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Photo#1912310
Loomis2 J02 - Tachys vorax

Loomis2 J02 - Tachys vorax
Loomis, Placer County, California, USA
August 8, 2020
Size: 2.5 mm
Collected by Glen Forister at U.V. light trap.

Images of this individual: tag all
Loomis2 J02 - Tachys vorax Loomis2 J02 - Tachys vorax Loomis2 J02 - Tachys vorax

Moved

These images fit my concept of Tachys (Paratachys) vorax.
Glen Forister kindly sent me several examples also from Placer Co., CA. This tiny, far western Tachys is shiny & slightly iridescent; dorsally and ventrally testaceous except for distinctly dark head and an ill-defined short cloud located just behind middle of elytra.

Images of LeConte's type specimen are posted here.

Moved
Moved from Ground Beetles.

 
Tachys
Outstanding!

 
what exactly?
in my book --well, at my porch lights -- they are mostly noise, at least those that look like this one... some nights they show up in the hundreds and can be a nuisance if you have to check scores of them before you find something decent in that size class --it's just tiresome
of course, there are 4-5 reasonably cool spp. in the nominate subgenus, but the pale Paratachys with a cloudy elytral spot are a dime a thousand... reminds me that i yet have to sort out this year's tachyine catch (200-300 mounted specimens, i guess... did my best to be selective)

 
Reply
I'm just happy with the quick genus ID. I'm in the process of putting my Carabids into unit trays by taxonomy, and learning their full classification better. Going to the unit trays was a big investment in money and time. The unit trays are mainly for the Coleoptera, for now. Using a unique B.G. identifier has really helped - can quickly re-locate the specimen when further depth is forthcoming. I posted this comment, thinking others might benefit from the thought of using the identifier more, since I don't see them in use (hidden to others, I think?)

 
sorry no idea what you mean by "unique B.G. identifier"

 
Identifier
When you "add image," there is a box half-way down the page labeled "identifier," with the caption: "Optional. An identifier for your own uses. If you choose something unique here from your own records, you can easily find this image later using search."

If, for example, another collector and I are at the same location together, we agree on an identifier unique to that site, then add our initial, plus a serialized number -- which we add to the post on B.G. (e.g. Sonora20 J01, "J" being me. My friend might post Sonora20 G01 for his first posting from that site). We can then put the identifier into the search string and parse what we both posted from there, eliminating duplication. Likewise, if you (as you often do) update an ID from genus to species, I can put go to my collection and quickly locate the specimen, because I print the identifier on the ID label, beside "det. V. Belov." I've also been putting the same identifier in the title. My friend, Gary Griswold, uses the identifier on the dorsal view to index his B.G. catalog of specimens by classification. When we collect at the same site, he puts an identifier agreeing with mine (but with his initial) on the ventral view. When I search for "our" specimens, I "see" the dorsal views of mine and the ventral views of his from that location. I hope that explains how I use the B.G. Identifier option.

 
using identifier option
Thank you for taking the time to spell out a way the identifier option can be used. I've noticed it and have been a little puzzled about how I might use it. I happened across this thread while I was looking for something else - a good detour!

 
thanks, Jerry
sorry, i didn't mean to take so much of your time to explain to in great detail a feature i'll never use.......
btw, if you put "det. V. Belov" on the label, the latter must clearly indicate that the identification was from images (rather than the physical specimen)

 
"from image"
Ah . . . a valuable concept, perhaps not widely known (or at least I didn't). I will do that, and pass it along to my ento-friends.

 
Very important to acknowledge physical vs image ID:
Taken from my profile page:

Note to photographers: Using my name as an example, there are two different ways to correctly associate your photograph with “PW Messer” as the determiner of the beetle species. If the identification was based on my physical examination of the photo-vouchered specimen, then simply write “det PW Messer 2015”. If identification was based solely on the image, then choose either “image-based det PW Messer 2015” or “photo-ID PW Messer 2015”. Greater chance of inaccuracies are expected with non-physical determinations.

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