Elateriformia (Coleoptera)

J.F. Lawrence, A.M. Hastings,M.J. Dallwitz, T.A.Paine and E.J. Zurcher

LYCIDAE

Classification. Polyphaga:Elateriformia.

Distribution. Lycidae occur in allmajor regions of the world, but are most diverse in tropical and subtropicalareas.

Biogeographic regions: Nearctic, Palearctic, Neotropical, Afrotropical,Oriental, Australian.

Biology. Lycid adults are commonlyseen flying at dusk and may be found in flowers or on foliage. Some adults maybe nectar-feeders, but others probably do not feed at all. Larvae occur underbark or in leaf litter; they are liquid feeders, but there is little reliableinformation on their diet. Duliticolines exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism andneoteny. Females are much larger than males and completely larviform. Thepeculiar flattened form, enlarged thorax and lateral abdominal processes oflarvae and females of this group have earned them the name "trilobite larvae".

References

Bocák, L. andM. Bocákov 1989. Contribution à l'étude des Lycides del'île Sri Lanka, III. Cladophorini (Coleoptera, Lycidae). DeutscheEntomologische Zeitschrift (N.F.) 36: 321–328.

Bocák, L. and M.Bocákova 1989. New tribe Lypropaeini, with a description of a new speciesofLypropaeus (Coleoptera, Lycidae). Polskie Pismo Entomologiczne 58:717–723.

Bocák, L. and M. Bocákova 1990. Revision of thesupergeneric classification of the family Lycidae (Coleoptera). Polskie PismoEntomologiczne 59: 623–676.

Burakowsky, B. 1988. Notes on the biologyofXylobanellus erythropterus (Baudi a Selve) (Coleoptera, Lycidae), withdescriptions of the immature stages. Polskie Pismo Entomologiczne 58:575–585.

Crowson, R. A. 1972. A review of the classification ofCantharoidea (Coleoptera), with the definition of two new families,Cneoglossidae and Omethidae. Revista de la Universidad de Madrid 21(82):35–77.

Geisthardt, M. 1979. 25. Familie: Lycidae, pp. 9–14. IN:H. Freude, K. W. Harde and G. A. Lohse (eds.), Die Käfer Mitteleuropas.Band 6. Diversicornia. Goecke & Evers, Krefeld.

Gravely, H. F. 1915. Thelarvae and pupae of some beetles from Cochin. Records of the Indian Museum 11:353–366, pls. 20–21.

Kasantsev, S. 1993. Lycidae nouveaux ou peuconnus de l'Indochine (Coleoptera). Bulletin du Muséum Nationald'Histoire Naturelle, Paris (4) 15(A): 49–68.

Kasantsev, S. V. 1999.Alyculus new genus, first brachypterous male lycid (Insecta: Coleoptera).Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 47: 251–255.

Kleine, R. 1926. ColeopteraLycidae. Nova Guinea. 15 (Zoologie): 91–195.

Kleine, R. 1930.Bestimmungstabelle der Trichalusverwandtschaft. Treubia 11: 325–341.

Kleine, R. 1933. Pars 128. Lycidae. IN: S. Schenkling (ed.), ColeopterorumCatalogus. W. Junk, Berlin, 145 pp.

Lea,A. M. 1909. Revision of theAustralian and Tasmanian Malacodermidae. Transactions of the EntomologicalSociety of London 1909: 45–251, pls. 2–6.

Leng, C. W. and A. J.Mutchler 1922. The Lycidae, Lampyridae and Cantharidae (Telephoridae) of theWest Indies. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 46:413–499.

McCabe, T. L. and L. M. Johnson 1979. Larva ofCalopteronterminale (Say) with additional notes on adult behavior (Coleoptera:Lycidae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 87: 283–288.

Magis, N. 1977. Catalogue des Coléoptères de Belgique.Fascicule VI. Catalogue Raisonne des Cantharoidea de Belgique. Premiere Partie.Homalisidae, Drilidae, Lampyridae et Lycidae. Société Royale Belged'Entomologiue, Brussels, 60 pp.

Medvedev, L. N. and S. V. Kazantsev 1992. Anew subfamily and a new genus of lycid beetles (Coleoptera, Lycidae) fromsoputheast Asia, pp. 55–60. IN: L. N. Medvedev (ed.), Systematization andEcology of Insects of Vietnam. "Nauka", Moscow (in Russian).

Miller, R. S.1997. Immature stages ofPlateros floralis (Melsheimer) and discussion ofphylogenetic relationships (Coleoptera: Lycidae). Coleopterists Bulletin 51:1–12.

Miller, R. S. 2000. 67. Lycidae. IN: R. H. Arnett, Jr., Jr. andM. C. Thomas (eds.), American Beetles. CRC Press, Gainesville, Florida (inpress).

Mjöberg, E. 1925. The mystery of the so called "trilobitelarvae" or "Perty's larvae" definitely solved. Psyche 32: 119–154, pls.3–4.

Moore, B. P. and W. V. Brown 1981. Identification of warning odourcomponents, bitter principles and antifeedants in an aposematic beetle:Metriorrhynchus rhipidius (Coleoptera: Lycidae). Insect Biochemistry 11:493–499.

Nakane, T. 1969. Fauna Japonica. Lycidae (Insecta). AcademicPress of Japan, Tokyo, 224 pp., 8 pls.

Pototskaya, V. A. 1981. Morphology andecology of larvae of the lycid generaAplatopterus Rtt. andXylobanus C. O. Waterh. (Coleoptera, Lycidae). EntomologischeskoyeObozreniye 60: 337–347 (in Russian).

Waterhouse, C. O. 1877. Monographof the coleopterous genusCalochromus of the family Lycidae. CistulaEntomologica 2: 195–202.

Waterhouse, C. O. 1878. Illustrations of TypeSpecimens of Coleoptera in the Collection of the British Museum. Part I. -Lycidae. British Museum, London, 83 pp., 18 pls.

Wong, A. T. C. 1996. A newspecies of neotenous beetle,Duliticola hoiseni (Insecta: Coleoptera:Cantharoidea: Lycidae) from Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Raffles Bulletinof Zoology 44: 173–187.

General appearance. Total length3–80 mm. Ratio of body length to greatest body width 1.1–4.5. Bodystrongly flattened, or slightly flattened to moderately convex. Sides of bodynot evenly curved. Body not capable of conglobation (rolling into a ball). Uppersurfaces of body glabrous or subglabrous, or clothed with distinct hairs, setaeor scales. Vestiture of upper surfaces not including stiff, erect, darkbristles; not including scales or scale-like setae. Upper surfaces of bodywithout deep foveae. Prothorax, metathorax and-or abdomen without extrusibleglands. Underside of body without hydrofuge surface(s).

Head. Ratio of head length to itsgreatest width (excluding eyes) greater than 1, or 1 or less. Head width justbehind eyes not distinctly greater than prothoracic width. Head not or slightlydeclined, or moderately to strongly declined; not entirely concealed from aboveby pronotum, or entirely concealed from above by pronotum; without elongaterostrum, or with elongate rostrum; not abruptly constricted posteriorly. Templesabsent or not closely adpressed to prothorax; absent. Transverse occipital ridgeor carina absent. Occiput without stridulatory file. Longitudinal axis of head(from occipital foramen to mouth cavity) inclined at an angle of less than 45degrees, or inclined at an angle of 45 to 90 degrees, or inclined at an angle ofmore than 90 degrees. Frontal region not to moderately, gradually declined, orstrongly deflexed, vertical or inflexed at apex only. Occipital region withoutmedian longitudinal groove or line (endocarina), or with median longitudinalgroove or line (endocarina). Frontal region without median groove or line(endocarina), or with median groove or line (endocarina). Head without ocelli.

Compound eyes present, or absent. Eyes strongly protuberant. Verticaldiameter of eye less than 2 times horizontal diameter. Eyes finely facetted, orcoarsely facetted; without interfacetal setae. Ommatidium of the exocone type.Eye entire. Anterior or mesal edge of eye not or only barely emarginate.Posterior edge of eye not or barely emarginate.

Antennal insertions exposed from above; narrowly separated, or closelyapproximate or contiguous. Antennae not borne on raised tubercles, or borne onraised tubercles. Antennal insertions flush with head capsule or raised, not infossae. Subantennal groove or cavity on head absent or very weakly developed.Frontoclypeal suture absent or incomplete. Clypeus not laterally emarginate.Anterior edge of clypeus or clypeolabrum straight to convex, or concave toshallowly emarginate. Mouth cavity anteriorly or anteroventrally oriented, orventrally or posteroventrally oriented. Pregular area without laterally openingcavities. Head ventrally without paired subgenal ridges. Head withoutanteriorly-projecting genal processes. Gular sutures widely separated or absent.Corporotentorium incomplete or absent. Cervical sclerites present.

Antennae. Number of antennomeres 2,or 9–10, or 11. Antennae when posteriorly extended not reaching middle ofprothorax, or reaching beyond middle of prothorax but not middle of elytra, orreaching beyond middle of elytra but not elytral apices, or reaching beyondelytral apices. Antennae filiform, or moniliform, or serrate, or pectinate orbipectinate, or flabellate or biflabellate, or of a unique configuration, noneof above. Antennomeres 3, 4 or 5 to 10 without or with single rami (uniramose).Antennae entirely subglabrous and without obvious modifications, or at leastpartly pubescent or with obvious modifications. Antennal modifications beginningon antennomere 3 (rarely 2), or antennomere 4. First antennomere (scape) lessthan 3 times as long as 2nd (pedicel), or more than 3 times as long as 2nd(pedicel). Antenna not geniculate, or geniculate or elbowed; without apicalclub.

Mouthparts. Labrum at least partlyvisible, or concealed beneath clypeus or apparently absent; free, membranous orseparated by suture, or partly or completely fused to clypeus or frontoclypeus,without or with incomplete suture. Major portion of labrum strongly transverse,or slightly transverse or subquadrate. Apex of labrum subtruncate to slightlyconvex, or strongly convex, narrowly rounded or acute, or slightly concave oremarginate, or deeply emarginate or bilobed. Labrum moderately to heavilysclerotized, except at base and-or apex. Mouthparts not forming a piercing orsucking tube. Mandibles present, or absent. Mandible short and broad, ormoderately elongate, or very narrow and elongate. Mandibular apex not orslightly and gradually curved mesally, or moderately to strongly, graduallycurved mesally; unidentate, truncate or rounded; subacute, bidentate ormultidentate. Dorsal part of mandible without tubercle; without setose cavity.Mandible moderately to strongly, more or less evenly sclerotized or pigmented;visible in lateral view, or enclosed in mouth cavity or not visible in lateralview. Incisor edge of mandible simple. Mandible without mola; without prostheca.Prostheca absent or without articulated, sclerotized process. Inner basal angleof mandible without pubescent process. Maxilla with distinct galea and lacinia,or with single apical lobe. Maxillary lobe(s) not stylet-like, or stylet-like.Apex of galea or maxillary lobe densely setose or spinose, or without or withfew setae or spines; without heavily sclerotized teeth or hooks. Lacinia withouthook(s) or spine(s). Apical maxillary palpomere cylindrical to fusiform, orslightly expanded and truncate to subtriangular, or securiform to cultriform; atleast as wide as or longer than preapical one. Maxillary palp without complexpalp organ. Apical labial palpomere cylindrical to fusiform, or slightly tostrongly expanded apically. Ligula undivided or finely cleft, or indistinct orabsent.

Prothorax. Ratio of pronotal lengthto greatest pronotal width 0.43–0.76. Prothorax widest at middle, orposteriorly. Sides of prothorax more or less straight, or straight posteriorly,curved anteriorly, or sinuate. Prothorax not laterally compressed to formcavities for legs. Sides of prothorax not or slightly explanate, or moderatelyto strongly, horizontally explanate. Base of prothorax not or slightly narrowerthan elytral bases. Greatest prothoracic width not or slightly narrower thangreatest elytral width, or distinctly narrower than greatest elytral width.Lateral pronotal carinae complete, or absent; simple; visible for their entirelengths from above; without a raised margin, or with a raised margin or narrowbead. Lateral portion of prothorax without deep pit. Pronotum withoutanterolateral callosities. Anterior angles of pronotum absent or not producedforward; absent, right or rounded, not produced. Posterior angles of pronotumabsent or broadly rounded, or obtuse or right, or moderately to strongly acute;not produced and acute, or strongly produced and narrowly acute. Posterior edgeof pronotum more or less straight or evenly rounded, or distinctly sinuate orvariously lobed; simple; not or vaguely margined, or with narrow raised marginor bead. Discal carinae of pronotum absent, or basal but mesad of posteriorangles, or extending beyond middle of disc. Pronotal disc without paired basalimpressions, or with paired basal impressions. Pronotum without medianlongitudinal groove or line, or with median longitudinal groove or line.Anterior edge of pronotum simple, without margin, or with narrow margin or bead.Hypomeron without pit.

Lateral portion of prosternum in front of coxae shorter than mid length ofprocoxal cavity, or longer than mid length of procoxal cavity. Anterior edge ofprosternum not produced anteriorly, or distinctly produced forming chin piece.Prosternum in front of coxae flat to moderately convex. Prosternum in front ofcoxae without paired lines or carinae. Anterior edge of prosternum withoutmargin; without mesal excavation. Anterolateral or ventrolateral portions ofprothorax without cavities or grooves. Prothoracic cavities absent. Prothoracicgrooves absent. Prosternal process complete, or incomplete, or absent. Ventralportion of prothorax on each side with notosternal suture only, or withoutsutures or with incomplete notosternal suture. Propleuron not extending toanterior edge of prothorax. Propleuron or pleurotrochantin not extending behindcoxa. Procoxae projecting well below prosternum. Procoxa without or with shortconcealed lateral extension. Procoxal cavities absent, procoxae attachedexternally. Postcoxal projection absent or very short. Prothoracic trochantin orpleurotrochantin at least partly exposed, or completely concealed or absent.Promesothoracic clicking mechanism absent.

Elytra. Elytra present, or absent(anelytrous or larviform). Ratio of elytral length to greatest elytral width0.9–3.75. Ratio of elytral length to pronotal length 2.4–11.73.Elytra apunctate, irregularly punctate, or with 5 or fewer distinct puncturerows or striae, or with more than 5 distinct puncture rows, or with more than 5distinct impressed striae; without scutellary striole. Number elytral puncturerows or striae 10, or 9. Sutural stria absent or not deeply impressed near apex.Abdominal tergites exposed by elytra none or apex of 1, or 3 or more. Exposedabdominal segments more or less flexible. Elytral apices meeting or almostmeeting at the suture, or independently rounded or acute and separated by broadgap. Elytral suture not deflected near apex. Elytral apex without internalinterlocking tongue. Epipleuron absent or incomplete; not or gradually narrowed.Lateral edge of elytron straight or weakly sinuate.

Pterothorax. Scutellum welldeveloped; not abruptly elevated; anteriorly simple; posteriorly broadly roundedor obtusely angulate, or truncate, or emarginate. Mesoscutum withoutstridulatory file. Mesoventrite without paired procoxal rests. Pairedmesoventral procoxal rests absent, horizontal or slightly oblique. Anterior edgeof mesoventrite without prosternal rest. Mesoventrite not divided bylongitudinal groove or discrimen. Anterior edge of mesoventrite at midline onsame plane as metaventrite. Mesoventral cavity absent. Mesocoxa not conical andprojecting, or conical and projecting. Mesocoxal cavities absent, mesocoxaeattached externally. Mesoventrite separated by complete sutures frommesepisterna, or partly or completely fused to mesepisterna. Mesepisternadistinctly separated at midline; without deep pockets. Mesepimeron not visiblefrom above.

Metaventral discrimen or median line moderately to very long, or absent.Paired postcoxal lines of metaventrite absent. Postcoxal lines of metaventriteabsent. Metaventrite longer than first abdominal ventrite. Postcoxal pits ofmetaventrite absent. Metaventrite flat to slightly convex, or moderately tostrongly convex. Transverse groove of metaventrite absent. Anterior edge ofmetaventrite without transverse carina between mesocoxal cavities. Exposedportion of metepisternum short and broad, or moderately elongate, or very longand narrow or absent. Metacoxae contiguous or narrowly separated, or widelyseparated; separated by less than longest coxal diameter; not extendinglaterally to meet elytra or sides of body, or extending laterally to meet elytraor sides of body; completely separated from metaventrite by suture. Metacoxalplates weakly developed, or absent; not concealing most of basal abdominalventrite. Metacoxae not greatly enlarged; horizontally oriented, or obliquelyoriented. Lateral arms of metendosternite short or absent. Metendosternallaminae absent. Ventrolateral processes of metendosternite absent or weaklydeveloped. Anterior process of metendosternite moderately long, or short orabsent. Anterior tendons of metendosternite moderately or very close together.Apical portion of metendosternite not or only slightly emarginate.

Hind wing. Hind wing well developed,or highly reduced or absent; with normal transverse folds. Radial cell of hindwing well developed, or highly reduced or absent; elongate, or incomplete orabsent. Inner posterior angle formed at base of radial cell right or obtuse.Radial cell not forming equilateral triangle. Ratio of length of apical area tototal wing length less than 0.2. Apical area of hind wing without veins orsclerotizations, or with one or more vague sclerotizations or pigment patches.Medial bar of hind wing not crossed by fold. Free veins in medial area of hindwing 5 or 6, or 4, or 3 or fewer. Oblongum cell of hind wing absent. Medialfleck of hind wing absent; absent or not partly bisected by a vein. Wedge cellof hind wing absent. Anal lobe of hind wing absent. Posterior edge of hind wingwithout fringe of long hairs.

Legs. Femoral attachment of midtrochanter transverse or slightly oblique, or strongly oblique with base offemur separate from coxa. Mesotrochanter not reduced or concealed from below.Metafemur not much wider than mesofemur. Mesotibia not strongly widened. Outeredge of mesotibia simple, crenulate or denticulate. Outer subapical edge ofmesotibia without antenna cleaner. Preapical surfaces of mesotibia withoutridges or combs. Outer apical angle of mesotibia simple or slightly produced,without lobe, teeth or spines. Inner apical angle of mesotibia not or slightlyproduced, without tooth. Mesotibial spurs glabrous or absent; double, or absent.Mesotarsus with 5 distinct tarsomeres (pentamerous), or with 2 or fewertarsomeres. Tarsomeres on hind leg at least as many as on mid leg. Tarsomeres onfore leg at least as many as on mid leg. Mesotarsomere 1 well developed andvisible. Preapical mesotarsomeres together longer than apical one. Penultimatemesotarsomere not distinctly shorter than antepenultimate. Ventral mesotarsallobes absent, or on penultimate tarsomere only, or on more than one tarsomere.Mesotarsal claws paired, or single; subequal in length and similar in form andangle of inclination; simple, or toothed or bifid. Appendage on each tarsal clawabsent. Mesotarsal claws without setae near base, or with one or more setae nearbase. Mesotarsal empodium present and exposed, or absent or concealed; absent orwith 2 or fewer setae. Outer edge of protibia simple and rounded to carinate butwithout lobes or teeth, except at apex. Outer apical angle of protibia simple orslightly produced, without lobe, teeth or spines. Inner subapical edge ofprotibia without antenna cleaner. Protibial spurs double, or absent.Articulations of protibial spurs located in same plane. Hind legs withoutswimming hairs. Preapical surfaces of metatibia without ridges or combs.Metatibial articular area not to only moderately expanded, narrowly oval oroblique. Metatibial spurs double, or absent; subequal in length and form.

Abdomen. Number of abdominalventrites 7, or 8, or 10. Number of basal ventrites connate none. Abdominalsternite 2 visible. First ventrite not completely divided by metacoxae. Suturebetween ventrites 1 and 2 distinct. Suture between ventrites 2 and 3 distinct.Ventrite 4 articulated with or connate with both 3 and 5. Postcoxal lines onventrite 1 absent. Ventrite 1 not much longer than 2. Abdominal process absent.Ventrite 5 in female without circular depression. Posterior edge of ventrite 5not crenulate. Last visible tergite and-or sternite (7 or 8) not formingterminal spine. Tergite and sternite 7 separated by membrane or distinct suture.Subapical abdominal luminous organ absent. Ventrites without setose patches orfoveae. Functional spiracles on abdominal segment 8 present. Functionalspiracles on abdominal segment 7 present. Functional spiracles on abdominalsegment 6 present. Functional spiracles on abdominal segment 5 present. 7thabdominal spiracles located in pleural membrane, or located on sternite. 6thabdominal spiracles located in pleural membrane, or located in sternite. 5thabdominal spiracles located in pleural membrane, or located in sternite.Anterior edge of sternite 8 in male without median strut. Pygidium (sclerotizedtergite 7 or 8) more or less horizontal. Anterior edge of sternite 9 in malewithout median strut, or with median strut (spiculum gastrale). Tergite 9 inmale truncate, or slightly to moderately emarginate, or deeply emarginate.Tergite 10 in male well developed and free.

Aedeagus trilobate, or unclassified; symmetrical, or asymmetrical. Anterioredge of tegmen or phallobase without struts. Parameres individually articulatedto phallobase or base of penis, or fused to phallobase or base of penis but freefrom one another, or partly or entirely fused together but articulated tophallobase, or partly or entirely fused together and to phallobase, or absent;not outwardly hooked. Penis without dorsal and ventral lobes. Anterior edge ofpenis without struts, or with paired struts.

Illustrations. • Lycus.Lycus carmelitus Gorham.Locality: Central America. Reference: Gorham 1880. • Calochromus.Calochromus basalisWaterhouse. Locality: Australia. Photo D. McClenaghan. Copyright CSIRO.• Platerodrilus.Platerodrilus sp. Locality: Singapore. Photo: K. Smith. Copyright CSIRO.• Duliticola.Duliticolahoiseni Wong. Locality: Malaysia. Photo: A. T. C. Wong. Reference: Wong1996. Courtesy of the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. • Genus ?. Genus ? sp. Locality: Peru. Photo D.McClenaghan. Copyright CSIRO. • Lypropaeus.Lypropaeus fallax (Walker).Locality: Sri Lanka. Artist: E. A. Smith. Reference: Waterhouse 1879.• Porrostoma.Porrostomaapterus (Lea). Locality: Australia. Reference: Lea 1909.

Theinteractive keyprovides access to the character list, illustrations, full and partialdescriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities betweentaxa, lists of taxa exhibiting specified attributes, and summaries of attributeswithin any group of taxa.

Cite this publication as: ‘Lawrence,J.F., Hastings, A.M., Dallwitz, M.J., Paine, T.A., and Zurcher, E.J. 2000onwards. Elateriformia (Coleoptera). Version: 12th September 2018.delta-intkey.com’.

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