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Photo#41750
bigger ciid? - Cis

bigger ciid? - Cis
Hollis, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, USA
January 27, 2006
Size: 2.6 mm
When I spotted this beetle on the tree fungus I had taken out of a hollow tree, it appeared larger than a ciid. In fact, I thought it was a small thora*cid. Upon looking at the photos, it looks very much like the other individual I collected from the same fungus type, but 0.5mm larger. It is just big for its kind, or is it a different species? Here's the smaller individual:

Images of this individual: tag all
bigger ciid? - Cis bigger ciid? - Cis bigger ciid? - Cis bigger ciid? - Cis Ciids compared - Cis Ciids compared - Cis Ciids compared - Cis

Moved

Cis versi*color?
Looking through the Ciidae section in American Beetles, I note that in all images except that of Hadr*aule blais*delli the beetles' heads are hidden by their pronotums. That species, however, has two antennal balls whereas mine have three. I think most of the drawings were from mounted specimens that had their heads deflexed (downturned) in their normal positions, whereas my photos are of live beetles in exploring mode, with their heads up and looking around.

Assuming for the moment this is the case, I think my two specimens that differ in color and size might be normal color (and size) variations in a single species. The dorsal view otherwise looks like Cis vesi*color and the species name suggests to me a color variability.

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