Beetles (Coleoptera) of Peru: A Survey of the Families. Lycidae Laporte, 1836

Abstract

Diversity in Peru: 1 subfamily, 6 tribes, 23 genera, and 126 species. Recognition: Lycidae, or net-winged beetles, have adults mostly about 4–28 mm long and often brightly colored (Bocak and Bocakova, 2008). Their aposematic colors, tendency to aggregate, and spontaneous bleeding are attributed to their chemical defenses; some may be involved in mimicry complexes. The six tribes of Peruvian lycids have mostly yellow and dark brown coloration. One of the most frequent of the various color patterns is the cross pattern (elongate dark brown cross on yellow to red background), or yellow coloration forming transverse or longitudinal stripes. The Lycidae are soft-bodied as they have thin, weakly sclerotized cuticle. The adult body is dorsoventrally flattened and head sometimes elongate forming a rostrum in floricolous taxa. The pronotum often bears costae forming areolae and the flexible elytra are reinforced by longitudinal costae and distinct reticulate cells— thus, their common name as net-winged beetles. Among related soft-bodied elateroid beetles, the Lycidae can be distinguished by elongate trochanters with femoral articulation distally, while the trochanters of Lampyridae and Cantharidae are small with femoral articulation oblique. Other morphological features (Bocak and Bocakova, 1990; Bocakova, 2003) of lycid adults are: head prognathous to hypognathous, partly covered by pronotum, antennae 11-segmented, filiform to flabellate, mandibles arcuate, pronotum oblong to trapezoidal, scutellum rectangular, slightly emarginate distally. The elytra are mostly parallel, sometimes widened posteriorly (Calopteron), each elytron with 3–9 longitudinal costae, legs compressed, trochanters elongate to triangular, tarsal segments 3–4 lobed, abdomen with 7 (males) and 8 (females) visible sterna, male genitalia mostly trilobate, parameres shortened (as long as K–2/3 of phallus in Calopterini, Neolycus), or absent (Plateros), female genitalia with coxites mostly separate, paraproctal baculi mostly rod-like, sometimes widened and fused basally, styli setose. Lycid larvae are flattened, with the middle part of abdomen sometimes widened (Lycini). Their body is weakly sclerotized, similar to the adults; the head is prognathous, partly retracted into pronotum, and sometimes elongate (Lycini). Stemmata are absent or reduced to one stemma on each side of the head. The antenna is 2-segmented (while 3-segmented in larvae of Lampyridae), mandibles falciform, entire mandible cleft longitudinally; sometimes with paired urogomphi (Bocak and Matsuda, 2003).