Forum Entomologi Italiani

Hello,

With this black hair, could it be Pygopleurus psilotrichius?
It was taken in the same place as this P. transcaucasicus : viewtopic.php?f=11&t=88063

Many thanks for your help,

Dominique

Pygopleurus transcaucasicus. Hairs' color can vary widely in the same species, and also in the same population. Some taxa are more prone to this variability, while others are more stable. So the only way to be sure of their identity is to examine the parameres and the endophallous. Consequently, in some cases, the females must be left in the "Limbo box" where all the specimens with uncertain identification are waiting for a "taxonomic inspiration" of the specialist.

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Maurizio Bollino

Thank you Maurizio for this information about the variability of the hair of this sp. I will obviously check the many Pygopleurus taken in the same place on the same date.

I saw your photos of endophallus, which are remarkable. Can you tell me if there is a publication detailing how to prepare the endophallus and how to keep it in collection (dried or included in something like Euparal) ?

You can read
Bontems, C. (2013) Le procédé Berti-Vachon d’évagination du sac interne. Nouvelle Revue d’Entomologie, New Series, 29(1–2): 85–91

The endophallus is kept dry, glued on glue board, and pinned with the specimen.

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Maurizio Bollino