Sinodendron rugosum
Encyclopedia
Sinodendron rugosum is a member of the family Lucanidae, the stag beetles. It is commonly referred to as the rugose stag beetle, and is the only known member of the genus Sinodendron to occur in western North America
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, a common trait in Lucanidae, as well as unopposable clubbed antennae
. Both sexes are 11–18 mm (0.433070866141732–0.708661417322835 ) in length, black in coloration, and have small mandibles. The pronotum and elytra
are covered in many small pits, leading to an overall rugose appearance. The head of the male is much narrower than the pronotum, and has a short, median rhinoceros
-like horn. The female either lacks a horn or has a small median tubercle.
. The horn of the male is occasionally used in combat with other males in order to establish dominance when competing for mates.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
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Description
The adults of this species exhibit sexual dimorphismSexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
, a common trait in Lucanidae, as well as unopposable clubbed antennae
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
. Both sexes are 11–18 mm (0.433070866141732–0.708661417322835 ) in length, black in coloration, and have small mandibles. The pronotum and elytra
Elytron
An elytron is a modified, hardened forewing of certain insect orders, notably beetles and a few of the true bugs ; in most true bugs, the forewings are instead called hemelytra, as only the basal half is thickened while the apex is membranous...
are covered in many small pits, leading to an overall rugose appearance. The head of the male is much narrower than the pronotum, and has a short, median rhinoceros
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
-like horn. The female either lacks a horn or has a small median tubercle.
Range
Sinodendron rugosum is found in moist woodlands from British Columbia to California. Adults are commonly found on the ground from spring to early summer.Life history
The white, C-shaped larvae hatch on bark and tunnel inward, creating pupal chambers in decaying wood. They have been associated with oak, alder, willow and cherry. Adults may feed on plant juices or aphid honeydewHoneydew (secretion)
Honeydew is a sugar-rich sticky liquid, secreted by aphids and some scale insects as they feed on plant sap. When their mouthpart penetrates the phloem, the sugary, high-pressure liquid is forced out of the gut's terminal opening. Honeydew is particularly common as a secretion in the Hemipteran...
. The horn of the male is occasionally used in combat with other males in order to establish dominance when competing for mates.