Polyphaga obscura

[Gromphadorhini]

I would like to talk about the Polyphaga obscura culture. As far as I know, there is a culture called P. obscura and it is represented only by parthenogenetic females. As you know, females of at least three Polyphaga species are indistinguishable, and identification is possible only by males. If there are no males in the culture, can we say that it is P. obscura in the culture? How to distinguish between parthenogenetic cultures of P. obscura and P. saussurei?

Or maybe there are P. obscura cultures with males?

 

[Hisserdude]

As far as I know, there are two distinct obscura lines in culture, and both are parthenogenetic. One strain has females about 3/4 the size of saussurei females, and those are probably true obscura. Then there is the far more common "obscura" line that get as big as saussurei and look identical to them, which TBH I think are just misidentified saussurei, possibly even from the same stock as the parthenogenetic saussurei in culture. 

 

[Gromphadorhini]

[No message]

 

[Gromphadorhini]

As far as I know, there are two distinct obscura lines in culture, and both are parthenogenetic. One strain has females about 3/4 the size of saussurei females, and those are probably true obscura. Then there is the far more common "obscura" line that get as big as saussurei and look identical to them, which TBH I think are just misidentified saussurei, possibly even from the same stock as the parthenogenetic saussurei in culture. 

Even so! Didn't know there were two of them. Well, if this is true, then yes, the one in which the females reach the size of Polyphaga saussurei is clearly not P. obscura, since they really should be smaller. The only question is, how were these females (smaller in size) identified as P. obscura? Unfortunately, there is no description of P. obscura ootheca; all Polyphaga species are very well distinguishable by them (except for P. aegyptiaca, whose ooteca is identical to P. saussurei).

In general, I would very much like to have a P. obscura culture with males.

Now I have full-fledged (with males) populations of P. saussurei, P. aegyptiaca and three females and one male P. indica vitripennis, two females from location No. 1 deposited 9 oothecs (then one of the females died), two females. and the male from location No. 2 still does not have eggs, as all three individuals have just become adults (there is some doubt about the maturity of the females). My friend Philip Byzov and I will soon order a bisexual P. plancyi, so only P. obscura is missing.

Corydiinae is generally my passion Here are all the species that I currently have in culture: Ergaula capucina, Ergaula pilosa, Ergaula sp. Kinabatangan, Borneo, Eucorydia forceps, Eucorydia yasumatsui, Polyphaga aegyptiaca, Polyphaga cf. indica vitripennis Bukhara, Uzbekistan, Polyphaga cf. indica vitripennis Nuratau Biosphere Reserve, Uzbekistan, Polyphaga saussurei Schardara, Kazakhstan, Polyphaga cf. saussurei Termez, Uzbekistan, Therea bernhardti, Therea olegrandjeani, Therea regularis, Therea cf. nuptialis Pachmarhi, India.

Eupolyphaga sinensis is unfortunately lost, but it is not that difficult to get them. In addition, there is an agreement to exchange Eucorydia aenea. There are plans to send a person on an expedition to the Betpak-Dala desert, which is in southern Kazakhstan, where (judging by the typical location) — Hemelytroblatta roseni (Brancsik, 1898) is found there, these are small cockroaches, previously attributed to the genus Arenivaga. Hopefully there will be results And of course there are big plans to trade with you for Arenivaga spp.

 

[Hisserdude]

Even so! Didn't know there were two of them. Well, if this is true, then yes, the one in which the females reach the size of Polyphaga saussurei is clearly not P. obscura, since they really should be smaller. The only question is, how were these females (smaller in size) identified as P. obscura? Unfortunately, there is no description of P. obscura ootheca; all Polyphaga species are very well distinguishable by them (except for P. aegyptiaca, whose ooteca is identical to P. saussurei).

In general, I would very much like to have a P. obscura culture with males.

Now I have full-fledged (with males) populations of P. saussurei, P. aegyptiaca and three females and one male P. indica vitripennis, two females from location No. 1 deposited 9 oothecs (then one of the females died), two females. and the male from location No. 2 still does not have eggs, as all three individuals have just become adults (there is some doubt about the maturity of the females). My friend Philip Byzov and I will soon order a bisexual P. plancyi, so only P. obscura is missing.

Corydiinae is generally my passion Here are all the species that I currently have in culture: Ergaula capucina, Ergaula pilosa, Ergaula sp. Kinabatangan, Borneo, Eucorydia forceps, Eucorydia yasumatsui, Polyphaga aegyptiaca, Polyphaga cf. indica vitripennis Bukhara, Uzbekistan, Polyphaga cf. indica vitripennis Nuratau Biosphere Reserve, Uzbekistan, Polyphaga saussurei Schardara, Kazakhstan, Polyphaga cf. saussurei Termez, Uzbekistan, Therea bernhardti, Therea olegrandjeani, Therea regularis, Therea cf. nuptialis Pachmarhi, India.

Eupolyphaga sinensis is unfortunately lost, but it is not that difficult to get them. In addition, there is an agreement to exchange Eucorydia aenea. There are plans to send a person on an expedition to the Betpak-Dala desert, which is in southern Kazakhstan, where (judging by the typical location) — Hemelytroblatta roseni (Brancsik, 1898) is found there, these are small cockroaches, previously attributed to the genus Arenivaga. Hopefully there will be results And of course there are big plans to trade with you for Arenivaga spp.

I am not sure how the ID was made at all, and am skeptical if the true obscura still exist in captive culture, if they ever existed at all. Supposedly the ones from the stock that are smaller than saussurei have slightly different looking oothecae, but all I have been able to find is this one image, from Luca Cavigioli on facebook.

He may still be culturing that strain, I hope so, since I have not been able to find anyone else breeding the small "obscura" strain... Last time I asked him, he never replied though.

Nice, very impressive Corydiid collection!  Would love to see all of those in culture in the US, I wish you luck with your collection expansion! Are you aware of the breeder in Hong Kong, Ai Yhen who is breeding a recent import of what appear to be either true Therea petiveriana or defranceschii?