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El cubano.


El cubano.
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter Stoeckl (peter_stoeckl) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1738 W: 291 N: 4005] (11530)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2010-02-10
Categories: Insects
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC HX1
Exposure: f/4, 1/100 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2013-02-23 15:31
Viewed: 4734
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Un cubano.

Thonalmus sp.

There was little more that I knew of this very colourful little gem that was catching my attention when walking up a steep guerrillero junge path to Pico Turquino through dense, damp rainforest, crossing by foot Cuba's highest range of mountains in that beautiful island's far east - the Sierra Maestra.

Photographic quality of that image is poor. There was low light, and - worse than that - I was in a hurry to keep up in speed with local guides of Cuba's splendid Parco Nacional Turquino.

Later on, during a rest, I showed that picturesque beetle's snapshot to our national park guides, and asked them for identification. They seemed to be quite surprised and said they'd never seen such a beetle.

The picture was taken at an elevation of approx. 1300m above sea level.

Its body length is about 25mm. Apparently, judging from the strongly contrasting and eye-catching aposematic coloration, the beetle might be poisonous.

Grateful to obtain more information on that little guerrillero from one of the specialists on Coleoptera here at TN.

Camera:
SONY DSC_HX1, 3456x2592 sRGB, F/4, 1/100 sec, ISO-125, bias: -0.3, 15mm, flash. 10.02.2010, 13:19.

Postwork: Cropped, downsized to web, slightly resharpened, levels adjusted.

Thank you for visiting. Have a good day!

_____

24.2.2013:

Christodoulos Makris (Chrimakris),

thank you for your prompt and very useful expert's advice on that beetle's identification!

The beetle shown should be a member of the family Lycidae (Net-winged beetles), species: Thonalmus sp.

Led to the right track by Christodoulos' advice I've just found a very similar or maybe even identical species reported from the Caribbean island of Hispaniola near Cuba. Interesting to read that it is forming a Batesian mimicry complex with very similar looking Hemilophini of family Cerambycidae (Longhorn beetles): e.g. Trichrous terminalis.

Judging from the shape of thorax and head, the beetle shown here is very likely to be

Thonalmus sp.

***

Literature:

Steven W. Lingafelter: Hispaniolan Hemilophini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae)
in: ZooKeys 258: 53–83, doi: 10.3897/zookeys.258.4391
Hispaniolan Hemilophini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae). Academic editor: A. Konstantinov, received 25 November 2012 | accepted 8 January 2013 | Published 15 January 2013

http://www.pensoft.net/journals/zookeys/article/4391/hispaniolan-hemilophini-coleoptera-cerambycidae-lamiinae-


***
pirate, ramthakur, aruntp, marius-secan, anel, KOMSIS, Miss_Piggy, Alex99, Hormon_Manyer has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Ozgur70: ... similar with the flag colors of Cubapeter_stoeckl 1 03-15 14:04
To chrimakris: Thonalmus sp. family Lycidae.peter_stoeckl 1 02-24 02:28
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Peter,
Amazing colors, you couldn't miss it on this green leaf!
The contrats is a little bit too strong for me, but it's due to the flash.
The angle you have chosen allows us seeing all the characteristics of this beetle.
Tfs, Philippe.

  • Great 
  • pirate Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 799 W: 152 N: 1186] (7474)
  • [2013-02-23 15:41]

Hi Peter
perfect compo and perfect sharpness
colors are great indeed
tfs
Tom

Great Macro capture with perfect sharpness and colour.
best wishes
samiran

你好
漂亮的昆蟲 顏色鮮豔美麗
照的清晰 構圖也漂亮
謝謝你的分享
STONE

Hello Peter
Interesting and beautiful photo with good composition, fantastic colours and very good sharpness. I think that your beetle is a Thonalmus sp. family Lycidae.
Regards,
Christodoulos

You are being modest, Peter; it's a brilliant shot of this very colourful Beetle you shot in Cuba nearly three years ago.
The broad leaf forms the most apt background to make the subject stand out distinctly.
Warm regards.
Ram

Ciao Peter, great macro of lovely beetel with fantastic colors, fine details and splendid sharpness, very well done, my friend, have a good Sunday, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • aruntp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 590 W: 1 N: 357] (5379)
  • [2013-02-23 22:57]

interesting bug. nice colors on its wing. good closeup. tfs.

Hello Peter,
Incredible clarity, focus and razor sharp details. Very nice image. The exposure is perfect. It is enough light to see the spectacular colors of this gorgeous specie of insect. I like this interesting scene with the green background. This beetle has two powerful colors red and blue...superb...
Thanks for sharing!
Marius.

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3053 W: 3 N: 8715] (40574)
  • [2013-02-24 5:45]

Lieber Peter,
Eine Rarität auf TN, der Käfer ist dazu noch sehr fotogen! Ja, für solche Postings sind wir immer dankbar. Und Hilfe für ID kam noch schnell..was wollen wir mehr? Wieder schönes Bild, trotz des schlechten Lichtes und ungeduldigen Führers..
Hab herzlichern Dank
Anne

  • Great 
  • KOMSIS Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 820 W: 0 N: 2419] (10674)
  • [2013-02-24 10:12]

Hallo Peter,
Fantastic colorful insect and a very nice photo ..
Beautiful photo with very good composition and good sharpness.
Best wishes,
Seyfi

hello Peter
super sharpness picture you have here
i like the details ans the beautiful colours
great shot thanks greeting lou

A lovely one. Sharpness is very good.
Colors are similar with the flag colors of Cuba.
Saludos Cuba.. :)

Hallo Peter
This is absolutely beautiful. The colours are marvellous and very catchy to the eye. It is a lovely beetle and the metallic blue and red is a great colour combination that is well seen against the green leave as backdrop. Pleasant composition and point of view. Thanks for sharing. Best regards.
Anna

Hello Peter
Beautiful jewel! Good detail, nice focus, good background. Very interesting to see.
regards yiannis

  • Great 
  • hsn6a Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 160 W: 0 N: 435] (8652)
  • [2013-02-25 4:00]

Hello Peter,
interesing-nice coleoptera,very nice capture,thanks for sharing..

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 0 N: 6696] (25839)
  • [2013-02-26 3:35]

Hello Peter
exciting composition of this pretty little bug. The color is so interesting and the glow at the back is so special. Very lively presentation and the sharpness is splendid,
Awesome image.

regards
Foozi

Hi Peter, Superb sharpness with amazing detail you have captured here Peter, splendid exposure control with wonderful and striking colours, great stuff and very well done,

Best Regards,

Pauly.

PS Good and well documented notes.

Hello Peter.
Beautiful colors and sharpness of this fine looking bug. Details are amazing in that pleasing diagonal framing.
Thanks and have a great WE.
Jusni

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2013-05-27 10:49]

Hi, dear Peter.
I was absent almost a year and have missed few your shots. It is pity that only few new pictures were shared by your for all this period. Pictured bug is simply charming. I have never seen such amazing insect. As usual your have reflected it with fantastic details. Great 3D-image of a lovely subject. My warm greetings and TFS.
Alexei.

Hi Peter,
I don't know why you wrote "photographic quality of that image is poor" - I don't think so. This is a brilliant photo with great details, sharpness, colors, composition and appropriate use of flash, something very exciting and eye-pleasing. Hats off of you, dear friend, and huge congratulations for this superb shot.
Best regards, László

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