Good site for answering questions about 'mysterious species'?

C

curioucity

Unbelievable and odd
Registered Senior Member
Hello

Can someone recommend a site that (at least) has a section in which we can ask for the name of a particular species by telling them the characteristics of the creature? Like, example, I just saw a brown bug, with spiky legs, three-pronged antennae, and I want to know what it's called....

Thanks for replies! :)
 
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Where did you see it? Indoors or outdoors? What is the location (city/State/country?)
 
Umm, I remember I've seen it a few times before, so I can say it's not a particularly night/day beetle (or bug, which term is correct for a hard shelled insect?), and I haven't actually seen it outdoor (it flew into my dorm room last night).
If you're asking about country, Singapore (maybe it's a tropical creature?). But even that, I've never seen it in busy area (metro area), and in my dorm (my university has trees all over, in case) it shows up a few times.....
hmmmm.....
 
I don't know about a website, but not all insects have been given names... why not give it your own name?
 
How about "Nick"? Nick's a good name. Nick's your pal. Nick's your bud. Nick's the kinda guy who doesn't mind if you puke in his car. Yeah .... Nick!
 
curioucity said:
Hello

Can someone recommend a site that (at least) has a section in which we can ask for the name of a particular species by telling them the characteristics of the creature? Like, example, I just saw a brown bug, with spiky legs, three-pronged antennae, and I want to know what it's called....

Thanks for replies! :)
Click to expand...

I don't know a site specifically where you can do it, but there are some that may be useful in investigations, such as: http://tolweb.org/tree/phylogeny.html

Take what you know from this species, you know that it's a insect, by what you said, a beetle, then go for coleoptera (beetles). There you'll find sub-categories of beetles, each one sharing features, the more features are in common with the species you want to know, the more probably you're getting closer. You can also do more or less the inverse, rather than starting from so far, try to start by a suspect genus or the smaller group as as possible; descending from the group if the species isn't there, and then going to another suspect genus... if isn't in any genus, descend another level...

In this case there's the tiny trouble that beetles are one of the most abundant groups of animals extant. So that there's the famous Haldane's answer, when he was asked for some possible inference about a supreme creator, based on the nature he'd have created. He said that he would have "an inordinate fondness for beetles." :p
Anyway, if you really want to found, you may like this site:
http://godofinsects.com/museum/order.php?oid=19

Now I'm willing again to found out which species of wasp is one that I see sometimes.... :rolleyes:
 
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Thank you Danniel
I'm still busy looking for now...... haven't been lucky enough..... :( though it seems that the beetle I saw was a scarab....
EDIT: I think I have found that species....... maybe it's a Shining Leaf Chafer Beetle (just maybe; the sites told me those shining beetles are South American natives), with the similiarities:
beetle
brown
spiky legs
Hmmm, need to examine more though, but thanks to you, I have enough clues now :D
 
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You need to find an entomologist to help you out. There are some if you Google them that will help you determine what it is you see. It would be better to take a photograph of it to let them see it.
 
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