Lycus trabeatus

Lycus trabeatus, the tailed net-winged beetle, is a species of beetle in the family Lycidae, which is native to the eastern, southern Afrotropics and Arabian Peninsula. They are diurnal, aposematic insects. Adults feed on various flowers and their nectar,^{[citation needed]} while larvae live under tree bark, in dead wood, or in detritus where they may live on fungi.^[2]

Lycus trabeatus
In eastern South Africa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Elateriformia
Family:	Lycidae
Genus:	Lycus
Species:	L. trabeatus
Binomial name
Lycus trabeatus Guérin-Méneville, 1835[1]
Synonyms
Chlamydolycus trabeatus

Range and habitat

It is known to occur in Eritrea, Ethiopia, the DRC, Tanzania, Namibia, Oman and South Africa.^{[citation needed]} It inhabits subtropical forests, savannahs and grasslands.^[2]

Description

Lycus trabeatus reaches a length of about 22–31 millimetres (0.87–1.22 in).^{[citation needed]} The pronotum has a black center and orange edges. The elytra are black at their bases, on the apical lobes, and sometimes along the dilated edges. Elytra are variable in shape, from widely expanded with a constriction towards the apical lobe, to intermediate or slender. The black antennae are mildly serrate. Femora are orange and the lower legs are black.^{[citation needed]}

Subspecies

There are two subspecies:^{[citation needed]}

• Lycus trabeatus trabeatus

Range: eastern and southern Afrotropics

Description: Female's total length about 22 mm, pronotum 4 mm x 4 mm, elytron 18 mm long, dilated laterally, narrowing towards apical lobe.

• Lycus trabeatus matojoi

Range: southern highlands of Tanzania

Description: Female's total length about 18 mm, pronotum 3 mm x 3 mm, elytron 15 x 4 mm.

Gallery

• 
  specimen from Namibia
• 
  specimen from Eritrea
• 
  lateral view
• 
  ventral aspect