A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
600 msnm +\- tropical rainforest
Here is the link to the mission "Insects of Costa Rica":
http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/1002...
I got the answer from Dimitri Forero:
As I told Helcio, Apiomerus is very difficult. We haven't finished the revision of it. It will be difficult. So, IDs are difficult without dissecting specimens or at least with a series of specimens. Certainly it is NOT A. saileri, since it only occurs in Bolivia. Probably A. barrocoloradoi, but again, wihtout specimens and with a less than good photo is difficult to say.
So ID would be Apiomerus sp. or as a compromise Apiomerus cf. barrocoloradoi, but not Apiomerus barrocoloradoi, since the ID is not confirmed.
Many thanks to Dimitri, Helcio and Thorsten for assistance, much appreciated!
Grrrr, no chance with Apiomerus baroccosalieri...
Hola h.perex, eso de Apiomerus barrocosalieri fue un chiste (de bayucca). Este nombre ni siquiera existe ;-). ¡Pura vida!
well thank you very much for trying to ID this little friend ... after all wich one u dicide ... Apiomerus barrocosalieri or Apiomerus cf. salieri .... and by the way for any next spotting any recomendation on what info I can collect for a better description that will be helpfull...
Pura Vida!!!
The name should better be Apiomerus barrocosalieri, although Antonio Salieri was rather a preclassic composer than baroque ;-)
Here are two types of range to be considered: The geographical range/distribution and the range of colouration/pattern. Very "tricky", indeed...
Then we call it Apiomerus barrocolorsalieri ;-)
Geographical range with the isthmus of Panama as a biogeographical border might be quite "strong", but there are also reports of bugs found in Costa Rica, Panama (but not further north) and Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. But there the Andes are another border again. In butterflies it is very important on what slope of the Andes a species is found, because it may not be found on the other side. Very interesting, but also very challengeing for the IDs.
Hélcio contacted Dimitri yesterday ... I think this specimen can't be IDed for sure - only having a photo. I know very well that not been reported does not automatically mean not existing: I published two papers on new records of true bugs in Costa Rica ;-). And I agree about the coloration pattern of this specimen. So: It's looks like A. salieri, but based on the range and the (known) distribution I tend to A. barrocoloradoi...
The only native picture of A. barrocoloradoi, already added as a link in my first comment:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/margarethe...
and some unid ones from Bold:
http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Tax...
http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Tax...
http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Tax...
Range might indeed be a critical issue. But not been reported means not automatically not existing. I have not the resources to chcek all the range issue. Polychromatisms is also a very common issue in insects and unfortunately only DNA examination would made a real safe ID. I have not seen Apiomerus barrocoloradoi with this coloration pattern at femurs and tibiae, which, however, does not mean much either. I guess we have read the same paper...
https://www.academia.edu/1360799/A_polyc...
I directly contacted Dimitri for assistance. In the meanwhile I would also tend to A. barrocoloradoi, based mostly on the range.
PS: A. barrocoloradoi is a polychromatic species which has been reported from Costa Rica and Panama - while, to my knowledge, A. salieri has been reported from Bolivia and Peru...
I contacted Hélcio Gil-Santana. He informed me that the genitals have to be examined to be absolutely sure about the species.
I guess you contacted Christiane Weirauch, right?
Spotted on May 20, 2014
Submitted on Apr 18, 2015
+1
