Limonius consimilis

Etzler, Frank E., 2018, A New Species of Limonius Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae) from Montana, with a Correction of the Application of Limonius consimilis Walker, 1866, The Coleopterists Bulletin 72 (4), pp. 861-865 : 865

KEY TO SPECIES OF THE LIMONIUS CONSIMILIS SPECIES- GROUP

1. Carina on pronotal hind angle not raised into a keel-like structure ................................. 2

1 ʹ. Carina on pronotal hind angle strong, raised into a keel-like structure ( Fig. 1 ) ............. 3

2. Pronotal punctures subumbilicate, large, often nearly touching, giving surface rough appearance; frontal carina truncate anteriorly in dorsal view (similar to Fig. 1 , but less sinuate medially); male genitalia with parameres broad and slightly sinuate laterally ( Fig. 4 ); known from Idaho and Oregon ................. ............................. Limonius jonesi Lane

2 ʹ. Pronotal punctures simple to subumbilicate, moderate size, separated by half to 1 puncture diameter, so interspaces are noticeable and smooth on disc; frontal carina broadly rounded anteriorly in dorsal view (as in Fig. 2 ); male genitalia with parameres broad and subparallel laterally ( Fig. 3 ); known from California ..... .......................... Limonius pappi Becker

3. Frontal carina sinuate in dorsal view ( Fig. 1 ); elytra dark brown to brown, slightly contrasting with pronotum; male genitalia with parameres broad and subparallel laterally ( Fig. 5 ); known from Petroleum Co., Montana ......... Limonius seibertae Etzler , new species

3 ʹ. Frontal carina broadly rounded anteriorly in dorsal view; elytra usually black to piceous, not contrasting with pronotum; male genitalia with parameres broad and gradually narrowing towards broad apex (see Fig. 6 ) .............. 4

4. Lateral margins of pronotum arcuate, distinctly narrowing anteriorly; pronotal punctation simple and separated by more than q puncture diameter; occurring in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ........ Limonius beutenmuelleri Van Dyke

4 ʹ. Lateral margins of pronotum subparallel to arcuate, not distinctly narrowing anteriorly; pronotal punctation subumbilicate and separated by less than 1 puncture diameter to nearly touching laterally; occurring widely in the Pacific Northwest region of North America .......... Limonius consimilis Walker

Figures

Figs. 1–2. Limonius species, dorsal habitus. 1) L. seibertae, holotype. White arrow points to carina of pronotal hind angle. Inset: Sinuate frontal carina, dorsal view; 2) L. consimilis, Chelan Co., Washington. Inset: Broadly rounded frontal carina, dorsal view. Scale bars = 5 mm.

Figs. 3–6. Aedeagi of western species in the Limonius consimilis species-group, ventral view. 3) L. pappi, redrawn from fig. 1 in Becker (1976); 4) L. jonesi, redrawn from fig. 2 in Becker (1976); 5) L. seibertae, holotype; 6) L. consimilis, Flathead Co., Montana. Scale bar = 0.5 mm, all at same scale.