Prionychus melanarius (Germar, 1813)
Very similar to Nalassus laevioctostriatus, with which it can be easily confused, but Prionychus melanarius is fairly easy to distinguish from that species by generally being a much broader, almost more well-built beetle. We had a number of records from Sherwood Forest over the years, once rearing one through from a pupa found in rotten Oak, but all other records came from beetles being attracted to MV light. Restricted to the Sherwood Forest and Clumber Park areas of Nottinghamshire.
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Nottinghamshire (VC56) distribution of Prionychus melanarius
 
 
 
 
The records for the Nottinghamshire distribution map are currently provided by the following contributors - Trevor and Dilys Pendleton. M L Denton (2002 Sherwood Forest Coleoptera survey). K N A Alexander (Invertebrate assemblage condition at Birklands and Bilhaugh SSSI and Birklands West and Ollerton Corner SSSI survey reports 2009-10). Natural England - Invertebrate Site Register 2006. Stuart Warrington. The National Trust (Clumber Park invertebrate records). NBGRC. Natural England - Birklands and Bilhaugh SSSI & Birklands West and Ollerton Corner SSSI, Nottinghamshire Saproxylic invertebrate survey, Natural England Field Unit, April-October 2018. Clumber Park SSSI Saproxylic Invertebrate Survey - A report to Natural England by EMEC Ecology 2019.

You can contribute your own records to help us gain an accurate status of this species in Nottinghamshire. Send an Excel spreadsheet of your records via the 'contact us' link at the top of the homepage.

Updated July 2024

copyright © Trevor and Dilys Pendleton (www.eakringbirds.com) . .
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