Female, Neortholomus - Neortholomus scolopax

Sorry to rain on the parade, but...

Moved from Neortholomus nevadensis.

I can see how David may have gotten the impression that the ocelli are on the imaginary line across the posterior margins of the eyes (part of the couplet in Hamilton's key that differentiates scolopax from nevadensis), because in the dorsal photos the vertex of the head is tilted down and forward rather than level (which is the head’s natural position when the insect’s body overall is level). Because the ocelli are higher on the head than the rear margin of the eyes, tilting the head forward has the effect of moving the ocelli forward, relative to the rear margin of the eyes. The key specifies that the head would need to be “viewed with vertex level” for this assessment (which would mean tipping the front of the insect’s body upward about 20 degrees, and would also move the ocelli back relative to the rear margin of the eyes). This is not a problem of the photo, but in the use of it.

Anyway, the angle of the rear margin of the head behind the eyes matches that of N. scolopax (obliquely angled), and not at all that of N. nevadensis (straight and perpendicular to the long axis of the head), which is also in that couplet of the key and should settle any lingering doubt from the assessment of the position of the ocelli.

With the same reasoning, I am also moving to N. scolopax the other two entries (mentioned in earlier comments) that were placed under N. nevadensis based on comparison with this entry.

… Jason Botz, 22 October, 2021 - 11:07am

Party pooper

… Ken Wolgemuth, 22 October, 2021 - 11:45am

Haha, yes, but...

combing through the entries from California, I did find an actual entry of N. nevadensis! See it here:

… Jason Botz, 22 October, 2021 - 11:49am

Well at least...

...I didn't create the page in vain. :)

… Ken Wolgemuth, 22 October, 2021 - 11:52am

Moved

Moved from Seed Bugs.

… Ken Wolgemuth, 15 May, 2020 - 1:06pm

Male posted here

… Salvador Vitanza, 14 May, 2020 - 9:18pm

If you ask me...

...it's almost a dead ringer for this one...

...which V says is Belonochilus numenius. Although I have to defer to his expertise, these just don't look a whole lot like the other specimens in the Guide, in my humble opinion.

I'll let you decide whether or not to move them.

… Ken Wolgemuth, 14 May, 2020 - 6:09pm

I agree about how similar those two bugs look like

and I suspect they are the same species. However, they don't resemble the Belonochilus numenius that I have photographed. Compare the ventral habitus of these two females:

The length of the proboscis alone would indicate that they are not a match.
To be honest, my tentative ID of Neortholomus scolopax is not a perfect match either, but it is the closest I could get it.
I have forwarded my images to David McCoy and I am hoping he will be able to figure it out.

… Salvador Vitanza, 14 May, 2020 - 6:20pm

Maybe it's something new for the Guide.

I'm looking forward to finding out. :)

… Ken Wolgemuth, 14 May, 2020 - 6:48pm

Our wish was granted!

A "new" species for the guide! David McCoy keyed it out to Neortholomus nevadensis (Baker,1906) using Hamilton, Steven W. 1983. Neortholomus, a new genus of Orsillini (Hemiptera-Heteroptera: Lygaeidae: Orsillinae). University of Kansas Science Bulletin 52(7):197-234 (1983) http://biostor.org/reference/40450

… Salvador Vitanza, 15 May, 2020 - 11:37am

Excellent!

At some point today, I'll create the new pages.

I don't suppose you asked David to look at these shots as well?

… Ken Wolgemuth, 15 May, 2020 - 12:22pm

After seeing those two images,

David McCoy replied: “In the orsillinae genera keys, it is necessary to see fore femurs (presence of spines) and carina on vertex and other characters. Their images are….not really diagnostic…..and more artistic. Only death reveals a clear answer. (photography of the dead insects)."

… Salvador Vitanza, 15 May, 2020 - 12:56pm