| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Francesco |
Posted - 16/11/2017 : 19:26:31
Writing a scientific description, we had a doubt on how to measure the different parts of body.
Concerning the pronotum, do you consider lateral spines or not?
Considering elytra, do you consider apical or humeral spines?
This is important to defining proportions.
 
Case 1 or 2?
I never taken into considerations these appendages, but different authors could have different opinion and take different measures.
Lameere, for example, declared to not have taken into consideration the head in his measures of Prioninae, but he said nothing about spines.
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| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Xavier |
Posted - 18/11/2017 : 11:02:10
To complete: About Sarmydus dulongensis Bi & Drumont, 2017, wrote: " pronotum about 0,5 times as long as wide (the width measured just before the lateral teeth)."
So, there is no rule.
But without precision of the author, it is implicit that the larger widths must be checked (at least with Breuning). |
| Xavier |
Posted - 18/11/2017 : 09:36:15
Another shape of pronotum here, with Euryxaenapta rondoni Breuning, 1963 :
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Original description & holotype of course.
"pronotum more than twice as wide as long" |
| Xavier |
Posted - 18/11/2017 : 09:06:07
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Here the original description of Exocentrus (Camptomyme) rufolateralis Breuning, 1963 = Exocentrus subglaber Fisher, 1925 and his holotype picture.
" Pronotum more than twice as wide as long ". I don't know how to measure the width of the pronotum by removing the lateral teeth. |
| Xavier |
Posted - 18/11/2017 : 08:52:05
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Here a part of the description of Cristeryssamena cristipennis (Breuning, 1963) and a picture of the holotype.
Pronotum is as long as wide, ...with lateral spines. |
| Capitaine |
Posted - 17/11/2017 : 11:51:40
In my opinion for the body length the most used is N°2 but I usually take this measure after beetle preparation (for a correct head position).
Concerning pronotum global shaping I don't take spines into account because they are too variable in size. |
| Pierre-Olivier Maquart |
Posted - 17/11/2017 : 11:07:23
I agree with Thierry for this.
Personnaly I would use N°2, but the most important is to specify it in the Material and Methods  |
| africaone |
Posted - 16/11/2017 : 22:20:38
the most important is to precise it in the paper. I think the most used is 2. anyway the length is so variable that is muts be indicactive |
| Xavier |
Posted - 16/11/2017 : 21:11:13
About the "body size", this is more complicated because if the head is not in the horizontal position, the measurement is completely different !
Measure 3 seems absurd to me. |
| Francesco |
Posted - 16/11/2017 : 21:00:38
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Another problem is the "Body size".
I use the n°2, but sometimes, I receive measures using the n°3.
Possibly right is the n°1 (used for Carabidae).
Lameere used the n°4 (for Prioninae) |
| Xavier |
Posted - 16/11/2017 : 20:25:40
I'm looking for a description of a spiny pronotum species, where the author says it's "as long as wide"... I've read a lot of them, but at least we have to find one ! |
| Xavier |
Posted - 16/11/2017 : 20:00:22
For Breuning, the width of the pronotum is in its widest width, it means that lateral spines are include into the mesurement.
It also seems logical to me that the length of the body should be measured down to the apical teeth...At least, the merchants who sell the animals according to their length should do so.
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