Platydracus chrysotrichopterus (Scheerpeltz)

Aballay, Fernando H., Chani-Posse, Mariana R., Ayón, María Rosana, Maldonado, María Belén & Centeno, Néstor D., 2014, An illustrated key to and diagnoses of the species of Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) associated with decaying carcasses in Argentina, Zootaxa 3860 (2), pp. 101-124 : 113-114

Platydracus chrysotrichopterus (Scheerpeltz)

( Figs. 8 , 40 )

Diagnosis (based on Navarrete-Heredia et al. 2002). Platydracus chrysotrichopterus can be recognized among other South American species of Platydracus by its head, pronotum and elytra of metallic color (usually head and pronotum metallic green to blue and elytra metallic red) and the glossy black abdomen. Length 14.0–19.0 mm.

Distribution. Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay ( Herman 2001; Newton, unpublished database).

Bionomics. Species belonging to Platydracus have been found mainly in dung, carrion, rotting fungi and leaf litter in both temperate and tropical forests ( Navarrete-Heredia et al. 2002). Species of this genus have been reported as the most abundant amphibious predators of dipterous larvae associated with Heliconia bourgaeana Petersen ( Zingiberales : Heliconiaceae ) flower bracts and also found in fallen decaying mango fruits ( Frank & Morón 2012).

Figures

FIGURE 1 – 12. Habitus: 1, Atheta sp.; 2, Aleochara bonariensis Lynch; 3, A. puberula Klug; 4, A. signaticollis Fairmaire; 5, Anotylus Thomson; 6, Eulissus chalybaeus Mannerheim; 7, Neohypnus sp.; 8, Platydracus chrysotrichopterus Scheerpeltz; 9, Platydracus scabrosus (Curtis); 10; Creophilus maxillosus (Linnaeus); 11. Creophilus variegatus Mannerheim; 12, Belonuchus rufipennis (Fabricius).

FIGURE 33 – 41. Prosternum: 33, Eulissus chalybaeus; 34, Creophilus maxillosus; 35, Anotylus sp; 40, Platydracus chrysotrichopterus, 41, Creophilus maxillosus. Pronotal hypomeron: 36, Philonthus longicornis; 37, Oligotergus ogloblini. Ligula: 38, Creophilus maxillosus; 39, Xenopygus analis. Abbreviations: Lg, ligula; IL, inferior line; Pp, plate of pronotum; SL, superior line.