Hisserdude
Dynastes
Eleodes obscura glabriuscula from Fort Stockton, TX, this is the dominant subspecies of E.obscura in that area. I've worked with (but failed to breed) the subspecies present here in ID, E.o.sulcipennis, however as I learned early this year, the large larvae need a winter diapause to continue development properly... I found that out too late though, and was unable to rear any to maturity as a result. Hopefully this southern subspecies will be much easier though, since no diapause should be needed for them at all. I'll do my best to breed these and get them established in culture!
These darklings are huge, one of the largest in the genus Eleodes. Females especially are quite bulky! The difference between this subspecies and the more widespread E.o.sulcipennis is that sulcipennis have fairly deep grooves in their elytra, whereas these glabriuscula merely have irregular lines of fine, shallow pits on their elytra. E.o.glabriuscula are also much more glossy in appearance than sulcipennis are. E.o.glabriuscula is pretty much exclusively found in west Texas, though they have been collected in far southern NM, AZ, and northern Mexico too.
Adult female:
Male:
These darklings are huge, one of the largest in the genus Eleodes. Females especially are quite bulky! The difference between this subspecies and the more widespread E.o.sulcipennis is that sulcipennis have fairly deep grooves in their elytra, whereas these glabriuscula merely have irregular lines of fine, shallow pits on their elytra. E.o.glabriuscula are also much more glossy in appearance than sulcipennis are. E.o.glabriuscula is pretty much exclusively found in west Texas, though they have been collected in far southern NM, AZ, and northern Mexico too.
Adult female:
Male:
Seems the females have been digging around, so hopefully that means oviposition!
