Lycus trabeatus

Lycus trabeatus
	In eastern South Africa
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Family:	Lycidae
Genus:	Lycus
Species:	L. trabeatus
Binomial name
	Lycus trabeatus; Guérin-Méneville, 1835
Synonyms
	Chlamydolycus trabeatus;

Lycus trabeatus, the tailed net-winged beetle, is a species of beetle in the family Lycidae, which is native to the eastern, southern Afrotropics and Arabian Peninsula. They are diurnal, aposematic insects. Adults feed on various flowers and their nectar,^{[citation needed]} while larvae live under tree bark, in dead wood, or in detritus where they may live on fungi.^[2]

Range and habitat

It is known to occur in Eritrea, Ethiopia, the DRC, Tanzania, Namibia, Oman and South Africa.^{[citation needed]} It inhabits subtropical forests, savannahs and grasslands.^[2]

Description

Lycus trabeatus reaches a length of about 22–31 millimetres (0.87–1.22 in).^{[citation needed]} The pronotum has a black center and orange edges. The elytra are black at their bases, on the apical lobes, and sometimes along the dilated edges. Elytra are variable in shape, from widely expanded with a constriction towards the apical lobe, to intermediate or slender. The black antennae are mildly serrate. Femora are orange and the lower legs are black.^{[citation needed]}

Subspecies

There are two subspecies:^{[citation needed]}

Lycus trabeatus trabeatus

Range: eastern and southern Afrotropics

Description: Female's total length about 22 mm, pronotum 4 mm x 4 mm, elytron 18 mm long, dilated laterally, narrowing towards apical lobe.

Lycus trabeatus matojoi

Range: southern highlands of Tanzania

Description: Female's total length about 18 mm, pronotum 3 mm x 3 mm, elytron 15 x 4 mm.

Gallery

specimen from Namibia
specimen from Eritrea
lateral view
ventral aspect

References

^ "Lycus trabeatus". BioLib.cz. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
^ ^a ^b Picker, Mike; Griffiths, Charles; Weaving, Alan (2004). Field Guide to Insects of South Africa (new updated ed.). Cape Town: Struik Publishers. pp. 218–221. ISBN 978-1-77007-061-5.

External links

Insecta

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[1] "Lycus trabeatus". BioLib.cz. Retrieved 26 January 2012.

[picker-2] Picker, Mike; Griffiths, Charles; Weaving, Alan (2004). Field Guide to Insects of South Africa (new updated ed.). Cape Town: Struik Publishers. pp. 218–221. ISBN 978-1-77007-061-5.

[1]

[2]