Genus Lucidota

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · See Also · Print References · Works Cited

Black Beetle with Orange around Head - Lucidota

larvae? with retractable head - Lucidota

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)

Superfamily Elateroidea (Click, Firefly and Soldier Beetles)

Family Lampyridae (Fireflies)

Genus Lucidota

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Lucidota LeConte, 1833

Explanation of Names

Lucida is Latin, meaning bright, shining, clear (1). Suffix -ota means "made", so this beetle is "made shining" (Internet searches, also compare Pelidnota). Blatchley (2) gives the meaning as "shining".

Numbers

Nearctica.com lists two species in genus: atra and punctata.

Beetles of Florida lists L. atra (G.A. Olivier), eUS, FL; L. luteicollis (LeConte), GA, FL, which would give a total of at least three species.

Size

circa 6-12 mm

Identification

Small to medium-sized day-flying fireflies that have light-producing organs reduced or absent. If present, appear as small yellowish spots on last abdominal sternite of female or last two sternites of male (3). Shape rather oblong and flattened ("depressed"). Antennae are long and flattened, though not quite serrate (3):

Dillon and Dillon (3) illustrate L. atra and L. punctata. and key: L. atra has granulate pronotum, L. punctata has punctate. They can be differentiated on size--L. atra is much larger, about 11 mm or so. L. punctata is circa 6 mm, much smaller.

See Also

Ellychnia are similar, diurnal fireflies that lack light-producing organs.

Print References

Blatchley, p. 817 (2)

Borror, entry for lucida (1)

Dillon, pp. 249-250, plate 26, keys, describes, illustrates L. atra and L. punctata (3)

Works Cited

1.	Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms By Donald J. Borror

2.	An illustrated descriptive catalogue of the Coleoptera or beetles (exclusive of the Rhynchophora) known to occur in Indiana. By Blatchley, W. S.

3.	A Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America By Dillon, Elizabeth S., and Dillon, Lawrence

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 27 April, 2004 - 6:34pm
Additional contributions by cotinis
Last updated 24 November, 2009 - 9:11am

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