Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#418813
Scaptolenus

Scaptolenus
Rest Stop, St Hwy 17 n. of Ft. Davis, Jeff Davis County, Texas, USA
June 26, 2010
Det. V. Belov, 2010

coll'ed beating/sweeping

spmn in the TAMUIC

Images of this individual: tag all
Scaptolenus Scaptolenus Scaptolenus Scaptolenus Scaptolenus

Sex question:
This is a male.
Females modified to digging life mode, and very dislike. And they are long known, only very rarely encountered.
See paralectotype of S. vagans Chevrolat, 1874 (antennae not broken off).

Is this one truly a female?
That'd be pretty incredible if it was!

possible S. socius

Exciting gender find!
According to INFO the females of Scaptolenus are unknown. If this is (was) true, then this is indeed an exciting find! In INFO,it is further suggested that the female would not be capable of flight and would probably only appear above ground briefly for mating. I suggested that our specimen here might be a female based on apparent lack of odor, and genitalia that appeared more female than male, but this generated no BugGuide interest. Since our specimen was capable of flight this might count against the possibility of it being a female.
Gayle

Moved
Moved from Insects.