Th e status of Platycerus cribripennis Van Dyke, generally treated as a synonym of P. marginalis Casey, has been unclear. Here we recognize and redescribe P. cribripennis, which is endemic to the coastal mountains of California, as a valid species due to its unique morphology. A key to the Platycerus of California is presented, and the distributions of the recognized species are discussed

Caterino, Michael S.

Paulsen, M. J.

English

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University of Nebraska - Lincoln
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Papers in Entomology Museum, University of Nebraska State
2009
The Platycerus (Coleoptera, Lucanidae) of
California, with the recognition of Platycerus
cribripennis Van Dyke as a valid species
M. J. Paulsen
University of Nebraska State Museum, mjpaulsen@unl.edu
Michael S. Caterino
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/entomologypapers
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Museum, University of Nebraska State at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska -
Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Papers in Entomology by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska -
Lincoln.
Paulsen, M. J. and Caterino, Michael S., "The Platycerus (Coleoptera, Lucanidae) of California, with the recognition of Platycerus
cribripennis Van Dyke as a valid species" (2009). Papers in Entomology. 159.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/entomologypapers/159
Th e Platycerus of California, with the recognition of Platycerus cribripennis as a valid species 89
The Platycerus (Coleoptera, Lucanidae) 
of California, with the recognition of 
Platycerus cribripennis Van Dyke 
as a valid species
M.J. Paulsen 1, Michael S. Caterino 2
1 University of Nebraska State Museum, United States 2 Dept. of Invertebrate Zoology, Santa Barbara Muse-
um of Natural History, United States
Corresponding author: M.J. Paulsen (mpaulsen@unlserve.unl.edu)
Academic editor: Brett Ratcliff e    |   Received 4 March 2008   |   Accepted 17 March 2009   |   Published 28 April 2009
Citation: Paulsen MJ, Caterino MS (2009) Th e Platycerus (Coleoptera, Lucanidae) of California, with the recognition 
of Platycerus cribripennis Van Dyke as a valid species. ZooKeys 8: 89-94. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.8.118
Abstract
Th e status of Platycerus cribripennis Van Dyke, generally treated as a synonym of P. marginalis Casey, has 
been unclear. Here we recognize and redescribe P. cribripennis, which is endemic to the coastal mountains 
of California, as a valid species due to its unique morphology. A key to the Platycerus of California is pre-
sented, and the distributions of the recognized species are discussed. 
Keywords
Systematics, Lucanidae, Platycerini, Platycerus cribripennis
Introduction
Th e North American Platycerini (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae) consists of four 
species in the Holarctic genus Platycerus Geoff roy (Maes 1992; Smith 2003). Benesh’s 
(1946) treatment of Platycerus is the most recent revision of the genus in North Amer-
ica, and of the genera Platyceroides Benesh and Platyceropsis Benesh of the tribe Platy-
ceroidini (Paulsen and Hawks 2008). 
Two species, Platycerus marginalis Casey and Platycerus oregonensis Westwood, have 
been reported from California (Benesh 1946; Evans and Hogue 2006). Th e recent re-
discovery of an unusual Platycerus in California prompted a reassessment of the species 
reported from the state. We take this opportunity to provide additional distributional 
information for the Platycerus species known from California.
ZooKeys 8: 89-94 (2009)
doi: 10.3897/zookeys.8.118
www.pensoftonline.net/zookeys
Copyright M.J. Paulsen, Michael S. Caterino. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Launched to accelerate biodiversity research
A peer-reviewed open-access journal
SHORT COMMUNICATION
M.J. Paulsen & Michael S. Caterino  /  ZooKeys 8: 89-94 (2009)90
Prior to Benesh’s revision of Platycerus, P. marginalis had been considered a western 
subspecies of the eastern and boreal P. depressus LeConte. Van Dyke (1928) described P. 
depressus cribripennis as an additional subspecies from three specimens from Monterey 
County, California. Van Dyke noted several diff erences, primarily in sculpturing, from 
other known forms of the species. He stated that its degree of diff erence nearly justi-
fi ed recognition as a separate species, but declined to take this action, citing variation 
exhibited by other lucanid species. 
Benesh (1946) raised P. marginalis to specifi c status and synonymized Van Dyke’s 
subspecies as an “apparent mutant”, without seeing Van Dyke’s type. Benesh suggested 
that this species “merely represented a common occurrence in Lucanidae, whereby the males 
take on characteristics of females.” Subsequently, Benesh (1960) presented P. cribripennis 
as a valid species in his catalog without further discussion. However, later authors (e.g., 
Maes 1992) have perpetuated the synonymy with P. marginalis, making the status of 
P. cribripennis unclear. Most recently, Smith (2003) listed P. cribripennis as a synonym 
of P. marginalis. 
Collections as part of the second author’s California Beetle Project produced a 
small series of Platycerus specimens from the mountains around Santa Barbara that 
correspond well with Van Dyke’s description of Platycerus depressus cribripennis. We 
have since examined other specimens of this alleged ‘mutant’, and believe it constitutes 
a valid species. Th e diff erences noted by Van Dyke, particularly the densely punctate, 
subrugose elytra with discal striae obliterated, in addition to other characters described 
below, hold with little variation among the few known populations of this species. 
We see evidence neither for Benesh’s view that these are aberrant P. marginalis, nor for 
his specifi c suggestion that males of P. cribripennis exhibit characteristics of females. 
In fact, males of P. cribripennis possess well-armed mandibles for the genus, with an 
additional exterior tooth present on each mandible near the base. Benesh examined 
supposed specimens of P. cribripennis from Yosemite and Oregon. Both localities lie 
outside the apparent distribution of P. cribripennis, indicating that the specimens ex-
amined by Benesh were not P. cribripennis.
Materials and methods
As part of the fi rst author’s revisionary studies of New World Lucanidae, specimens 
of P. cribripennis were examined from the following collections: California Academy 
of Sciences, San Francisco, CA (CASC); David C. Carlson Collection, Fair Oaks, CA 
(DCCC); Essig Museum of Entomology, Berkeley, CA (EMEC); Field Museum of 
Natural History, Chicago, IL (FMNH); Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, San-
ta Barbara, CA (SBMN). 
Th e Platycerus of California, with the recognition of Platycerus cribripennis as a valid species 91
Results and discussion
Key to the Platycerus species of California
1 Elytra entirely, irregularly punctate (discal rows of punctures indistinct), sur-
face between punctures raised (Fig. 3) .................. P. cribripennis Van Dyke 
– Elytra serially punctate, discal rows of punctures distinct, surface between 
punctures not raised ....................................................................................2
2 Elytra generally with blue or green refl ections, males with basal antennomere 
of club much shorter than distal antennomeres (Fig. 5) ................................
 .............................................................................P. oregonensis Westwood 
– Elytra dark piceous in color without blue/green refl ections, males with  basal 
antennomere of club nearly as long as distal antennomeres (Fig. 4) ...............
 ..................................................................................... P. marginalis Casey
Redescription of P. cribripennis Van Dyke
Platycerus cribripennis Van Dyke, 1928: 107; New Status.
Original combination: Platycerus depressus cribripennis Van Dyke, 1928: 107. Holo-
type male (CASC), labeled: a) “Tassajara. Cal. / Monterey Co. / V- 25 1920 / L. 
S. Slevin”; b) “on alder / log, chop’d / it up but / none in.”; c) blue paper, “L.S. 
Slevin / Collection”; d) bordered white label with red highlighted “Holotype” at 
left margin and “[male symbol] / Platycerus / depressus / cribripennis / Van Dyke”; 
e) “California Academy / of Sciences / Type / No. ”/ [handprinted] “2533”; f ) 
“Platycerus cribripennis / Van Dyke, 1928 / det. MJ Paulsen 2008. 
Description, male (n=7). Length: 12.7-14.7 mm. Width at humerus: 4.1-4.6 mm. 
Color: Black (Fig. 3). Head: Surface strongly alutaceous (microgranulate), irregularly 
punctate; puncture size variable from moderate to coarse; coarse punctures near eyes 
larger and more dense than in P. oregonensis or P. marginalis. Male majors with man-
dibles longer than head, upcurved, not evenly rounded externally; strong lateral tooth 
present on exterior near base; apex acute dorsally and ventrally blade-like with reduced 
dentition (multidentate in P. marginalis) and with dorsal subapical tooth small, obtuse. 
Male minors not seen. Antennal club with 4 tomentose antennomeres, basal anten-
nomere of club (7th antennomere) nearly as long as antennomeres 8-10. Antennomere 
6 also slightly produced internally. Pronotum: Surface strongly alutaceous, punctate; 
punctures irregularly spaced, moderate in size. Elytra: Surface alutaceous but more 
strongly shining than pronotum, densely punctate; punctures irregular (striae ob-
scured, only sutural stria weakly evident); surface around punctures appearing raised, 
M.J. Paulsen & Michael S. Caterino  /  ZooKeys 8: 89-94 (2009)92
subrugose. Male Genitalia: (Fig. 2). Basal part of median lobe rounded, distal portion 
produced into two lobes. Male internal sac permanently partially everted, unsclero-
tized; fl agellum present, sclerotized (not membranous). 
Description, female (n=1). Length: 13.6 mm. Width at humerus: 4.8 mm. Dif-
fers from male as follows: Head: Surface with punctation dense, punctures larger. 
Mandibles shorter than head, not upcurved, lacking external tooth, instead tridentate 
with acute apex, dorsal, and ventral teeth. Antennal club with 4 antennomeres, basal 
antennomere glabrous and much shorter than remaining antennomeres. Female Geni-
talia: not examined.
Figure 1. Known distribution of Platycerus cribripennis in California. 
Figure 2. Male genitalia of P. cribripennis, with sclerotized fl agellum on the everted internal sac. 
Figure 3. Dorsal habitus, P. cribripennis male. 
Figure 4. Dorsal habitus, P. marginalis male. 
Figure 5. Dorsal habitus, P. oregonensis male.
1
3 4 5
2
Th e Platycerus of California, with the recognition of Platycerus cribripennis as a valid species 93
Diagnosis. Th is species is distinguished from other Nearctic Platycerus by the fol-
lowing combination of characters: Th e black coloration and strongly alutaceous and/
or opaque dorsal surface is distinctive; the densely punctate elytra with obsolete discal 
striae and subrugose surface between punctures will immediately distinguish this spe-
cies. Th e oblique, external tooth at the base of the male mandibles is unique among 
Nearctic Platycerus. Additionally, the male mandibles have a blade-like apex, whereas 
the apex is multidentate in P. marginalis, P. depressus, and P. virescens (Fabricius) and 
simply dentate in P. oregonensis. Th e antennal club of male P. cribripennis has the basal 
club antennomere not reduced and nearly as long as the three distal antennomeres; in 
males of P. oregonensis and P. virescens the basal club antennomere is reduced. 
Distribution (Fig. 1). Platycerus cribripennis is known only from California’s coast-
al mountains. Benesh’s assertion that other specimens were present from Yosemite and 
Oregon is certainly an error based on his failure to examine Van Dyke’s type. 
Specimens examined (8). CALIFORNIA: KERN (1): Bear Trap Canyon, Tejon 
Ranch (DCCC). MONTEREY (3): Jolon (FMNH); Tassajara Road, 1 mi S of China 
Camp (CASC, EMEC). SAN LUIS OBISPO (1): Morro Bay (EMEC). SANTA BAR-
BARA (3): Cold Spring Canyon, Los Padres National Forest (SBMN, California Bee-
tle Project database numbers CBP0048052, CBP0049001, and CBP0049002). 
Remarks. Platycerus cribripennis is one of the most infrequently collected species of 
stag beetles in North America, being known from only a few specimens from fi ve locali-
ties. Th ere may be a need to examine the species’ geographically limited distribution in 
greater detail to ascertain whether or not it warrants conservation status. Th is is espe-
cially true where the known distribution intersects planned or on-going development. 
Annotated checklist of the Platycerini of California
LUCANIDAE
Lucaninae
Platycerini
Platycerus Geoff roy, 1762: 62. Holarctic.
Platycerus cribripennis Van Dyke, 1928: 107. 
Figs 1-3.
USA: CA: Kern, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara.
 
Platycerus marginalis Casey, 1897: 639. 
Fig. 4.
USA: CA: Alpine, Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Glenn, Inyo, Lassen, Mariposa, Mono, 
Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Shasta, Siskiyou. Also AZ, ID, NV, 
OR, UT, WA. Canada: BC.
M.J. Paulsen & Michael S. Caterino  /  ZooKeys 8: 89-94 (2009)94
Platycerus oregonensis Westwood, 1844: 106. 
Fig. 5.
USA: CA: Alameda, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Humboldt, Kern, Marin, Mariposa, 
Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Bar-
bara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Sonoma, Trinity, Tuolumne. Also OR; WA. 
Canada: BC. 
Acknowledgments 
We wish to thank Cheryl Barr (EMEC), David Carlson (DCCC), David Kavanaugh 
(CASC), and Al Newton (FMNH) for loaning the specimens of P. cribripennis and 
other Platycerus species examined in this study. Th is work was funded in part by Na-
tional Science Foundation grant DEB-0447694 to M. Caterino.
References 
Benesh B (1946) A systematic revision of the Holarctic genus Platycerus Geoff roy (Coleoptera: 
Lucanidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 63: 139-203.
Benesh B (1960) Coleopterorum Catalogus Supplementa, Pars 8: Lucanidea (sic). W. Junk, Berlin. 
178 pp. 
Evans AV, Hogue JN (2006) Field Guide to Beetles of California. California Natural History 
Guides. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 334 pp.
Maes J-M (1992) Lista de los Lucanidae (Coleoptera) del mundo. Revista Nicaraguense de 
Entomología 22: 1-121. 
Paulsen MJ, Hawks DC (2008) Platyceroidini, a new tribe of North American stag beetles 
(Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae). Insecta Mundi 0058: 1-2.
Smith ABT (2003) Checklist of the Scarabaeoidea of the Nearctic Realm. Version 3. http://
www.museum.unl.edu/research/entomology/Nearctic-scarabs3.pdf [accessed 21.II.2009]
Van Dyke EC (1928) Notes and descriptions of new species of Lucanidae and Cerambycidae 
(Coleoptera) from western North America. Pan-Pacifi c Entomologist 4: 105-113.


The \u3ci\u3ePlatycerus\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera, Lucanidae) of California, with the recognition of \u3ci\u3ePlatycerus cribripennis\u3c/i\u3e Van Dyke as a valid species

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - LincolnDigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - LincolnPapers in Entomology Museum, University of Nebraska State2009The Platycerus (Coleoptera, Lucanidae) ofCalifornia, with the recognition of Platyceruscribripennis Van Dyke as a valid speciesM. J. PaulsenUniversity of Nebraska State Museum, mjpaulsen@unl.eduMichael S. CaterinoSanta Barbara Museum of Natural HistoryFollow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/entomologypapersThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Museum, University of Nebraska State at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska -Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Papers in Entomology by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska -Lincoln.Paulsen, M. J. and Caterino, Michael S., "The Platycerus (Coleoptera, Lucanidae) of California, with the recognition of Platyceruscribripennis Van Dyke as a valid species" (2009). Papers in Entomology. 159.https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/entomologypapers/159Th e Platycerus of California, with the recognition of Platycerus cribripennis as a valid species 89The Platycerus (Coleoptera, Lucanidae) of California, with the recognition of Platycerus cribripennis Van Dyke as a valid speciesM.J. Paulsen 1, Michael S. Caterino 21 University of Nebraska State Museum, United States 2 Dept. of Invertebrate Zoology, Santa Barbara Muse-um of Natural History, United StatesCorresponding author: M.J. Paulsen (mpaulsen@unlserve.unl.edu)Academic editor: Brett Ratcliff e    |   Received 4 March 2008   |   Accepted 17 March 2009   |   Published 28 April 2009Citation: Paulsen MJ, Caterino MS (2009) Th e Platycerus (Coleoptera, Lucanidae) of California, with the recognition of Platycerus cribripennis Van Dyke as a valid species. ZooKeys 8: 89-94. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.8.118AbstractTh e status of Platycerus cribripennis Van Dyke, generally treated as a synonym of P. marginalis Casey, has been unclear. Here we recognize and redescribe P. cribripennis, which is endemic to the coastal mountains of California, as a valid species due to its unique morphology. A key to the Platycerus of California is pre-sented, and the distributions of the recognized species are discussed. KeywordsSystematics, Lucanidae, Platycerini, Platycerus cribripennisIntroductionTh e North American Platycerini (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae) consists of four species in the Holarctic genus Platycerus Geoff roy (Maes 1992; Smith 2003). Benesh’s (1946) treatment of Platycerus is the most recent revision of the genus in North Amer-ica, and of the genera Platyceroides Benesh and Platyceropsis Benesh of the tribe Platy-ceroidini (Paulsen and Hawks 2008). Two species, Platycerus marginalis Casey and Platycerus oregonensis Westwood, have been reported from California (Benesh 1946; Evans and Hogue 2006). Th e recent re-discovery of an unusual Platycerus in California prompted a reassessment of the species reported from the state. We take this opportunity to provide additional distributional information for the Platycerus species known from California.ZooKeys 8: 89-94 (2009)doi: 10.3897/zookeys.8.118www.pensoftonline.net/zookeysCopyright M.J. Paulsen, Michael S. Caterino. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Launched to accelerate biodiversity researchA peer-reviewed open-access journalSHORT COMMUNICATIONM.J. Paulsen & Michael S. Caterino  /  ZooKeys 8: 89-94 (2009)90Prior to Benesh’s revision of Platycerus, P. marginalis had been considered a western subspecies of the eastern and boreal P. depressus LeConte. Van Dyke (1928) described P. depressus cribripennis as an additional subspecies from three specimens from Monterey County, California. Van Dyke noted several diff erences, primarily in sculpturing, from other known forms of the species. He stated that its degree of diff erence nearly justi-fi ed recognition as a separate species, but declined to take this action, citing variation exhibited by other lucanid species. Benesh (1946) raised P. marginalis to specifi c status and synonymized Van Dyke’s subspecies as an “apparent mutant”, without seeing Van Dyke’s type. Benesh suggested that this species “merely represented a common occurrence in Lucanidae, whereby the males take on characteristics of females.” Subsequently, Benesh (1960) presented P. cribripennis as a valid species in his catalog without further discussion. However, later authors (e.g., Maes 1992) have perpetuated the synonymy with P. marginalis, making the status of P. cribripennis unclear. Most recently, Smith (2003) listed P. cribripennis as a synonym of P. marginalis. Collections as part of the second author’s California Beetle Project produced a small series of Platycerus specimens from the mountains around Santa Barbara that correspond well with Van Dyke’s description of Platycerus depressus cribripennis. We have since examined other specimens of this alleged ‘mutant’, and believe it constitutes a valid species. Th e diff erences noted by Van Dyke, particularly the densely punctate, subrugose elytra with discal striae obliterated, in addition to other characters described below, hold with little variation among the few known populations of this species. We see evidence neither for Benesh’s view that these are aberrant P. marginalis, nor for his specifi c suggestion that males of P. cribripennis exhibit characteristics of females. In fact, males of P. cribripennis possess well-armed mandibles for the genus, with an additional exterior tooth present on each mandible near the base. Benesh examined supposed specimens of P. cribripennis from Yosemite and Oregon. Both localities lie outside the apparent distribution of P. cribripennis, indicating that the specimens ex-amined by Benesh were not P. cribripennis.Materials and methodsAs part of the fi rst author’s revisionary studies of New World Lucanidae, specimens of P. cribripennis were examined from the following collections: California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA (CASC); David C. Carlson Collection, Fair Oaks, CA (DCCC); Essig Museum of Entomology, Berkeley, CA (EMEC); Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL (FMNH); Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, San-ta Barbara, CA (SBMN). Th e Platycerus of California, with the recognition of Platycerus cribripennis as a valid species 91Results and discussionKey to the Platycerus species of California1 Elytra entirely, irregularly punctate (discal rows of punctures indistinct), sur-face between punctures raised (Fig. 3) .................. P. cribripennis Van Dyke – Elytra serially punctate, discal rows of punctures distinct, surface between punctures not raised ....................................................................................22 Elytra generally with blue or green refl ections, males with basal antennomere of club much shorter than distal antennomeres (Fig. 5) ................................ .............................................................................P. oregonensis Westwood – Elytra dark piceous in color without blue/green refl ections, males with  basal antennomere of club nearly as long as distal antennomeres (Fig. 4) ............... ..................................................................................... P. marginalis CaseyRedescription of P. cribripennis Van DykePlatycerus cribripennis Van Dyke, 1928: 107; New Status.Original combination: Platycerus depressus cribripennis Van Dyke, 1928: 107. Holo-type male (CASC), labeled: a) “Tassajara. Cal. / Monterey Co. / V- 25 1920 / L. S. Slevin”; b) “on alder / log, chop’d / it up but / none in.”; c) blue paper, “L.S. Slevin / Collection”; d) bordered white label with red highlighted “Holotype” at left margin and “[male symbol] / Platycerus / depressus / cribripennis / Van Dyke”; e) “California Academy / of Sciences / Type / No. ”/ [handprinted] “2533”; f ) “Platycerus cribripennis / Van Dyke, 1928 / det. MJ Paulsen 2008. Description, male (n=7). Length: 12.7-14.7 mm. Width at humerus: 4.1-4.6 mm. Color: Black (Fig. 3). Head: Surface strongly alutaceous (microgranulate), irregularly punctate; puncture size variable from moderate to coarse; coarse punctures near eyes larger and more dense than in P. oregonensis or P. marginalis. Male majors with man-dibles longer than head, upcurved, not evenly rounded externally; strong lateral tooth present on exterior near base; apex acute dorsally and ventrally blade-like with reduced dentition (multidentate in P. marginalis) and with dorsal subapical tooth small, obtuse. Male minors not seen. Antennal club with 4 tomentose antennomeres, basal anten-nomere of club (7th antennomere) nearly as long as antennomeres 8-10. Antennomere 6 also slightly produced internally. Pronotum: Surface strongly alutaceous, punctate; punctures irregularly spaced, moderate in size. Elytra: Surface alutaceous but more strongly shining than pronotum, densely punctate; punctures irregular (striae ob-scured, only sutural stria weakly evident); surface around punctures appearing raised, M.J. Paulsen & Michael S. Caterino  /  ZooKeys 8: 89-94 (2009)92subrugose. Male Genitalia: (Fig. 2). Basal part of median lobe rounded, distal portion produced into two lobes. Male internal sac permanently partially everted, unsclero-tized; fl agellum present, sclerotized (not membranous). Description, female (n=1). Length: 13.6 mm. Width at humerus: 4.8 mm. Dif-fers from male as follows: Head: Surface with punctation dense, punctures larger. Mandibles shorter than head, not upcurved, lacking external tooth, instead tridentate with acute apex, dorsal, and ventral teeth. Antennal club with 4 antennomeres, basal antennomere glabrous and much shorter than remaining antennomeres. Female Geni-talia: not examined.Figure 1. Known distribution of Platycerus cribripennis in California. Figure 2. Male genitalia of P. cribripennis, with sclerotized fl agellum on the everted internal sac. Figure 3. Dorsal habitus, P. cribripennis male. Figure 4. Dorsal habitus, P. marginalis male. Figure 5. Dorsal habitus, P. oregonensis male.13 4 52Th e Platycerus of California, with the recognition of Platycerus cribripennis as a valid species 93Diagnosis. Th is species is distinguished from other Nearctic Platycerus by the fol-lowing combination of characters: Th e black coloration and strongly alutaceous and/or opaque dorsal surface is distinctive; the densely punctate elytra with obsolete discal striae and subrugose surface between punctures will immediately distinguish this spe-cies. Th e oblique, external tooth at the base of the male mandibles is unique among Nearctic Platycerus. Additionally, the male mandibles have a blade-like apex, whereas the apex is multidentate in P. marginalis, P. depressus, and P. virescens (Fabricius) and simply dentate in P. oregonensis. Th e antennal club of male P. cribripennis has the basal club antennomere not reduced and nearly as long as the three distal antennomeres; in males of P. oregonensis and P. virescens the basal club antennomere is reduced. Distribution (Fig. 1). Platycerus cribripennis is known only from California’s coast-al mountains. Benesh’s assertion that other specimens were present from Yosemite and Oregon is certainly an error based on his failure to examine Van Dyke’s type. Specimens examined (8). CALIFORNIA: KERN (1): Bear Trap Canyon, Tejon Ranch (DCCC). MONTEREY (3): Jolon (FMNH); Tassajara Road, 1 mi S of China Camp (CASC, EMEC). SAN LUIS OBISPO (1): Morro Bay (EMEC). SANTA BAR-BARA (3): Cold Spring Canyon, Los Padres National Forest (SBMN, California Bee-tle Project database numbers CBP0048052, CBP0049001, and CBP0049002). Remarks. Platycerus cribripennis is one of the most infrequently collected species of stag beetles in North America, being known from only a few specimens from fi ve locali-ties. Th ere may be a need to examine the species’ geographically limited distribution in greater detail to ascertain whether or not it warrants conservation status. Th is is espe-cially true where the known distribution intersects planned or on-going development. Annotated checklist of the Platycerini of CaliforniaLUCANIDAELucaninaePlatyceriniPlatycerus Geoff roy, 1762: 62. Holarctic.Platycerus cribripennis Van Dyke, 1928: 107. Figs 1-3.USA: CA: Kern, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara. Platycerus marginalis Casey, 1897: 639. Fig. 4.USA: CA: Alpine, Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Glenn, Inyo, Lassen, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Shasta, Siskiyou. Also AZ, ID, NV, OR, UT, WA. Canada: BC.M.J. Paulsen & Michael S. Caterino  /  ZooKeys 8: 89-94 (2009)94Platycerus oregonensis Westwood, 1844: 106. Fig. 5.USA: CA: Alameda, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Humboldt, Kern, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Bar-bara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Sonoma, Trinity, Tuolumne. Also OR; WA. Canada: BC. Acknowledgments We wish to thank Cheryl Barr (EMEC), David Carlson (DCCC), David Kavanaugh (CASC), and Al Newton (FMNH) for loaning the specimens of P. cribripennis and other Platycerus species examined in this study. Th is work was funded in part by Na-tional Science Foundation grant DEB-0447694 to M. Caterino.References Benesh B (1946) A systematic revision of the Holarctic genus Platycerus Geoff roy (Coleoptera: Lucanidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 63: 139-203.Benesh B (1960) Coleopterorum Catalogus Supplementa, Pars 8: Lucanidea (sic). W. Junk, Berlin. 178 pp. Evans AV, Hogue JN (2006) Field Guide to Beetles of California. California Natural History Guides. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 334 pp.Maes J-M (1992) Lista de los Lucanidae (Coleoptera) del mundo. Revista Nicaraguense de Entomología 22: 1-121. Paulsen MJ, Hawks DC (2008) Platyceroidini, a new tribe of North American stag beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae). Insecta Mundi 0058: 1-2.Smith ABT (2003) Checklist of the Scarabaeoidea of the Nearctic Realm. Version 3. http://www.museum.unl.edu/research/entomology/Nearctic-scarabs3.pdf [accessed 21.II.2009]Van Dyke EC (1928) Notes and descriptions of new species of Lucanidae and Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) from western North America. Pan-Pacifi c Entomologist 4: 105-113.

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The \u3ci\u3ePlatycerus\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera, Lucanidae) of California, with the recognition of \u3ci\u3ePlatycerus cribripennis\u3c/i\u3e Van Dyke as a valid species

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