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Photo#767109
I got nuthin' - Timema nevadense - male

I got nuthin' - Timema nevadense - Male
Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, USA
March 17, 2013
I'm sorry for the not-great photo - I really have no idea even where to begin with this guy. Thanks for your help!

Moved
Moved from Timema.

Great find, Jeanne!
This is an especially interesting find, as the "easterly species" of Timema (i.e. from southern NV and AZ, see map here) are relatively little known and rarely seen or recorded. Also, finding an adult in mid-March is unusually early phenology for Timema (especially for those from the arid eastern part of their range).

The shape of the terminalia provide the main criteria for distinguishing species in this genus. It's hard to make out enough detail here to determine the species...but from the location I'd guess this is probably Timema nevadense. That would be consistent with the coloration/pattern, and what can roughly be seen of the cerci and intradextral process. But T. coffmani and perhaps even T. dorothea are also possibilities.

Timema are herbivores with fairly restricted host plants. The primary host plant of T. nevadense is juniper, although it was originally collected on pinon pine (Pinus monophylla) in the Spring Mountains area on May 26, 1961. It's also been found on Mountain Mahogony (Cercocarpus), and under stones or logs in the vicinity of these plants (Sandoval & Vickery, 1999 and Vickery, 1993). It would be interesting to learn what habitat you found this one in, and what time of day, etc.

The photo date of March 17 here is much earlier than the collection dates in the literature (mostly May, some to August). Presumably the time adults appear depends on elevation and other climatic and habitat factors that can vary considerably with location and year. It would be great if you could find some more in the coming weeks! (A friend from Las Vegas told me there was some good rain there recently...maybe that will help bring them out?) I know they can be difficult to find...being cryptically colored and also usually nocturnal...but maybe you'll luck out? The pro's often search for them by beating foliage of host plants over a canvas collecting surface.

If you are fortunate enough to see them again, it would be great to get a detailed image of the terminalia (seen from straight above if possible), and to note the plants they might be on or near. Good luck!!

Moved
Moved from Walkingsticks.

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Makes us think of Timema
but we don't have any from Nevada yet

 
Thanks!
Now I have more to learn, very interesting genus.

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