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franzae

Annotated Checklist of
the New World
Lucanidae

(Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)

VERSION 1.0 uploaded 1 July, 2005

M.J. Paulsen
Pycnosiphorus franzae Weinreich
Photo by M.J. Paulsen.


The stag beetle family Lucanidae includes five subfamilies, 109 genera and around 800 species worldwide (Kracjik 2001). In the New World there are 32 genera and 196 species with representatives of each of the five subfamilies. Most New World taxa are Neotropical; in the Nearctic region there are only 24 species in eight genera.

Traditionally, the family has been characterized as moderate to large (8-60 mm), hornless beetles possessing enlarged male mandibles and elbowed, clubbed antennae. The antennae are often stated to have an elongate first segment, and club segments that cannot be closed tightly together (White 1983; Lawrence and Britton 1991; Triplehorn and Johnson 2005).

However, there are taxa that resist all attempts to neatly characterize the family. In some species, the mandibles of the male and female are of similar size and are indistinguishable. Only one subfamily (Lucaninae) possesses antennae that are elbowed. In some aesalines, the first antennal segment is not elongated, and the antennal club segments can be closed (if loosely), prompting some authors to treat them as members of the Trogidae (Scarabaeoidea e.g., Kikuta 1986). Still other aesalines have barely asymmetrical clubs. Additionally, males of the genus Sinodendron (Syndesinae) possess both a clypeal horn and a horn-like pronotal tubercle.

Exceptions aside, almost all stag beetles possess 10-segmented antennae, with the distal 3-7 segments elongated asymmetrically into a serrate, lamellate, or flabellate club that cannot be closed tightly as in many other scarabaeoids. Despite the difficulty in characterizing them, many stag beetles are immediately recognizable and are frequently collected. Their popularity with collectors has probably led to an excess of generic, specific, and subspecific names. Yet, little comprehensive taxonomic work has been conducted on the family, and revisions and keys are needed for most genera. Currently, the only available method for identifying many species is a richly illustrated picture book (Mizunuma and Nagai 2001).

The higher-level classification of the family is in need of rigorous study. The number of recognized subfamilies has varied greatly (Didier and Séguy 195; Benesh 1960; Howden and Lawrence 1974). Subfamilial placement in this checklist follows the work of Holloway (1960, 1968, 1969, 1997, 1998). The classification of the family at the tribal level is currently superfluous, as at one time or another most lucanid genera have been afforded tribal status seemingly without justification. A meaningful classification of the Lucanidae at the tribal level cannot be created until all genera are properly diagnosed, and morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses of the higher-level lucanid relationships are conducted.

For utility and completeness, known errors in use of authorship, spelling, homonymy, and synonymy are being continued in this list because the appropriate corrections have not yet been published. Select a genus in the table below, or scroll down to view the entire checklist.

 

AESALINAE
  
SYNDESINAE
  
LAMPRIMINAE
  
PLATYCERINAE

LUCANINAE
Aegognathus Cantharolethrus
Andinolucanus   Casignetus   Lucanus  
Apterodorcus Charagmophorus
Auxicerus Chiasognathus
Brasilucanus Dorcus
Incadorcus

New World Lucanidae

AESALINAE, MacLeay 1819: 102
  Aesalus Fabricius, 1801: 254  
    Aesalus neotropicalis Bates, 1886: 2 Guatemala
    Aesalus smithi Bates, 1889: 382 Mexico
    Aesalus trogoides Albers, 1883: 228 Mexico
       
  Hilophyllus Paulsen & Mondaca, 2006: 6  
    Hilophyllus argentinensis (Martínez, 1981: 13) (Ceratognathus) Argentina, Chile
    Hilophyllus martinezi Paulsen & Mondaca, 2006: 16 Chile
    Hilophyllus penai (Martínez, 1976: 101) (Ceratognathus) Chile
       
  Lucanobium Howden & Lawrence, 1974: 1507 info  
    Lucanobium squamosum Howden & Lawrence, 1974: 1508 Venezuela
       
  Nicagus LeConte, 1861:130 info  
    Nicagus obscurus (LeConte, 1848: 86) (Ochodaeus) Eastern USA, Canada
    Nicagus occultus Paulsen & Smith, 2005: 48  Western USA: TX
         
SYNDESINAE MacLeay, 1819: 103
  Ceruchus MacLeay, 1819: 115  
    Ceruchus piceus (Weber, 1801: 84) (Lucanus) info Eastern North America
      syn. Platycerus balbi Laporte, 1840: 174  
      syn. C. virginiensis Casey, 1914: 372  
      nom. nud. Tarandus americanus Dejean, 1833: 174  
      nom. nud. C. frontosus Knoch in Burmeister, 1847: 329  
      nom. nud. C.quercicola Melsheimer in Sturm, 1843: 136  
    Ceruchus punctatus LeConte, 1869: 377 info Western USA, Canada
    Ceruchus striatus LeConte, 1859: 85 info Western USA, Canada
       
  Psilodon Perty, 1830: 53  
    syn. Hexaphyllum Gray, 1832: 536  
    Psilodon aequinoctiale (Buquet, 1840: 375) (Hexaphyllum) Colombia
       syn. H. westwoodi Hope, 1840: 11  
    Psilodon gilberti Boucher, 1993: 422 Bolivia
    Psilodon schuberti Perty, 1830: 54 Argentina, Brazil
      syn. H. brasiliense Gray, 1832: 536  
    Psilodon seguyi (Didier, 1929: 109) (Hexaphyllum) Ecuador
    Psilodon xerophilicum Martinez & Reyes-Castillo, 1985: 109 Brazil (Bahia)
       
  Sinodendron Hellwig, 1792: 391  
    Sinodendron rugosum Mannerheim, 1843: 262 Western USA, Canada
         
         
LAMPRIMINAE Macleay, 1819: 97
  Streptocerus Dejean, 1833: 174  
    Streptocerus speciosus Fairmaire, 1850: 55 Chile, Argentina
      nom. nud. S. speciosus Dejean, 1833: 174  
      syn. S. dejeani Solier, 1851:44  
      syn. S. eusticticus Philippi, 1864:316  
      syn. S. speciosus regius Kriesche, 1922:118  
         
PLATYCERINAE Mulsant, 1842: 593
  Platyceroides Benesh, 1946: 175  
    Platyceroides aeneus (Van Dyke, 1928: 109) (Platycerus) Western USA
    Platyceroides agassii (LeConte, 1861: 345) (Platycerus) Western USA
      orig.comb. Platycerus agassii LeConte, 1861: 345  
      misspell. P. agassizii Parry, 1870: 114  
      syn. Platycerus parvicollis Casey, 1889: 164  
      syn. Platycerus pacificus Casey, 1889: 165  
      syn. Platycerus californicus Casey, 1885: 331  
      syn. Platycerus pygmaeus Van Dyke, 1946: 88  
      unjust. emend. P. agassizi Van Roon, 1910: 46  
   
Platyceroides laticollis (Casey, 1914: 373) (Platycerus)
USA: Oregon
    Platyceroides latus (Fall, 1901: 291) (Platycerus) USA: California
    Platyceroides opacus (Fall, 1906: 393) (Platycerus) USA: California
    Platyceroides thoracicus (Casey, 1895: 154) (Platycerus) USA: California
    Platyceroides viriditinctus (Benesh, 1942: 222) (Platycerus) USA: Oregon
       
  Platyceropsis Benesh, 1946: 195  
    Platyceropsis keeni (Casey, 1895: 153) (Platycerus) Western North America
      syn. Platycerus pedicellaris Möllenkamp, 1912: 302  
         
  Platycerus Geoffroy, 1762: 62  
    Platycerus depressus LeConte, 1850: 224 Northeastern USA & Canada
      unavailable name, P. piceus Kirby, 1837: 141 (misidentification)  
      nom. nud. P. helopioides Dejean 1836: 194  
    Platycerus marginalis Casey, 1897: 639 Western North America
      syn. P. cribripennis Van Dyke, 1928: 107  
    Platycerus oregonensis Westwood, 1844: cvi Western North America
      syn. P. coerulescens LeConte, 1861: 351  
      syn. P. chalybaeus Casey, 1897: 639  
    Platycerus virescens (Fabricius, 1775: 817) (Lucanus) East & Central USA, Canada
      syn. Lucanus quercus Weber, 1801: 85  
      syn. L. securidens Say, 1823: 249  
      syn. P. angustus Casey, 1909: 280  
      syn. P. iowanus Casey, 1909: 280  
      syn. P. peregrinus Casey, 1909: 280  
      nom. nud. P. scaritoides Sturm, 1843: 136  
       nom. nud. P. quercicola Knoch, 1868: 961  
         
LUCANINAE Latreille, 1804: 149
  Aegognathus Leuthner, 1883: 445  
    Aegognathus aguirei Arnaud and Bomans, 2007: 2 Peru
    Aegognathus caledoniaensis Grossi, Racca-Filho,& Vaz-de-Mello, 2003: 249 Brazil
    Aegognathus confusus Arnaud and Bomans, 2006a: 4 Peru
    Aegognathus iridicolor Lüderwaldt, 1935: 518 Brazil
    Aegognathus leuthneri leuthneri Van der Poll, 1886: 153 Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
    Aegognathus leuthneri damasoi Arnaud and Bomans, 2006c: 2 Peru
    Aegognathus nigrosuturalis Weinreich, 1963: 196 Ecuador
    Aegognathus similis Arnaud and Bomans, 2006a: 5 Peru
    Aegognathus soulai Arnaud and Bomans, 2004: 5 Peru
    Aegognathus spitzi Ohaus, 1929: 155 Brazil
    Aegognathus waterhousei Leuthner, 1883: 445 Peru
       
  Andinolucanus Arnaud and Bomans, 2006a: 2  
    Andinolucanus inesae Arnaud and Bomans, 2006a: 3 Peru
     
  Apterodorcus Arrow, 1943: 139  
    Apterodorcus bacchus (Hope, in Westwood, 1845: 26) (Lucanus) Chile, Argentina
      nom. nud. Dorcus chilensis Dejean, 1833: 174  
      syn. Sclerostomus darwinii Burmeister, 1847: 424  
      syn. Dorcus bipunctatus F. Philippi, 1859: 656  
      syn. Sclerostomus tristis Deyrolle in Parry, 1870: 95  
         
  Auxicerus Waterhouse, 1883: 387  
    syn. Calodaemon Boileau, 1897: 248  
    Auxicerus aethiops Jakowleff, 1900: 38 Bolivia
    Auxicerus multicolor Boileau, 1897: 248 (Calodaemon) Bolivia
    Auxicerus platyceps Waterhouse, 1883: 387 Peru
       
  Brasilucanus Vulcano & Pereira, 1961: 473 info  
    Brasilucanus acomus Ratcliffe, 1984: 63 info Brazil, Peru
    Brasilucanus alvarengai Vulcano & Pereira, 1961: 475 Brazil, Guyana
       
  Cantharolethrus Thomson, 1862: 411  
    Cantharolethrus azambrei Boileau, 1897: 275 (Lucanus) Ecuador, Peru
    Cantharolethrus buckleyi Parry, 1872: 77 Ecuador
    Cantharolethrus elongatus Lacroix, 1982:23 Peru
    Cantharolethrus homoderoides Kreische, 1928: 116 Costa Rica
    Cantharolethrus luxerii luxerii (Buquet, 1843: 51) (Dorcus) Colombia, Panama
      syn. Pholidotus reichei Hope, 1843: 95  
      syn. C. georgius Thomson, 1862: 412  
    Cantharolethrus luxerii inflexus Boileau, 1899b: 297 Costa Rica
    Cantharolethrus peruvianus Heller, 1918: 74 Bolivia, Peru
    Cantharolethrus steinheili Parry, 1875: 51 Peru
       
  Casignetus MacLeay, 1819: 98 info  
    syn. Pholidotus MacLeay, 1819: 97, not Brisson, 1762  
    syn. Chalcimon Dalman, 1824: 1  
    Casignetus humboldti (Gyllenhal in Schönherr, 1817: 197) (Lamprima) Brazil
      syn. Pholidotus lepidosus MacLeay, 1819: 97  
      syn. C. geotrupoides MacLeay, 1819: 98  
    Casignetus lindei (Boileau, 1899b: 296) (Pholidotus) Brazil
      syn. Pholidotus lombardi Didier & Seguy, 1952: 220  
    Casignetus spixi (Perty, 1830: 54) (Chalcimon) Brazil
       
  Charagmophorus Waterhouse, 1895: 495  
    Charagmophorus lineatus eikoae Nagai, 2000: 27 Venezuela
    Charagmophorus lineatus lineatus Waterhouse, 1895: 495 Brazil
    Charagmophorus umedai Nagai, 1996: 6 Venezuela
       
  Chiasognathus Stephens, 1831: 213  
    syn. Tetropthalma Lesson, 1833: 5  
    syn. Bomansodus Chalumeau & Brochier, 1995: 20  
    syn. Carmenia Molino-Olmedo, 2001: 85  
    syn. Ramirezia Molino-Olmedo, 2001: 85  
    syn. Carmeniella Molino-Olmedo, 2003: 29  
    syn. Ramireziella Molino-Olmedo, 2003: 29  
    Chiasognathus beneshi Lacroix, 1978: 250 Chile
    Chiasognathus grantii Stephens, 1831: 214 Chile
      syn. Tetropthalma chiloensis Lesson, 1833: 6  
      syn. C. affinis R. Philippi in F. Philippi, 1859: 658  
      nom. nud. C. brevidens Germain, 1911: 47  
    Chiasognathus impubis Parry, 1870: 68 Chile
    Chiasognathus jousellinii Reiche, 1850: 259 Chile, Argentina
      syn. C. mniszechii Thomson, 1862: 406  
      syn. C. schoenemanni Kriesche, 1919: 94  
    Chiasognathus latreillei Solier, 1851: 42 Chile
      syn. S. imberbis R. Philippi in F. Philippi, 1859: 657  
      syn. S. reichei Thomson, 1862: 407  
      syn. S. pygmaeus Dallas, 1933: 74  
         
  Dorcus MacLeay, 1819:195  
    Dorcus brevis (Say, 1825: 202) (Lucanus) Eastern North America
      syn. Dorcus caucasicus Ganglbauer, 1886: 81  
      syn. Dorcus nanus Casey, 1909: 278  
    Dorcus parallelus (Say, 1823: 248) (Lucanus) Eastern North America
      syn. Lucanus voeti Schönherr, 1817: 326  
      syn. Lucanus oblongus de Charpentier, 1825: 214  
      syn. Dorcus costatus LeConte, 1866: 35  
      syn. Dorcus carnochani Angell, 1916: 70  
    Dorcus mexicanus Benesh, 1944: 45 Mexico
       
  Incadorcus Arnaud and Bomans, 2006a: 3  
    Incadorcus damasoi Arnaud and Bomans, 2006c: 2 Peru
    Incadorcus zugeri Arnaud and Bomans, 2006a: 4 Peru
    Incadorcus michellae Arnaud and Bomans, 2006b: 2 Peru
       
  Leptinopterus Hope, 1838: 316  
    syn. Psalicerus Dejean, 1833: 174  
    syn. Psalidostomus Burmeister, 1847: 377  
    Leptinopterus affinis Parry, 1872: 80 Brazil
      nom. nud. L. pulchellus Parry, 1864: 85  
    Leptinopterus atramentarius Nagel, 1928: 275 Brazil
    Leptinopterus bicolor Lüderwaldt, 1931: 423 Brazil
    Leptinopterus burmeisteri Arrow, 1943: 135 Brazil
      syn. Psalidostomus polyodontus Burmeister, 1847: 381  
      syn. L. nigra Nagel, 1924: 401  
      syn. L. unicolor Lüderwaldt, 1935: 503  
    Leptinopterus consimilis Möllenkamp, 1900: 47 Brazil
    Leptinopterus constricticollis Heller, 1924: 63 Brazil
    Leptinopterus elegans Jakowleff, 1900: 632 Brazil
      syn. L. catharinensis Lüderwaldt, 1935: 490  
    Leptinopterus erythrocnemus (Burmeister, 1847: 378) (Psalidostomus) Argentina, Brazil
      syn. Lucanus tibialis Klug, 1825: 431  
      syn. femoratus Thomson, 1862: 397  
    Leptinopterus femoratus (Olivier, 1789: 17) (Lucanus) Brazil, Argentina
      nom. nud. Psalicerus erythrocnemus Dejean, 1833:174  
      nom. nud. Lucanus rufifemoratus Hope in Westwood, 1845:5  
      syn. Leptinopterus lucidus Lüderwaldt, 1930: 125  
    Leptinopterus fraternus Westwood, 1874: 359 Brazil
    Leptinopterus fryi (Parry, 1862: 112) (Psalidostomus) Brazil
    Leptinopterus gracilipes Didier, 1928: 80 Brazil
    Leptinopterus gracilis Boileau, 1899a: 196 Brazil
    Leptinopterus ibex (Billberg, 1820: 382) (Lucanus) Brazil
      nom. nud. Psalicerus aries Dejean, 1833:174  
      syn. Lucanus sarcorhamphus Laporte, 1840: 172  
      syn. Lucanus polyodontus Hope in Westwood, 1845: 15  
      nom. nud. Lucanus complanatus Hope in Westwood, 1845:5  
      nom. nud. Lucanus wilsoni Hope in Westwood, 1845:5  
      syn. Lucanus politus Hope in Westwood,1845, 5  
    Leptinopterus inaharai Lacroix, 1982: 26 Brazil
    Leptinopterus luederwaldti de Moraes in Lüderwaldt, 1935: 506 Brazil
    Leptinopterus mazama Kreische, 1926: 384 Brazil
    Leptinopterus melanarius (Hope in Westwood, 1845: 15) (Lucanus) Brazil
      syn. Lucanus funereus Hope in Westwood, 1845: 15  
      syn. Psalidostomus morio Burmeister, 1847: 379  
    Leptinopterus nigrotibialis Lüderwaldt, 1935: 506 Brazil
    Leptinopterus nitidus Lüderwaldt, 1930: 123 Brazil
      syn. Leptinopterus lepidus Lüderwaldt, 1930: 124  
    Leptinopterus paranensis Parry, 1872: 80 Brazil
    Leptinopterus pellitomarginatus Lüderwaldt, 1930: 125 Brazil
    Leptinopterus puncticollis Lüderwaldt, 1930: 123 Brazil
    Leptinopterus robustus Lüderwaldt, 1930: 127 Brazil
    Leptinopterus rotundicollis Lüderwaldt, 1930: 124 Brazil
    Leptinopterus suturalis Lüderwaldt, 1930: 125 Brazil
    Leptinopterus tibialis (Eschscholtz, 1822: 5) (Lucanus) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay
      syn. L. femoratus Thomson, 1862: 397  
      syn. L. ochraceus Harold, 1868: 954  
      syn. L. ochropterus Boileau, 1913: 237  
      syn. L. fulvus Lüderwaldt, 1930: 125  
      syn. L. castaneus Lüderwaldt, 1930: 125  
      syn. bucki Lüderwaldt, 1935: 493  
    Leptinopterus vestitus Benesh, 1937: 111 Brazil
    Leptinopterus v-niger (Hope in Westwood, 1845: 15) (Lucanus) Brazil