Platyceroides (Platyceroides) opacus (Fall)

Paulsen, M. J., 2017, Correction of existing generic and species concepts in Platyceroidini (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae) and the description of four new species of Platyceroides Benesh, Zootaxa 4269 (3), pp. 346-378 : 366

Platyceroides (Platyceroides) opacus (Fall)

Platycerus opacus Fall, 1906: 393 , original combination.

Type series. Lectotype male of P. opacus (MCZ), here designated, labeled: a) handwritten “Tulare / Co. Cal.”; b) handwritten “Cedar / Creek / VI-12-05 ”; c) “TYPE / [ opacus ]”; d) on red paper, “M.C.Z. / Type / 24741”; e) “H.C. Fall / Collection”; f) “Aug-Dec. 2005 / MCZ Image / Database”; g) “ Platyceroides opacus / ( Fall, 1906) / det. M.J. Paulsen 2013”. Paralectotype female (MCZ) labeled: a) handwritten “Tulare / Co. Cal.”; b) handwritten “Cedar / Creek / VI-12-05 ”; c) “H.C. Fall / Collection”; d) red bordered, handwritten “ Platycerus / opacus / Fall”; e) “[ Platyceroides / opacus / (Fall)]” / Det. / N.E. Woodley 1983”. Paralectotype male (MCZ) labeled: a) handwritten “Tulare / Co. Cal.”; b) handwritten “So. Fork / Kaweah R. / Jan 28-30. / 1905.”; c) “H.C. Fall / Collection”. Paralectotype female ( CASC) labeled: a) handwritten “So. Fork / Kaweah / New Trail / Jan 28-30. / 1905.”; b) “ Tulare Co. / Calif 4500 ft / Hopping ”; c) “COTYPE”; d) half red, half white label with black line; e) “ R. Hopping / Collection ”. One male, one female paralectotypes ( CASC) labeled: a) handwritten “Cedar Cr. / June 12-05 ”; b) “ Cedar Creek / Tulare Co. ”; c) “ Calif 4500 ft / Hopping ”; d) “COTYPE”; e) half red, half white label with black line; f) “ R. Hopping / Collection ”. Male paralectotype ( CASC) labeled: a) handwritten “Cedar Cr. / June 12 / 1905 ”; b) “ Cedar Creek / Tulare Co. ”; c) “Calif 4500 ft / Hopping ”; d) “COTYPE”; e) handwritten “ Platycerus / opacus / Fall ”; f) half red, half white label with black line; g) “ R. Hopping / Collection ”; h) black-bordered handwritten “ Platycerus / opacus / 14054 Fall ”; i) black-bordered handwritten “H-936 / Platycerus / opacus / Fall ”. All paralectotypes labeled, on yellow paper: “ Platycerus / opacus Fall / PARALECTOTYPE ”.

Fall (1906) described the species from four males and three females collected by Hopping from two localities in Sequoia National Park, Tulare County, California. Fall (1906) lists the first locality incorrectly as “ Clear Creek ”, but all labels indicate “ Cedar Creek ”, which is located at 36.355055°, -118.733025° ( Dennis Haines , curator Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner Collection , personal communication). The second locality is the South Fork of the Kaweah River . Nine specimens examined have the distinctive black pins with minute heads found in the type series. Eight are labeled in such a way that they could belong in the type series, which should only number seven specimens. The extra specimen is most likely a female from the second locality ( CASC) that has different labels and I am not considering it to be part of the original type series.

Distribution ( Fig. 28 ). CALIFORNIA: FRESNO: Kings Canyon National Park [Paradise Valley]. TULARE: Camp Nelson; Sequoia National Park [Cedar Creek, Potwisha, South Fork Kaweah, Marble Fork].

Remarks. See Paulsen 2015. Flagellum of male genitalia ( Fig. 12 D) provided for comparison.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Platyceroides opacus species group. 12 A – C, Platyceroides barrae new species; 12 A, holotype male; 12 B, allotype female; 12 C, flagellum of male genitalia, arrow indicates acute apical process. 12 D – F, flagellum of male genitalia for comparison: 12 D, P. opacus; 12 E, P. potax; 12 F, P. marshalli.

FIGURES 27 – 28. Distribution of Platyceroides species. 27, Platyceroides californicus species group: P. aeneus (orange triangles); P. umpquus (blue circles); P. californicus (orange squares); P. thoracicus (blue triangles). 28, Platyceroides opacus species group: P. marshalli (blue squares); P. potax (orange squares); P. barrae (blue circles); P. opacus (orange circles).