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I found this beetle around in the sand dunes. They were all over the place, digging and running around here and there. When I got hold of one, it first sort of pushed out with its legs and then suddenly took them under its body so that my grip went off and it started running away...
Desert
I found one entry very similar to the one I have in this picture. But it;s scientific name is nowhere else on Google - Pimelia Granulicollis is showing me irrelevent results.
http://www.meloidae.com/en/pictures/3818...
It is probably not Eleodes obscurus, based on location. I don't know if the genus Eleoodes is found in Rajasthan, but this beetle is definitely in the family Tenebrionidae, to which that genus belongs. Perhaps start there, and see which tenebrionid genera are found near you?
Hi Dario, thanks for the ID; but are you sure about the classification? Because when I read the Wikipedia page about Eleodes Obscurus, it says that they are found from southern British Columbia to northern Mexico and east to Texas, Kansas and Wyoming. I found this one in Rajasthan, that is west India. Also, the Google images for this beetle show vertical linings on its back, which are not on this one. Well, you might be right and I'm no expert in this matter; but I was just making sure.
Usually found under rocks, decaying plants, leaflitter, or walking across "open ground" around sunset hour. Be careful when manipulating (or stepping on) this beetle as it will squirt some stinky liquid as a defensive tactic.
Spotted on Nov 7, 2011
Submitted on Nov 7, 2011
