Carabid #20 - Anisodactylus laetus

Moved

… Brad Barnd, 3 January, 2012 - 8:49pm

Anisodactylus laetus Dejean

based on an anisodactyline showing the combination of metallic green luster, pronotum with lateral margins widely reflexed, elytral striae sharply and widely engraved, and occurring in eastern USA. See our prior discussion on related Anisodactylus caenus.

… Peter W. Messer, 3 January, 2012 - 8:48pm

Thanks Peter and Tim

A nice addition to BugGuide.

… Brad Barnd, 3 January, 2012 - 8:51pm

Tim's high resolution images

are among the best on BugGuide. Photographic detail and clarity really helped to put a name on this one.

… Peter W. Messer, 3 January, 2012 - 9:39pm

Thanks

for the kind, encouraging words, Peter, and Brad. This comes at an especially trying time with family health issues.

From the venter image, I initially thought I saw a small tooth on the mentum, thus my suggestion of Notiobia. After a quick check under the scope last night, there is no tooth. However, this is a small semi-circle "projection" from what looks like the inner edge of the mentum - like a 1/4 moon rising above the horizon. It appears to have a margined edge, so I gather it's supposed to be there, as opposed to material that was squeezed out between two hard surfaces. From previous Anisodactylus images, it looks like this same feature may be present on others from the genus. For completeness, I'll attempt to image that area using higher mag optics in the next day or so. With my current set-up, "zoom" means disassembling one type of optics, and screwing together some completely different glass - very "garage sale" :)

Thanks again,

… Tim Moyer, 4 January, 2012 - 11:14am

Harpalus?

The moth scales are making it difficult. Maybe a Harpalus nr. affinis?!?

… Blaine Mathison, 3 January, 2012 - 12:56pm

Not Notiobia

Harpalus affinis would be my guess too, but something looks a little off. I'm away from references/collection for awhile, so hopefully we can get another opinion.

… Brad Barnd, 3 January, 2012 - 4:07pm