Epitrichius lagopus (Fairmaire)

Trichius lagopus Fairemaire, 1897: 166 (Type locality: Amami-shima island, Japan. Type in NMNH); Schenkling 1922: 32 (catalog); Miwa & Chûjô 1939: 30 (catalog); Krikken 1972: 492 (key, diagnosis, lectotype designated). Trichius ferriei Pouillaude, 1913: 125; Krikken 1972: 488 (comment and placed in synonym) Epitrichius lagopus, Ishida & Fujioka 1988: 59 (catalog, generic combination); Fujioka 2001: 127 (catalog); Smetana 2006: 308 (catalog)

Specimens examined. JAPAN. Amami-Oshima: Hatsuno, 9-10-VII-1962, N. Obayashi (2 females, CCLI); ibid, 27-VI-1961 (1 male, CCLI); Naze, 6-VII-2002 (1 male, 1 female, CCLI).

Distribution. Amami-Oshima Island, southwestern Japan (Fig. 19).

Remarks. Epitrichius lagopus is a peculiar species within the genus with its distribution only on a small and remote island, Amami-Oshima, some 300 km southwest of Kyushu (Japan’s southernmost main island). Morphologically, this species is similar to E. versutus with the setiferous surface of the head and pronotum as well the distinctly smaller size of the major hook on the internal sac. The triple transverse markings on each elytron are the most obvious characters that separate E. lagopus from all other species in the genus.