Israel Insect World

I took this series at the Rupin winter pond last Friday (May 14). I would be grateful for species ID. Note the pronounced sex morphology differences.

 14.5.10 הזדווגות פרחיות על שיבולת של בן-חיטה אריכא בשלולית רופין

Note the genitalia

Last one, please idenytify the species.

Thanks,

Dror

Hi Dror,

Thanks for the great photos.

These are Brancoplia leucaspis Laporte, 1840

They belong to the Rutelinae subfamily of the Scarabaeidae.

This is the most common specie in Israel in both in terms of distribution

and in the number of specimens you encounter.

A more rare one of the same genus is Brancoplia klapperichi Petrovitz, 1971

which one can find in the south (Negev area), I saw it this year in Hazerim area.

Sadly there is no Hebrew name.

Regards,

Oz 

Thanks Oz.

I was sure these are Glaphyridae - sorry for my mistake. I would be grateful if you (or anyone else) have time to indicate major signs to distinguish Glaphyrids from Scarabaeids.

If you want to distinguish by photo only it will be needed to know the general appereance. I can easily see

how you made the mistake but when you know more and more specie you will see how the general look is different.

For more morphological data you can check this link to a very good website about the Scarabaeoidea of the

Americas. The link I gave have a key to the different families within the Scarabaeoidea. It is not always easy but

if you follow it backwards begining from the end (Glaphyridae vs. Scarabaeidae) you will have a better understanding.  Still, even if you know the key well it is always needed to know the species well since you do not

use the key with actual specimen in your hand (the key reffers to different organs - antenae, sternites ect which are not always visible in photos). Eventually you will know it better with time and experience when you know more and more species.

Regards,

Oz

Many thanks Oz.

Needless to say:

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