Antenna and eye of a beetle (possibly T. tetrophthalmus)

Kieran Jones · Post by **Kieran Jones** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:08 am

Antenna and eye of a beetle: possibly a red milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus, family Cerambycidae)

Detail of antenna

GemBro · Post by **GemBro** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 2:55 pm

Nice detail Kieran ... you using a Mitutoyo? ...

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 3:52 pm

Antenna? Something like this came to mind -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinotia_haemoptera
but if it's him he's on walkabout.
Those little black dots - passengers?

Kieran Jones · Post by **Kieran Jones** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 5:07 pm

Hi GemBro:

Thank you.

Yes, good call - I'm using a Mitutoyo 10x NA 0.28 infinity-corrected objective on a Nikon 180mm f/2.8 prime lens used as a tube lens. The camera is a Nikon D7100 w/24 MP APS-C sensor.

Kieran Jones · Post by **Kieran Jones** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 5:24 pm

Hi Chris:

After some digging I think it might be a red milkweed beetle
(Tetraopes tetrophthalmus, family Cerambycidae):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraopes_tetrophthalmus

Each eye appears to be bisected by the antenna, which (according to what I've read)
is a characteristic of this species.

My guess is that those little black dots could be some form of parasite.
They also appear in a previous posting of the foot of the same insect:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=25580

I need to extend my setup to image at lower powers to get more of these subjects
in the frame to help with identification.

I thought your hunch of it being a Rhinotia haemoptera was very good
considering how little of the subject was in view.