little brown beetle - Litargus grandis

Moved tentatively; very cool, rare species

this one is darker and a bit smaller than described in(1), but the antenna is a dead ringer [see fig.50]; apparently, just a handful of specimens known [at least that was the case at the time of revision]; specimens, if any, should be deposited in a reputable collection and examined

Moved from Mycetophagus.

… v belov, 16 August, 2013 - 1:22pm

size

My size guesstimate could be off. I checked the key you link to. This beetle could have been 4.5 mm (rather than the < 4mm I put). What happened in Arizona is there were so many endless insects I had not seen before that for 90% of them, I did not take the time to measure them. I just wanted to keep finding more!

Looking at the beetle in comparison to the slime mold, and looking at other photos I have of beetles whose exact sizes I do know, on similar slime mold, I'm changing my size guesstimate to 3.5-5mm.

I didn't collect the specimen. I did not even move it from where I found it (though some other less cooperative beetles did go to my motel room to be photographed).

Also, for the record, the beetle was out at night (around 11pm) and was not near a light.

… Joyce Gross, 16 August, 2013 - 3:43pm

neat bug... will work on it

Moved from Beetles.

… v belov, 16 August, 2013 - 3:46am