Platyceroides potax Paulsen, 2014

Paulsen, M. J., 2014, A new species of stag beetle (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) from California, Insecta Mundi 2014 (358), pp. 1-3 : 1-3

Platyceroides potax Paulsen , new species

Holotype male ( CDFA) labeled: a) “ USA: CA: Butte Co. / Coutolene [sic] Park ; Paradise / 1-JUN-2006; R. Penrose / Ex: EtOH trap in forested area”; b) on red paper, “ Platyceroides / potax Paulsen / HOLOTYPE ”.

Paratype males ( CDFA, n = 142) labeled: a) as holotype. Paratype males ( CDFA, n = 40) labeled: a) “ USA: CA: Butte Co. / Coutolenc Park, 6. VI.2006 / ex: ETOH & pinene / coll: J. Osbourne & R. Iseri / Hood”. Paratype males ( CDFA, n = 22) labeled: a) “ USA: CA: Butte Co. / Coutolenc Park, 6. VI.2006 / ex: EtOH & pineae [sic] / coll: J. Osbourne & R. Iseri / Hood”. Paratype male ( CASC, n = 1) labeled: a) “ Brownsville / Cal. V-25” ; b) “ EDWIN R. LEACH / COLLECTION / 1971 Gift to the / California Acad- / emy of Sciences ” . Paratype male ( CASC, n = 1) labeled: a) “ Oroville / V-8-35 / Cal.” ; b) “ J.J. du Bois / Collector” ; c) “ EDWIN R. LEACH / COLLECTION / 1971 Gift to the / California Acad- / emy of Sciences ” . Paratype male ( UCD, n = 1) labeled: a) “ Feather Falls / Butte Co. Cal. / [V-16-1971]; b) “ D.S. Chandler / Colr” . Paratype males ( UCD, n = 2) labeled: a) “ Feather Falls / Butte Co. Cal. / 12 APRIL 1965 ” ; b) “ E.E. Grissell / Collector”. All paratypes labeled, on yellow paper: “ Platyceroides / potax Paulsen / PARATYPE ” .

Description, holotype. Coleoptera : Scarabaeoidea: Lucanidae : Lucaninae. Length: 12.0 mm. Width: 5.1 mm. Color: Black, with subtle green metallic reflection. Head: Antennal club small (about 1/2 length of scape), antennomeres of club not entirely tomentose. Labrum short. Mandibles abruptly curved inwards in basal fourth. Pronotum: Surface shiny with moderately deep punctures. Elytra: Surface alutaceous but weakly shiny with moderately deep punctures, some in vague rows, but striae not distinctly impressed. Legs: Meso- and metatibiae distinctly slender. Abdomen: Male genitalia with permanently everted internal sac narrowed abruptly before apex, apex wider in lateral view than in P. opacus .

Variation in paratypes. Length: 10.2–13.0 mm. Width: 4.3–5.5 mm.

Etymology. The name is derived from the Latin potax , a masculine adjective in the nominative singular meaning ‘fond of drink’, in reference to the large series collected at ethanol traps. [latinlexicon.org]

Diagnosis. Compared to P. opacus , the pronotum and elytra are more deeply punctate and weakly shiny, although alutaceous. The antennal club is extremely small, about 1/2 the size of that of P. opacus . The meso- and metatibiae are markedly more slender than in P. opacus .

Distribution. United States: California: Butte: Coutolenc Park (205), Feather Falls (3), Oroville (1); Yuba: Brownsville (1).

Temporal distribution. April (2), May (3), June (205).

Remarks. According to the label data, the two large series were collected at ethanol traps and ethanol/ pinene traps that are generally used to sample for bark beetles. It is not known if this collection method would be useful for males of other species in the genus, but it supports anecdotal evidence that some species are attracted to newly tarred roads or pine tar. The flightless females cannot be collected in such traps, and the females of the new species remain unknown.