Clown Beetle - Platysoma leconti

Thanks Jeff

Moved from Platysoma.

… tom murray, 11 June, 2007 - 5:09pm

Platysoma leconti

Hi Tom,

This is Platysoma leconti, very commonly encountered under bark.

… Jeff Gruber, 11 June, 2007 - 12:28pm

Moved

Moved from Clown Beetles.

… tom murray, 3 April, 2007 - 7:10am

looks like Platysoma genus group

:-)

… Boris Büche, 3 April, 2007 - 3:37am

Send in the Clowns

The squared off apex of the elytra is an interesting trait, and you've got a nice full set of striations, helping rule out Hololepta. Genus Hister would be my best thought on this one, but beyond that I wouldn't even make an attempt.

--Stephen

Stephen Cresswell
Buckhannon, WV
www.stephencresswell.com

… Stephen_WV, 1 April, 2006 - 3:58am

not Hister

I can contribute that it is not a Hister (way too small), but don't know the genus. Yves Bousquet's book on the Histeridae of Canada and adjacent North America (Insects and Arachnids of Canada series) should be out shortly, and will help immensely in placing members of this family to genus. Too many of the genera look alike to me.

… Donald S. Chandler, 1 April, 2006 - 7:46am

???

looking through Downie and Arnett at hister beetles right now, some as small as 0.75mm, many in the 2-5mm range....

… Ethan Friedman, 5 June, 2006 - 12:52pm