Platyceroides Benesh, 1946

Paulsen, M. J., 2017, Correction of existing generic and species concepts in Platyceroidini (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae) and the description of four new species of Platyceroides Benesh, Zootaxa 4269 (3), pp. 346-378 : 350

Platyceroides Benesh, 1946

Type species. Platycerus agassii LeConte , by original designation.

Generic description. Length: 7.6–13.2 mm. Width: 3.2–5.8 mm. Color: Black to reddish brown, some with metallic reflections. Head: Anterior margin subtruncate (Fig. 20) or weakly emarginate (Fig. 19), not deeply, semicircularly excised as in Platycerini . Canthus weak but distinct (anterior margin of eye located on dorsal surface of head, per Holloway (1969)). Antenna partially geniculate; antennal club composed of 3 antennomeres in both sexes. Mandibles short in both sexes (see Figs. 12 A–B), approximately ¼ to ½ length of head; form not strongly sexually dimorphic, simply falcate, at most with weakly indicated teeth internally. Pronotum: Form broadly rounded, narrowly to broadly explanate. Elytra: Surface punctate, punctures arranged in striae or irregularly. Wings: Males with functional wings (except P. keeni ), females flightless in all species. Abdomen: Male genitalia with internal sac (flagellum) permanently everted, with wing-like accessory lobes of median lobe moderately sclerotized when present; form of flagellum variable, with sclerotized armature distally ( Fig. 1 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Illustration of the overall morphology in male genitalia in lateral view for the subgenera of Platyceroides Benesh, with parameres indicated in black. 1 A, Platyceropsis Benesh, flagellum reduced to a short hook, paramera simple; 1 B, Praocerus, flagellum basally membranous (white) with distal sclerotized process, parameres emarginate; 1 C, Platyceroides nominal subgenus, long sclerotized flagellum, parameres complex and folded.

FIGURE 12. Platyceroides opacus species group. 12 A – C, Platyceroides barrae new species; 12 A, holotype male; 12 B, allotype female; 12 C, flagellum of male genitalia, arrow indicates acute apical process. 12 D – F, flagellum of male genitalia for comparison: 12 D, P. opacus; 12 E, P. potax; 12 F, P. marshalli.