Figure 7.10.1 Platydracus viridanus (Horn), dorsal abdomen. 7.10.2 P. viridanus, dorsal habitus. 7.10.3 P. viridanus, apex of lateral elytron. 11.20.1. P. viridanus, from tall grass near a river.

The combination of the small eyes (no longer than the temple), bronze metallic dorsal reflection, evenly punctate pronotum, elytra without spots (Fig. 7.10.2), an elytral epipleuron with a pale ventral margin (Fig. 7.10.3), and the distinctive pattern of abdominal setae (Fig. 7.10.1) distinguish Platydracus viridanus from all congeners. For characters differentiating this species from P. exulans, see comments under that species. Specimens of P. violaceus sometimes appear bronze if discoloured by killing agents but have a different pattern of abdominal setae, a dark elytral epipleuron, and other differences noted under that species.

Platydracus viridanus occurs across northeastern North America, from Minnesota to Nova Scotia, extending south in the Appalachian mountains to northern Georgia. Its range in ECAS is given by Map 25. It is newly recorded from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Vermont:

UNITED STATES: OH: Franklin Co., Columbus, 39.97 -83.00, 1940, Rings, 1 (BMNH). Hocking Co., Rock House State Park, 39.5 -82.62, 26-VII-1979, L.E. Watrous, 2 (FMNH). Ross Co., Tar Hollow State Forest, 39.3577 -82.7746, 5-VIII-1989, riparian woods, malaise trap, R.S. Miller family, 1 (MTEC). PA: 90 specimens.
VT: Addison Co., Salisbury, 43.93 -73.1, 5-VII-1895, 3 (MCZ). Bennington Co., 43.03 -73.1, 2 (FMNH). Essex Co., Ferdinand, Route 105, 44.7333 -71.7667, 8-VII-1976, L.L. Pechuman, 1 (CUIC).

Eastern Canada: ON, QC, NB, NS
Adjacent U.S.: MI, IN, OH, PA, NY, VT, NH, ME (All states)

This species has been collected in ECAS from May to September, with nearly all records occurring in July-August.

Platydracus viridanus is a mesic forest-dwelling species that is typically localized in distribution and occurs in decaying fungi, on carrion, and dung. Individuals have also been collected in decaying plant matter (with larvae), under logs, in a buzzard nest (with larvae), in forest floor pitfall traps, along a grassy river margin (Fig. 11.20.1), and in a dry field. Jennings and Tallamy (2006) found this species in a relatively undisturbed secondary forest but not in an isolated woodlot of similar tree species composition.  This species was also commonly collected in pitfall traps in an old-growth white pine forest in Ontario.