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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Tenebrionoidea » Darkling Beetles (Tenebrionidae) » Tenebrioninae » Amphidorini » Desert Stink Beetles (Eleodes) » subgenus Eleodes (Eleodes subgenus Eleodes) » Armored Darkling Beetle (Eleodes armata)
Photo#1789301
Female, Armored Darkling Beetle - Eleodes armata - female
Copyright © 2020 Salvador Vitanza

Female, Armored Darkling Beetle - Eleodes armata - Female
Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, Yuma County, Arizona, USA
March 7, 2020
Size: 21 mm
Coordinates: 32.100816, -113.451969
Elevation: 708 ft
Found among vegetation at the bottom of sand dunes on the side protected from the wind
I assumed that this specimen would be a male due to its much smaller size (21 mm) than the previous specimen that I posted (31 mm). To my surprise her abdomen had plenty of ova and, obviously, absence of aedeagus
Greater resolution image here

Images of this individual: tag all
Female, Armored Darkling Beetle - Eleodes armata - female Female, Armored Darkling Beetle - Eleodes armata - female Female, Armored Darkling Beetle - Eleodes armata - female Female, Armored Darkling Beetle - Eleodes armata - female Female, Armored Darkling Beetle - Eleodes armata - female Female, Armored Darkling Beetle - Eleodes armata - female Female, Armored Darkling Beetle - Eleodes armata - female Female, Armored Darkling Beetle - Eleodes armata - female
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Contributed by Salvador Vitanza on 18 March, 2020 - 9:57pm
Last updated 24 March, 2020 - 11:46am

Hmm, have you asked Andrew Johnston?
Despite having spines on all femora, this looks weird for armata, the elytra is more pitted and the individual just a bit more rotund than armata normally are...

EDIT: Nevermind, upon closer inspection it doesn't look all that different TBH, and the proportions could be off due to it being an unusually small individual...
… Hisserdude, 25 March, 2020 - 2:35am login or register to post comments

 
Dr. Andrew Johnston replied:
"It is definitely E. armata. The punctures are extra evident in your photo due to good lighting and a clean specimen - a rarity for Eleodes."
… Salvador Vitanza, 25 March, 2020 - 10:32am login or register to post comments

 
Unusually small individuals
I've noticed a few of these especially small individuals in E. longicollis in Western Kansas. They (so far) have always been females, and all have especially rotund abdomens, sometimes to the extent that they could be mistaken (at first glance) for some of the Stenomorpha present in the same area (i.e. S. convexa & S. convexicollis)
… I Fox, 25 March, 2020 - 10:30am login or register to post comments

 
OK, good to have confirmation!
And to I fox, that's pretty interesting, weird that unusually small size seems to correlate with a more rotund build!
… Hisserdude, 25 March, 2020 - 7:02pm login or register to post comments

Nicely Done!
Wonderful photos and series!
… I Fox, 24 March, 2020 - 11:40am login or register to post comments

 
Thank you Isaac!
for your kind comment and for bringing my attention to this entry. I had forgotten to include links to the greater resolution images, but now each photo has a link that allows the viewer to access a larger and more detailed version.
… Salvador Vitanza, 24 March, 2020 - 11:57am login or register to post comments

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