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#1653890
Pogonognathellus - Tomocerus vulgaris

Pogonognathellus - Tomocerus vulgaris
Packwood, Lewis County, Washington, USA
April 21, 2019
Size: 5-6 mm
This is the Pogonognathellus with kaleidoscope colors, first one I've seen since February. On a building wall at night.

Images of this individual: tag all
Pogonognathellus - Tomocerus vulgaris Pogonognathellus - Tomocerus vulgaris Pogonognathellus - Tomocerus vulgaris Pogonognathellus - Tomocerus vulgaris

Moved

Tomocerus vulgaris
Note eyepatch with anterior 4 ocelli in square constellation. In Pogonognathellus : diamond constellation.
Great shot of the iridisation effects of the translucent scales!

 
Species comparison
So, the question is whether there are two similar species here or one species, Tomocerus vulgaris and/or a Pogonognathellus species. I've submitted what I took to be the same species 4 other times, here , here , here , and here . The last two (in the order presented here) don't have comments by you while the first two were identified as Pogonognathellus, which is why I titled this specimen as such.

When I find and photograph these, they all look the same, reflecting in the same way to my lights and of similar size and shape. Getting an acceptable photo of the eye patch is at the limit of what my equipment can do. Are there some other superficial characteristics that differ between these species that I can try to capture?

 
Differentiating Tomocerus from Pogonognathellus
There are several clues you can use but it depends on the quality of the shots whether or not they are reliable:
Eyepatch : see above (is most reliable character)
Ant.3 : subcylindrical in Tomocerus, apically tapering in Pogonognathellus (is not reliable in case antenna has been recovered)
Ant.4 : as long as ant.1+2 in Tomocerus, shorter in Pogonognathellus (typically seen in juvenile specimens, but often ant.4 is missing...)
Ant.3 : scales absent in Tomocerus, present in Pogonognathellus (iridisation reveals presence of scales)
Tibiotarsus 3 : long spiky macroseta present in Pogonognathellus, absent in Tomocerus (setae are often not resolved in low macrophotography with 'wrong' background)

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