Ligyrus (Ligyrus) fossor (Latreille, 1813)

(Figs. 9D, 15L, 18D, 26A; 37)

Scarabaeus fossor Latreille, 1813: 11 . Original combination.

Female lectotype (MNHN) “[unreadable text] // MUS. LA PERTÉ / 671 // this specimen is probably Latreille’s type of Scar. foss-or // Ex-Musaeo / D.Sharp 1890 // Museum Paris / ex Coll. / R. Oberthur // HOLOTYPE // HOLOTYPE / Scarabaeus / fossor Latreille, 1833 // HOLOTYPE / Tomarus / fossor (Latreille, 1833) // MNHN / EC7078 ” here designated. Type locality: America (it was collected during Humboldt and Bonpland’s voyage).

Description. Habitus as in Fig. 26A. Length 13.5–15.0 mm; humeral width 6.5–7.0 mm. Color reddish brown. Head: Frons deeply rugopunctate, with large and sparse punctures, nearly smooth on vertex and only with sparse, small punctures. Frontoclypeal region with a carina, narrowly interrupted at middle. Ocular canthus acute; with 8 ventral setae. Clypeal surface rugopunctate to transversely rugose, striae denser than those on frons. Clypeus triangular, base 3 times wider than apex. Clypeal teeth triangular, separated by 1 tooth diameter. Mandible with 2 apical and 1 lateral widely rounded tooth; tooth 1 truncate at apex, longer and narrower than tooth 2. Maxilla subrectangular; galea with 4 well-developed teeth, with 2 basal reduced teeth (Fig. 3G). Apex of labrum bilobed. Interocular distance equal to 3.2 times an eye width. Antennal club very long. Pronotum: Surface with large, sparse punctures. Apex without tubercle or fovea. Elytra: First interval punctate, punctures similar to the other intervals. Inner surface of apex with small transverse tubercles forming about 70 parallel lines. Abdomen: Apex of tergite IV with a diagonal line of 10 transverse parallel short carinae. Pygidial surface with large punctures, evenly distributed (Fig. 9D). Strongly (male) to slightly (female) convex in lateral view. Legs: Protibia tridentate; basal tooth slightly distant from others. Protarsus of male simple; inner claw simple. Metatibia slightly contracted at apex. Apex of metatibia entire, with 18–20 spinules. Female genitalia: Subcoxite subrectangular (2 times wider than long). Coxite subrectangular (wider than long); coxite strongly concave. Subcoxite wider and longer than coxite. Male genitalia: Spiculum gastrale thin, apex truncate. Parameres with apical 4th narrowed, without minute spines; lateral ventral teeth long and curved (Figs. 15L, 18D). Internal sac with lamellar spiny belt very long (about 12 times longer than copulatory lamellae); accessory lamella thickened.

Diagnosis. Ligyrus fossor can be recognized by the antennal club very long (2 times longer than antennomeres 2–7); maxilla with 6 teeth (Fig. 3G); clypeus long, strongly contracted towards apex; clypeal teeth triangular, long, and not separated; frontal carina narrowly interrupted at middle; pronotum without tubercle or fovea (Fig. 26A); parameres with long, dorsal teeth, without ventral teeth (Figs. 15L, 18D); female coxite strongly concave.

Distribution. El Salvador, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Curaçao, Antigua, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Cuba, Bahamas (Endrödi 1969; Ratcliffe & Cave 2015).

Locality records (Fig. 37). 164 examined specimens from FSCA, ICN, MEFLG, MZUSP, UNAB, UNSM, USNM. Some data from Ratcliffe (2003), Escalona & Joly (2006), and Ratcliffe & Cave (2015). ANTIGUA (1). St. Paul (1): English Harbor. BAHAMAS (1). Andros (1): N Andros Island. COLOMBIA (36). Antioquia (1): Turbaco. Atlántico (7): Barranquilla; Juan de Acosta; Repelón; Bolívar (3): Carmen; Cartagena; Isla Barú. Córdoba (3): Cereté. Cesar (6): Agustín Codazzi. Guajira (6): Campamento Mushaisa. Magdalena (5): Parque Nacional Tayrona. Ambiguous data (2): Manizales; Medellín. No data (2). CUBA (21). Cienfuegos (1): Cayamas. Ciego de Avila (1): Chambas. Guantanamo (1): Tortuguilla. Holguin (1): Guardalavaca. La Habana (9): La Habana; Santiago de las Vegas. Matanzas (2): Colón; Matanzas. Pinar del Río (4): Consolación del Sur; Pinar del Río; San Diego de los Baños; San Juan y Martínez. Santiago (2): Dos Caminos; Segundo Frente. CURAÇAO (3). Willemstad (3): Hato; Piscadera. EL SALVADOR (2). Ahuachapan (1): El Imposible. La Unión (1): Isla Martín Pérez. JAMAICA (95). Clarendon (2): Alligator Hole; Milk River Bath. St. Andrew (70): Bull Bay; Cockburn Peninsula; Cross Roads; Gordon Town; Halfway Tree; Irish Town; Jack’s Hill; Kingston; Liguanea; Seaview Gardens. St. Ann (3): Baron Hill Forest Reserve; Ocho Ríos. St. Catherine (2): Worthy Park Estate. St. Elizabeth (3): Maggotty. St. James (11): Greenwood; Montego Bay. St. Mary (1): Oracabessa. St. Thomas (1): Bath. Trelawny (4): Ducans; Martha Brae. PANAMA (28). Coclé (3): Interamerican Highway at Rio Grande. Colón (2): Madden Dam; Parque Nacional Soberanía. Los Santos (2): Corozal; Paraíso. Panamá (12): Alhajuela; Chame; Panamá; Taboga Island. Veraguas (3): Soná. No data (5). PUERTO RICO (2). Ponce (1): Mercedita. Mayagüez (1): Mayagüez. VENEZUELA (135). Anzoátegui (1): Clarines; El Hatillo. Aragua (1): Cardoncito; Cata; Chaparral; Choroní; El Limón; La Cabrera; La Victoria; Maracay; Parque Nacional Henri Pittier; Rancho Grande; San Mateo; Tasajeras; Turiamo; Turmero. Barinas (1). Reserva Forestal Ticoporo. Bolívar (10). Ciudad Bolívar; El Pao; Guasipi; Moitaco. Carabobo (19). Bejuma; Cachinche; Las Quiguas; Las Trincheras; Los Colorados; Nirgua; San Joaquín; Tacarigua; Yeramalis. Cojedes (10). El Baúl; El Pao; Girardot; San Carlos. Distrito Capital (14). Caracas; El Valle; Las Adjuntas. Falcón (7). Boca de Aroa; Cerro Santa Ana; Chichiriviche; Sanare; San José de Cocodite; San Juan; Santa Cruz de Bucaral. Guarico (6). El Sombrero; La Smith; Llanos de Cruz; Valle de la Pascua. Lara (13). Barquisimeto; Carora. Crespo; El Cuji; La Pastora (4 km NW); Parapara; Quibor. Mérida (1). Pueblo Nuevo. Miranda (2). Los Teques; Tacarigua de Mamporal. Monagas (4). El Piñal; San Antonio de Maturin; Santa Bárbara; Uverito. Nueva Esparta (4). Cerro Cimarrón; Guatamare; Salamanca; Tacarigua. Portuguesa (3). Acarigua; Ospino. Sucre (2). Cariaco; Cumanacoa. Táchira (2). La Pediera; San Cristóbal. Trujillo (3). El Cenizo; Escuque; San Pablo de Mendoza. Vargas (2). Caracaya; Punta de Tarma. Yaracuy (3). La Hoya; Sabana de Parra; Yaritagua. Zulia (6). Maracaibo.

Natural history. There were some records of adults in roots and inflorescences of sunflower ( Helianthus annus L.), and roots of maize. Most records are from tropical dry forest between 2– 269 m.