BG2440 E7279 - Scaptolenus

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Elateriformia » Elateroidea » Click Beetles (Elateridae) » Cebrioninae » Cebrionini » Rain Click Beetles (Scaptolenus)

Photo#345987

Copyright © 2009 Gayle and Jeanell Strickland

BG2440 E7279 - Scaptolenus

Barney Farm, Hwy 103, 1 mi. NW Washington, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, USA
October 17, 2009
Size: body length 19.8 mm.

This is a beetle, but that is as far as we got. We were unable to find a similar creature in any of our resources. It was collected at light by Linda Auld and kindly given to us for photography.
Further placement would be appreciated.
Gayle

Edit 10/26/09: Further cogitations after v belov IDed the specimen to genus.
From Factsheet & Map – Texas Entomology, the two Texas species that might occur in Louisiana are Scaptolenus lecontei and S. ocreatus. A third unnamed species is known from the Davis Mountains.
Based on my study of Horn (1881), I think our specimen is Scaptolenus lecontei. Horn reports the diagnostic features of S. lecontei as follows:
Last joint of maxillary palpus as long or longer than the preceding. On our specimen the last joint is about 10 percent longer than the preceding.
Elytra rather deeply sulcate (grooved or furrowed) and subcostulate (?). Our specimen appears to have furrowed elytra.
Length of L. lecontei is listed as16-18 mm. Our specimen is 19.6 mm.
Features of L. ocreatus and L. estriatus: Last joint of maxillary palpus very decidedly shorter than the preceding. Body length of both listed as 14 mm.
If our specimen is a female, things are a bit more complicated. According to BugGuide Info, females of the genus Scaptolenus are unknown; therefore keys and descriptions would apparently be valid for males only.
I look forward to further comments!
Gayle

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Contributed by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland on 23 October, 2009 - 10:50pm
Last updated 29 December, 2018 - 5:01pm

Moved, sorry for the premature move

there's something interesting going on in LA; could be undescribed species.

Moved from Scaptolenus lecontei.

… Blaine Mathison, 29 December, 2018 - 5:01pm

Moved, keys to S. lecontei

...although just learned the keys I am using are nor particularly reliable :-/

and it is a male

Moved from Rain Click Beetles.

… Blaine Mathison, 17 October, 2018 - 8:03pm

very nice! will try to get a sp. name

Moved from Beetles.

… v belov, 23 October, 2009 - 11:00pm

Thanks v belov, more information.

This is one of two specimens collected in a light trap. The opening into the trap is about two meters above the ground which suggests that the beetle could fly. Also, it was fluttering about in the container in which it was transported. No foul odor was detected during extended handling of the live specimen which suggests that it is a female. To my untrained eye the genitalia appear female.
If ours is indeed a female, then this specimen of Scaptolenus lecontei would appear to be a female.
Gayle

… Gayle and Jeanell Strickland, 24 October, 2009 - 12:04am

those are male parts sticking out down there...

… Blaine Mathison, 17 October, 2018 - 8:52pm

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