Lycocerus hickeri, Pic, 1934

Xi, Huacong, Wang, Younan, Yang, Xingke, Liu, Haoyu & Yang, Yuxia, 2021, New species and taxonomic notes on Lycocerus hickeri species-group (Coleoptera Cantharidae), Zootaxa 4980 (3), pp. 541-557 : 556

Updated key to the species of Lycocerus hickeri species-group

1. Pro- and meso-outer tarsal claws each with a digitiform tooth at base in male...................................... 2

- All claws simple in male............................................................................... 4

2. Elytra more elongate, about 5.8 times as long as pronotum; aedeagus: dorsal plate of each paramere with inner margin arcuate.................................................................... L. longihirtus Y. Yang et X. Yang, 2014

- Elytra no more than 5.3 times as long as pronotum; aedeagus: dorsal plate of each paramere with inner margin bisinuate... 3

3. Pro- and meso-outer claws each with a tooth at base in female; aedeagus: ventral process of each paramere nearly straight in lateral view..................................................................... L. hickerimimus nom. nov.

- Pro- and meso-outer and inner claws each with a tooth at base in female; aedeagus: ventral process of each paramere bent dorsally in lateral view................................................................ L. parahickeri nom. nov.

4. Elytra tapered at apices................................................................................. 5

- Elytra rounded at apices................................................................................ 6

5. Eyes moderately protruding in male; pronotum with anterior margin moderately rounded; elytra darkened only at basal halves of first elytral interstices; aedeagus: ventral process of each paramere nearly straight in lateral view, dorsal plate with inner margin roundly emarginate at apical half................................................... L. rufipennis sp. nov.

- Eyes strongly protruding in male; pronotum with anterior margin strongly rounded; elytra darkened at all elytral interstices; aedeagus: ventral process of each paramere bent dorsally in lateral view, dorsal plate with inner margin nearly straight........................................................................................ L. acutiapicis sp. nov.

6. Antennae filiform or subfiliform, with middle antennomeres parallel-sided or feebly widened........................ 7

- Antennae with middle antennomeres dorso-ventrally flattened and obviously widened............................... 9

7. Pronotum with lateral margins slightly diverging posteriorly; elytra more elongate, about 4.0 times as long as humeral width................................................................... L. gracilicornis Y. Yang et X. Yang, 2014

- Pronotum with lateral margins moderately diverging posteriorly; elytra no more than 3.1 times as long as humeral width... 8

8. Pronotum nearly as long as wide; elytra with lateral margins nearly parallel, elytral venation weakly developed; aedeagus: dorsal plate of each paramere shorter than ventral process; female with accessory gland directly opening to spermatheca.................................................................................. L. nigrobilineatus Pic, 1916

- Pronotum wider than long; elytra with lateral margins diverging posteriorly, elytra venation strongly developed; aedeagus: dorsal plate of each paramere nearly as long as ventral process; female with basal portion of spermatheca extended into a short tube, where accessory gland opening.................................................... L. mainriensis sp. nov.

9. Elytra uniformly red, not darkened at elytral interstices........................................ L. hickeri Pic, 1934

- Elytra darkened at least at first and second elytral interstices.................................................. 10

10. Pronotum with a smaller black marking far from reaching margins; elytra darkened at first and second elytral interstices; aedeagus: dorsal plate of each paramere abruptly narrowed apically, outer apical angle protuberant and acute..................................................................................... L. napolovi Y. Yang et X. Yang, 2014

- Pronotum with a large black marking almost extending to margins; elytra darkened at all elytral interstices; aedeagus: dorsal plate of each paramere obliquely narrowed apically or nearly parallel-sided, outer apical angle feebly emarginate or rectangular................................................................................................ 11

11. Antennae extending to apical one-fourth length of elytra in male; pronotum hardly longer than wide; aedeagus: ventral process of each paramere nearly straight in lateral view; female with abdominal sternite VIII hardly emarginate in middle of posterior margin, spermatheca abruptly thinned apically............................. L. quadrilineatus Y. Yang et X. Yang, 2014

- Antennae almost reaching apices of elytra in male; pronotum longer, about 1.2 times as long as wide; aedeagus: ventral process of each paramere bent dorsally in lateral view; female with abdominal sternite VIII moderately deeply and roundly emarginate in middle of posterior margin, spermatheca gradually thinned apically........................ L. guangxiensis sp. nov.