Lucanidae (Insecta: Coleoptera)

Abstract

The morphology of New Zealand’s stag beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera: Lucanidae) is discussed and illustrated. New information is presented about the structure of the labium and profemoral setiferous patches in the family. All the genera and previously known species are redescribed and morphological structures including male and female genitalia are illustrated for the endemic species and, when appropriate, for the exotic species. The composition and relationships of the New Zealand lucanid fauna are discussed, and the known distribution and altitudinal ranges of the species are summarised and mapped. Habitats and the food of adults and larvae are discussed in general terms and in detail under each species. Keys for the identification of subfamilies, genera, and species of lucanids found in New Zealand are provided. Thirtyfive endemic and 4 foreign species are recognised. They belong in 9 previously described genera representing 4 subfamilies: AESALINAE – Holloceratognathus Nikolaev, 1998 (3 species), Mitophyllus Parry, 1843 (14 species); LAMPRIMINAE – Dendroblax White, 1846 (1 species), Lamprima Latreille, 1807 (1 species); LUCANINAE – Geodorcus Holloway, 1996 (10 species), Paralissotes Holloway, 1996 (7 species), Ryssonotus MacLeay, 1819 (1 species), Serrognathus Motschulsky, 1861 (1 species); SYNDESINAE – Syndesus MacLeay, 1819 (1 species). Seven new endemic species are described, 2 species are reinstated, and 1 species becomes a transferred synonym: AESALINAE: Mitophyllus angusticeps Broun, 1895, reinstated species, M. arcuatus new species, M. falcatus new species, M. fusculus (Broun, 1886) reinstated species, new combination, M. mandibularis Broun, 1917, transferred synonym of M. angusticeps Broun, 1895, M. solox new species; LUCANINAE Geodorcus alsobius new species, G. montivagus new species, G. servandus new species, G. sororum new species. The 4 foreign species are: LAMPRIMINAE – Lamprima aurata Latreille, 1817 (from Australia, probably not established); LUCANINAE Ryssonotus nebulosus (Kirby, 1818) (from Australia, established), Serrognathus sika (Kriesche, 1921) (from Taiwan, unlikely to be established), Syndesus cornutus (Fabricius, 1801) (from Australia, established). The following 3 species are deleted from the New Zealand fauna: LUCANINAE: Figulus modestus Parry, 1863 (= F. fissicollis Fairmaire, 1849, from the Pacific, incorrectly labelled), Figulus monilifer (= F. sublaevis (Palisot de Beauvois, 1805), from Africa, incorrectly labelled), Lissotes desmaresti Deyrolle, 1881 (from Tasmania, incorrectly labelled; Holloway (1961) incorrectly treated L. desmaresti as a synonym of Dorcus (= Geodorcus ) capito ). There is special concern for the survival of some of the large bodied, flightless species of Geodorcus that have been found only on islands or isolated mountain tops. These beetles should have the same status as flightless birds in the New Zealand biota and be given the equivalent protection from habitat destruction, rodent predation and unauthorised collectors. Checklist of taxa All the genera and species in this list are endemic to New Zealand, apart from the 4 foreign genera and their species, marked with an asterisk (*). Family LUCANIDAE Latreille, 1804 Subfamily AESALINAE MacLeay, 1819 Genus Holloceratognathus Nikolaev, 1998 Neoceratognathus Nikolaev, 1998 cylindricus (Broun, 1895) helotoides (Thomson, 1862) areolatum (Westwood, 1865) passaliformis (Holloway, 1962) Genus Mitophyllus Parry, 1843 Ptilophyllum Guerin-Meneville, 1845 alboguttatus (Bates, 1867) cristatellus Broun, 1917 sexpustulatus (Bates), Gemminger & Harold 1868, nomen nudum angusticeps Broun, 1895, reinstated species mandibularis 1917, transferred synonymy arcuatus new species dispar (Sharp, 1882) comognathus Broun, 1903 falcatus new species foveolatus (Broun, 1880) fusculus (Broun, 1886), reinstated species, new combination gibbosus (Broun, 1885) tuberculatus Broun, 1893 insignis Broun, 1923 irroratus Parry, 1843 curvidens Broun, 1904 godeyi (Guerin-Meneville, 1845) macrocerus (Broun, 1886) parrianus Westwood, 1863 marmoratus Waterhouse, 1874 zealandicus (Broun, 1877) reflexus Broun, 1909 solox new species Subfamily LAMPRIMINAE MacLeay, 1819 Genus Dendroblax White, 1846 earlii White, 1846 acutangulus Arrow, 1935 Genus Lamprima * Latreille, 1807 aurata * Latreille, 1817. Not known to be established in New Zealand Subfamily SYNDESINAE MacLeay, 1819 Genus Syndesus * MacLeay, 1819 cornutus * (Fabricius, 1801) Subfamily LUCANINAE Latreille, 1804 Genus Geodorcus Holloway, 1996 alsobius new species auriculatus (Broun, 1903) capito (Deyrolle, 1873) dispar (Broun, 1910) helmsi (Sharp, 1881) acmenus (Lewis, 1902) aemulus (Broun, 1893) ithaginis (Broun, 1893) montivagus new species novaezealandiae (Hope, 1845) abditus (Broun, 1881) caviceps (Westwood, 1855) punctulatus (White, 1846) philpotti (Broun, 1914) servandus new species sororum new species Genus Paralissotes Holloway, 1996 mangonuiensis (Brookes, 1927) oconnori (Holloway, 1961) planus (Broun, 1880) reticulatus (Westwood, 1844) cicatricosis (Burmeister, 1847) squamidorsis (White, 1846) zelandicus (Blanchard, 1847) rufipes (Sharp, 1886) elegans (Broun, 1893) stewarti (Broun, 1881) triregius (Holloway, 1963) Genus Ryssonotus * MacLeay, 1819 nebulosus * (Kirby, 1818) Genus Serrognathus * Motschulsky, 1861 sika * (Kriesche, 1921). Not known to be established in New Zealand SPECIES DELETED FROM THE NEW ZEALAND LUCANIDAE Figulus modestus Parry, 1862 (= F. fissicollis Fairmaire, 1849 from the Pacific) and F. monilifer Parry, 1862 (= F. sublaevis (Palinot de Beauvois, 1805) from Africa) apparently labelled from New Zealand in error, see page 14. Lissotes desmaresti Deyrolle, 1881. Labelled in error from New Zealand, treated as a synonym of Dorcus capito Deyrolle, 1873 by Holloway (1961), now recognised as a Tasmanian species (Moore & Cassis 1992).