Philolithus elatus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Philolithus elatus is a species of darkling beetle from western North America. Philolithus elatus is 21–35 mm (0.83–1.38 in) in length, making it a relatively large beetle in the family Tenebrionidae. It is shiny black with the surface of the pronotum (dorsal prothorax) being smooth and convex in the middle, while the margins are expanded, flex upward, and are spotted with punctures. There is a distinct constriction between the prothorax and elytra, and the patterning of the elytra varies by subspecies:
Philolithus elatus compar: Carinae (longitudinal ridges) on elytra are clear and well-defined. Lateral margins of pronotum not as strongly angled or reflexed as in P. e. difformis. Philolithus elatus difformis: Carinae on elytra are clear and well-defined. Lateral margins of pronotum strongly angled and reflexed.
Philolithus elatus elatus: Carinae on elytra are poorly defined or not visible; surfaces appear rough. Lateral margins of pronotum strongly angled and reflexed. Philolithus elatus infernus: Carinae on elytra are poorly defined or not visible; surfaces appear rough. Lateral margins of pronotum not as strongly angled or reflexed.
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| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Philolithus elatus sighting in Denver on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 292nd most-seen of the 461 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Philolithus elatus in Denver on a given day, against under 5% in November to August, the lowest months.
Only Denver, in our data
Denver is the only city on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Philolithus elatus sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same family: Tenebrionidae
The closest relatives of the Philolithus elatus that you can see in Denver (family Tenebrionidae, Darkling Beetles) are Red-Backed Darkling Beetle (about 10%) and Eleodes fusiformis (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Philolithus elatus is recorded against all the insects logged in Denver (9 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
