Welp, turns out those two "Prionotheca" larvae that opted to pupate prematurely weren't even Prionotheca, but Cryptoglossa muricata larvae that somehow got into the same enclosure my friend was keeping her P.coronata in... 😐 😂
Now that I know I'm dealing with two different species, the differences between the larvae are kinda obvious... Prionotheca larvae are notably hairier than Cryptoglossa larvae, especially around the head and legs, and their front legs are also a lot bigger and have long, black claws that Cryptoglossa don't seem to have. The terminal segments of the two species are slightly different, with Cryptoglossa having a more "scoop" shaped segment with raised margins. Prionotheca are broader than Cryptoglossa larvae, and also appear to be a paler white color than them on average. And perhaps most importantly, Prionotheca do a weird "death curl" thing when disturbed where they flatten themselves up and curl up in a fruit roll-up formation, Cryptoglossa don't do that, (ironic considering they're larvae of a "death feigning" beetle).
My breeding prospects for P.coronata are thus much lower than before, with only two confirmed Prionotheca larva. However, my friend is sending me the last few larvae she has, most of which are probably Cryptoglossa, but from the sounds of it there may be at least one more Prionotheca larva mixed in. So we'll see what happens with that, all hope is not lost yet as far as breeding this species goes... 🤞
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