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| 1 | 2 |  » Stats |
Members: 50,154
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| | Welcome to our newest member, NielsC | |  | 
21-02-2011, 07:00 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: S. Devon
Posts: 3,897
| | | Is it too early for a Oulema melanopa beetle?
Carrying on from the Winter Invertebrates thread.
South Devon 20-02-11 during that gorgeous 2 day period which looked like being Spring.
I suspected Oulema melanopa but thought this might be a bit early. Although I'm easily confused by all of those almost identical little beetles. 
Last edited by Geoff F; 21-02-2011 at 07:04 PM.
Reason: photo added
|
21-02-2011, 08:15 PM
|  | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,830
| | | Re: Is it too early for a Oulema melanopa beetle?
Evening Geoff,
It looks like that type, but I believe there are two - you need the male's genitalia to get to species-level.
Nice sighting!
Take care,
Jason |
21-02-2011, 08:19 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,830
| | | Re: Is it too early for a Oulema melanopa beetle?
See this excellent account of their separation, on the WCG website http://www.thewcg.org.uk/Chrysomelidae/0183.htm |
21-02-2011, 08:35 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: S. Devon
Posts: 3,897
| | | Re: Is it too early for a Oulema melanopa beetle?
Thanks for that useful link. I have some of the Aidgap keys but they can be rather difficult to follow from a photograph.
ps. It is amazing how some of these tiny creatures automatically know which species they are! |
21-02-2011, 09:12 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,830
| | | Re: Is it too early for a Oulema melanopa beetle?
It certainly is! The AIDGAP keys to Chrysomelidae are good, and here it would possibly (no time to check) resolve it on secondary characters. The primary one being genitalia, the secondary ones being perhaps less reliable; elytral shape, contours, etc.
Last edited by Jason Green; 21-02-2011 at 09:16 PM.
|
21-02-2011, 09:28 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,830
| | | Re: Is it too early for a Oulema melanopa beetle?
Just found time! Yes, as I thought - using structural characteristics, descibing one as being domed and the other smaller and flat. Respectively, the punctures are also described as being either moderate or coarse. I'm not sure how certain you could be using these points with a single specimen, they seem rather more comparative. It suggests Cox (1995) for a more detailed separation using genitalia which is what I'd go with.
Last edited by Jason Green; 21-02-2011 at 09:33 PM.
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