Eulichas Jacobson 1913
Creators: name: Hájek, Ji Ř Í
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2007
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Eulichadidae
Eulichas

description: Eulichas Jacobson, 1913
(Figs. 1 –74)
Lichas Westwood, 1853: 236 (original description, Hong Kong) gender feminine, type species Lichas funebris West-
wood, 1853 (by monotypy) [preoccupied by Dalman 1827: 287 (Trilobita); preoccupied by Steininger 1837: 231
(Mollusca)]; Lacordaire 1857: 264 (description); Gemminger & Harold 1869: 1614 (catalogue) Eulichas Jacobson, 1913: 726 (replacement name); Pic 1914: 11 (catalogue); Jäch 1995: 361 (description) Lychas Pic, 1913: 108 (incorrect subsequent spelling)
Lycas Pic, 1915: 7 (incorrect subsequent spelling)
Type species: Lichas funebris Westwood, 1853 (by monotypy).
Description (modified from Jäch (1995) and Ivie (2005)). Elongate, fusiform, elaterid-like in general appearance. Body colouration varies from brownish-red to dark brown or blackish. Most of the body surface is covered with recumbent setation. Setation usually bicoloured, dark setae of the same colour as the cuticle, and pale setae which makes typical body pattern “ocellation” in most species. Colouration and density of setation could vary in some species, e.g. E. funebris (Figs. 51–53).
Measurements. Body length 14–38 mm., width: 5.0– 14.2 mm. Females generally larger than males.
Head. Nearly prognathous. Frons between eyes with shallow depression, on surface with numerous irregularly distributed large setigerous punctures. Ocelli and fronto-clypeal suture absent. Position of suture is marked by transverse depression. Compound eyes large, hemispherical, entirely fine facetted. Antennae angled in front of eyes, under frontal ridge. Antenna with 11 antennomeres. Scape robust, clubbed, pedicel short, almost globular. Antennomeres 3–10 flattened, distinctly serrate, covered with densely distributed microtrichia and several setae. Last antennomere rectangular, or widened (especially in male) to trapezoidal or drop shaped (see Figs. 35–50). If last antennomere widened, then usually with numerous, most probably sensory tubercles on ventral side. Female antenna generally less modified, shorter and more slender. Labrum free, subquadrate, widest anteriorly, basal membrane wide and clearly visible.(Fig. 1). Mandible elongate, outer side regularly rounded with coarse setigerous punctures, apex scooplike; inner side with distinct mola, and prostheca with brush of long setae (Fig. 2). Maxilla with separate, similarly-shaped, elongate lacinia and galea, each with apical portion membranous and covered with brush of curved setae (Fig. 3). Maxillary palps tetramerous, palpomere 1 very short, palpomeres 2–4 clubbed, elongate; apical palpomere often widened, distally truncated and with deep excavation. Labium with mentum subtriangular, twice as wide as long; ligula extending anteriad to palpigers, medially divided into broad membranous lobes that bear brush of short to long setae that reach anterior edge of closed mandibles (Fig. 4). Labial palps trimerous, palpomeres clubbed, elongate; apical palpomere often widened, distally truncated and with deep excavation. Gular sutures distinct, separate. Cervical sclerites distinct.
Thorax. Pronotum transverse, trapezoidal. Anterior and lateral margins distinctly bordered. Lateral margin regularly rounded, angled or bisinuate (see Figs. 15–18), basal margin bisinuate and crenulate. Pronotal disc concave or slightly depressed dorsoventrally with two shallow circular depressions. Dorsal surface covered with fine to large setigerous punctures, usually sparsely distributed on disc, and densely in lateral parts. Prosternum transverse, prosternal process elongate with almost parallel sides and rounded apex (Fig. 7). Lateral margins bordered in basal two thirds of its length. Procoxal cavity open posteriorly. Scutellum almost semicircular with anterior margin straight or crenulate, and posterior margin rounded. Its surface covered with setigerous punctures, usually much densely near margins. Elytron elongate, laterally bordered, with apical margin rounded, and short sutural spine. Humeral bulge well developed. Elytral surface with large setigerous punctures arranged into fairly distinct rows (9–12 rows between suture and humeral bulge). Very fine punctures are inserted irregularly between large punctures. Epipleura wide basally, sinuously narrowing to one third of elytral length, then very narrow to the apex. Metathoracic wing well developed with typical elongate, vertically closed radial cell (Fig. 6). Mesothorax and metathorax connate (Fig. 8). Most of surface covered with setigerous punctures. Punctures are usually fine and sparse medially and become somewhat larger and denser laterally. Mesoventrite transverse, narrow, with deep groove medially to receive prosternal process. Mesocoxal cavity closed. Metaventrite without transverse suture. Discrimen (median suture) long and deep. Metaventral process projects between mesocoxae and is fused with mesoventrum. Legs with transverse coxae (mesocoxae rather triangular). Trochantin large and exposed in procoxae and mesocoxae. Coxal posterior face excavated (especially metacoxae) to receive femora in retracted position. Trochanter triangular, offset, strongly attached to femora. Femur and tibia elongate. Tibia apically with two short calcars. Tarsi pentamerous. Tarsomere 5 almost as long as previous four tarsomeres together. All tarsomeres (predominately 1–4) with short setal brushes on ventral surface. Claws robust, equal. Plurisetose empodium well developed (Fig. 5).
Abdomen. Five ventrites (sternites 3–7). Ventrites 1–3 connate, but separate by distinct sutures. Ventrite 1 with long and acute process separating metacoxae. Its anterior margin excavated and bordered to close metacoxal cavity posteriorly. All ventrites densely covered with setigerous punctures, and laterally with fairly distinct, often smooth tubercles indicated insertion of tergo-sternal muscles (Fig. 9). Sternite 8 in female with long anterior median strut and pair of slightly shorter anterolateral struts (Fig. 11). Sternite 9 in male elongate, rounded apically, tergite 9 divided fully into two lateral lobes (Fig. 10). Tergite 10 well developed.
Male external genitalia. Aedeagus well sclerotised, trilobate, symmetrical. Phallobase (basal piece) of variable length, incised basally. Median lobe (penis) long, subparallel or lanceolate, usually with pair of basal spines, slightly longer than parameres (subgenus Eulichas) (Fig. 12), or short and stout, distinctly shorter than parameres (subgenus Forficulichas) (Fig. 13). Median lobe divided longitudinally, ventral sac, fibula and corona present. Parameres long and slender (subgenus Eulichas) or short and broad (subgenus Forficulichas), generally with well sclerotised basal apophysis, and ventral subbasal and subapical hooks. Subbasal parameral hooks match to penile basal spines and fix aedeagus closed when retracted.
Female external genitalia. Ovipositor elongate, well sclerotised. Paraprocta very long and slender. Coxites divided, with very short, button like articulated styli (Fig. 14).
A key to Eulichas subgenera and species groups (males only) (modified from Jäch (1995))
1. Aedeagus slender. Parameres about the same length, or slightly shorter than median lobe ... subgenus Eulichas ....................................................................................................................................................... 2
- Aedeagus short and broad. Parameres surpassing median lobe (Fig. 13).................subgenus Forficulichas
2. Phallobase of aedeagus long and slender, generally longer than parameres. Basal parameral apophysis long (Fig. 19) ............................................................................................. Eulichas funebris species group
- Phallobase of aedeagus broader, approximately as long as parameres, or slightly shorter. Basal parameral apophysis short (Fig. 12) .......................................................................... Eulichas dudgeoni species group
description: Published as part of Hájek, Ji Ř Í, 2007, Revision of the genus Eulichas Jacobson, 1913 (Coleoptera: Eulichadidae) I. Introduction, morphology of adults, key to subgenera and species groups, and taxonomy of E. funebris species group, pp. 1-35 in Zootaxa 1620 on pages 4-7, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.179178