Endomychid - Phymaphora californica

Moved

… Joyce Gross, 16 August, 2006 - 11:34pm

Phymaphora californica

Fairly common in fungusy/rotting leaf litter in the foothills of the Central Valley/northern California up to the Ponderosa pine zone. I don't believe that P. pulchella occurs in the west (might be good to check the localities of that/those UCB specimen/s). As Jim indicates, a female. Where are those Pselaphines that crawl all over/through the leaf litter in the Bay Area along with Phymaphora?

… Donald S. Chandler, 24 July, 2006 - 7:55am

thanks Don

I will definitely check the UCB collection; I'm curious as to where their P. pulchella specimens are from.

I'll have to find some Pselaphines too (in leaf litter, not in the museum :-). I don't know why I haven't found any yet.

… Joyce Gross, 24 July, 2006 - 8:15pm

Phymaphora californica

I finally got over to Essig. Phymaphora californica is the only Phymaphora in the collection that occurs in California -- in many counties in my area and further out in the state. So I've moved these photos to their own species page.

The P. pulchella specimens at Essig are from NY, OH, and Ontario.

… Joyce Gross, 16 August, 2006 - 11:51pm

Phymaphora pulchella, female

is what yours looks like to me. The males are exhibitionists in the antenna department :-) Yours is our first of its gender for this species.

… Jim McClarin, 24 July, 2006 - 5:12am

If I may correct myself,

this would be the first of its *species* :-) At least I got the gender part right.

… Jim McClarin, 24 July, 2006 - 6:29pm

Phymaphora

Thanks Jim. I looked at those photos before but got distracted by the attennae and didn't recognize the one I have! Too bad I didn't also find a male.

Under this photo, Don mentions that there is an eastern and a western Phymaphora species. Maybe Don will know if mine is the western species? The Essig Museum lists a Phymaphora californica in addition to P. pulchella. Without looking at the specimens that's as much as I know.

… Joyce Gross, 24 July, 2006 - 5:30am

Hmmm

Well, I'd say we've got a genus name anyway. And if you'd photographed it in Ithica like I initially thought ... :-)

… Jim McClarin, 24 July, 2006 - 5:54am

Ithaca

yeah -- sorry for posting NY and CA photos in no order whatsoever. :-)
I have so many photos I don't know where to start, so things are getting added somewhat randomly.
Anyway, thanks for getting me to the genus -- that was better than I could do.

Not sure if I'll get to the museum before next week as Cheryl is away until next week, and lots of other people are away too (it's summer). I need to find someone to open the door for me.

… Joyce Gross, 24 July, 2006 - 8:23pm