Platydracus zonatus
(Gravenhorst, 1802)
Platydracus zonatus is a large rove beetle in the Staphylinidae, native to North America. It is among the larger in the Platydracus, which contains many of the most conspicuous and predatory rove beetles. The species has been documented across a broad geographic range in eastern and central North America, with records extending from Canada through the eastern United States. Like other members of its genus, it is a predatory associated with decaying organic matter and fungal .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Platydracus zonatus: /ˌplæ.tɪˈdreɪ.kəs zoʊˈneɪ.təs/
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Images
Distribution
Canada (Ontario, Quebec) and the United States (Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia). The shows a broad eastern and central North American distribution with western records extending to Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Similar Taxa
- Platydracus maculosusAnother large Platydracus with similar size range (22-35 mm) and predatory habits on fungi and associated insects; distinguished by specific pattern of maculation rather than zonate banding
- Tasgius winkleriFormerly misidentified as Platydracus due to similar large size and rove beetle ; distinguished by European origin, habits, and subtle morphological differences in tarsal structure