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Published April 15, 2011 | Version v1
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A second species of Lucanobium Howden and Lawrence from South America (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Aesalinae)

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Paulsen, M.J. (2011): A second species of Lucanobium Howden and Lawrence from South America (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Aesalinae). Insecta Mundi 2011 (171): 1-3, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5160654

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urn:lsid:plazi.org:pub:9C74FFD0F8779302FFE5FF96FFF1FF80
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http://publication.plazi.org/id/9C74FFD0F8779302FFE5FF96FFF1FF80

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Taxonomic treatment: http://treatment.plazi.org/id/604D87A8F8749306FF25FB1EFDF9FD5B (URL)
Figure: 10.5281/zenodo.5160656 (DOI)

References

  • Abstract . The monotypic aesaline genus Lucanobium Howden and Lawrence (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) was previously known only from Venezuela. A second species is here described as new from French Guiana, extending the range of the genus approximately 1800 km to the southeast. The generic description of Lucanobium is updated with respect to the discovery of a second species.
  • Howden and Lawrence (1974) described Lucanobium squamosum as a new genus and species of aesaline stag beetle from Venezuela. The genus is readily distinguished from the Central American Aesalini by the flat, disc-like scales and clumps of erect bristles on the dorsal surface; step-like projection on the posterior face of the prosternal process and the accompanying cavity on the mesosternum; and characters of the mouthparts (Howden and Lawrence 1974). Until now, L. squamosum has been the only known member of the tribe Aesalini in South America.
  • In 2007, I examined two specimens of the genus that were collected by Dr. Joseph Eger in French Guiana and subsequently deposited in the Florida State Collection of Arthropods (FSCA), Gainesville, Florida, USA. Although the specimens were smaller than L. squamosum, they were not immediately distinguishable from that species externally. Both specimens were female, which precluded the use of male genitalic characters that are extremely useful in aesaline taxonomy. In 2010, two additional specimens were donated by Dr. Eger from a more recent collecting trip, and this material included a male specimen (Fig. 1). The genitalia of this specimen differ significantly from that of L. squamosum, and thus the species is described here as new. The species becomes only the second stag beetle species occurring in French Guiana, along with Brasilucanus alvarengai Vulcano and Pereira.
  • Specimens of Lucanobium are rarely encountered, although this is probably due to a lack of collecting effort. Only six specimens of L. squamosum (Howden and Lawrence 1974, Araya 2000) and four specimens of the new species are known. The original type series of L. squamosum were collected at light (H. Howden, pers. comm.). The labels on all specimens of the new species indicate that they were collected at mercury vapor light or at ultraviolet light as well. Other than being attracted to light, the life history of these beetles remains unknown.
  • Lucanobium Howden and Lawrence 1974
  • Type species: Lucanobium squamosum Howden and Lawrence 1974, by original designation.