melandryidae? I couldn't find an obvious match in D&A either, but the general form seemed close.

PS: my kiddy pool has been a constant source of different beetles. I don't know if it's the white / shiny surfaces, or just the "pitfall" properties of the H2O, but its working. Some people skim the water to get rid of the bugs. I skim the water to get the bugs :)

 
You may be getting warm there, Tim.
I just heard from Ueno Teruhisa in Japan who thinks it might be Xyl*ita of that family. I need to fish the beetle out of the alcohol pool this time so I can count tarsi.

 
yes,
yes, I saw Xyl*ita in browsing D&A, and they looked (in B&W text) like good candidates, but not obvious definitive fit. That's not to mean yours is not one of them. It very well could be Xyl*ita

Two species:
X. laevigata (Hellenius) 6.3-8.4mm (seen from Europe here) Some variation allowed from description.
X. livida Sahlberg 4.7-7.2mm

The antenna and large palpi seem like a match. And if the 1st hind tarsi is very long, then I'd say we at least have the family.