Trogloderus vandykei

La Rivers, 1946

Trogloderus vandykei is a darkling beetle (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in the psammophilic Trogloderus. Originally described as a of T. costatus from outside 29 Palms, California, it was elevated to status by Johnston (2018). The subspecific name T. costatus mayhewi was synonymized with T. vandykei. Like other members of its genus, this species is associated with sandy in the western United States.

Trogloderus vandykei by (c) nmoorhatch, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by nmoorhatch. Used under a CC-BY license.

Trogloderus vandykei by (c) Carlos A. Armenta, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Carlos A. Armenta. Used under a CC-BY license.

Trogloderus vandykei by (c) zancat, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by zancat. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Trogloderus vandykei: /ˌtrɒɡloʊˈdɛrəs vænˈdaɪki/

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Identification

Distinguished from by combination of characters established in Johnston's 2018 revision. Formerly treated as T. costatus vandykei; separation from T. tuberculatus, T. verpus, and T. warneri requires examination of specific morphological traits detailed in systematic treatments.

Images

Habitat

Dunes and sandy . The Trogloderus is restricted to such environments in the western United States.

Distribution

Western United States. Type locality outside 29 Palms, California. Distribution overlaps with other Trogloderus in sandy regions of California and adjacent areas.

Similar Taxa

Trogloderus tuberculatusOverlaps in distribution and ; distinguished by morphological characters in Johnston's revision
Trogloderus verpusSympatric in western US dunes; requires careful examination for separation
Trogloderus warneriCo-occurs in sandy ; differentiated in systematic treatments
Trogloderus costatusFormerly considered as T. costatus vandykei; now recognized as distinct

More Details

Taxonomic history

Originally described as Trogloderus costatus vandykei La Rivers, 1946. Elevated to status by Johnston (2018) in the Catalogue of North American Tenebrionidae. The name T. costatus mayhewi Papp, 1961 was synonymized with T. vandykei.

Etymology

The specific epithet vandykei honors an individual (likely H.B. Van Dyke or related to Van Dyke, a prominent entomologist), though the original description should be consulted for confirmation.