Selonodon floridensis
Galley, 1999
Selonodon floridensis is a click beetle in the Cebrionidae, described by Galley in 1999 from Florida. It is one of 17 new species described from the southern United States in a comprehensive revision of the Selonodon, which recognized 25 species total. The genus belongs to the click beetle superfamily Elateroidea and exhibits a trend of phyletic size increase across its range.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Selonodon floridensis: //ˌsɛl.oʊˈnoʊ.dən ˌflɔːrɪˈdɛn.sɪs//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
Males of Selonodon floridensis can be distinguished using the key provided in Galley (1999). As a member of the Selonodon, it shares the characteristics of Cebrionidae including the click beetle body plan with prosternal process fitting into mesosternal cavity. Specific diagnostic characters for this are documented in the original description.
Distribution
Florida, United States. The epithet reflects its type locality in the state.
Similar Taxa
- Selonodon appalachiensisAnother described as new from Georgia in the same revision; both belong to the southern U.S. species group
- Selonodon archboldiAnother Florida described in the same revision; geographic overlap requires careful identification
- Selonodon santarosaeAnother Florida described in the same revision; geographic overlap requires careful identification
- Selonodon similisAnother Florida described in the same revision; geographic overlap requires careful identification
More Details
Taxonomic history
Selonodon floridensis was one of 17 new described from the southern United States in Galley's 1999 revision of the . The revision used cladistic analysis to propose a phylogenetic hypothesis recognizing six species groups containing 23 species, with the relationships of two species (including possibly this one) remaining uncertain.
Nomenclatural note
The Selonodon has a complex nomenclatural history reviewed in the 1999 revision. The Cebrionidae is sometimes treated as a within Elateridae in older literature, which may explain the Elateridae listing on some databases.
Research needed
The original description provides the only published information on this . No subsequent studies have documented its , , or status. Field observations and natural history studies are lacking.