I'm having trouble finding information on Lirobittium asperum (Carpenter, 1864). It was described from the middle Pleistocene Santa Barbara Formation in Santa Barbara, southern California and has been reported in fossil deposits of Pliocene to middle Pleistocene age from southern to central California. I can find no record of it being a living species. However I did find one web site that synonymies it with L. rugatum (Carpenter, 1864) which is a living species. However I can't find any reference to why or who made this assumption (that the two are the same). None of my standard references (McLean's publications) list L. asperum and the one that lists L. rugatum does not include L. asperum with it. Any help would be appreciated.

Best,

Chuck

Charles L Powell, II Western Earth Surface Processes Team, MS 975 U. S. Geological Survey 345 Middlefield Rd. Menlo Park, CA 94025 cpowell@usgs.gov (650) 329-4985