Aphotaenius carolinus ( Van Dyke, 1928 )

Skelley, Paul E. & Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z., 2020, Review of Aphotaenius Cartwright, 1952 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Eupariini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 74 (2), pp. 389-403 : 394-396

Aphotaenius carolinus ( Van Dyke, 1928)

Figs. 3–4 , 6, 20–25

Ataenius carolinus Van Dyke 1928: 157–158 .

Aphodius carolinus (Van Dyke) ; Hinton 1937: 196.

Aphotaenius carolinus (Van Dyke) ; Cartwright 1952: 182–183, 1958: 134, 1963: 49, 1974: 11–12; Jerath 1960: 68–69; Woodruff 1973: 136–137; Chalumeau 1983: 4, fig. 2; Harpootlian 2001: 36; Ratcliffe and Paulsen 2008: 227–228; Stebnicka 2009: 40, fig. 55.

Haroldiataenius carolinus (Van Dyke) ; Chalumeau 1983: 1, fig. 2 (lapsus calami).

Diagnosis. Length 2.4–3.1 mm ( Figs. 20–22 ). This species is distinguished by the head with a band of coarse punctures posteriorly, clypeal margin thin and strongly dentate on each side ( Fig. 6 ), epipharynx with tylus not projecting ( Fig. 23 ), pronotal punctures evenly distributed, metaventrite with coarse, foveate punctures, elytra with convex intervals, elytral stria I with basal punctures not encroaching upon intervals ( Figs. 4 ), and the parameres thick to broadly truncate at apex ( Figs. 24–25 ). It is known from the eastern USA.

Type. Black Mountains , North Carolina, USA, June 1901 ( Van Dyke 1928). Deposited in CASC, not examined .

Material Examined. (n = 207). USA: Alabama: Blount Co., Highland Lake, 5-IV-2012, window trap, T. King (1 FSCA); Dale Co. , Fort Rucker Military Reserve , 2-9-V-1986, R. Turnbow, feces baited pitfall (1 RHTC); Monroe Co. , Haines Island Park , 3.5 mi. [ 5.6 km] W Franklin, 30-31-V-2003, Skelley & Morris, deer dung (7 CMNC, 11 FSCA, 4 NHML). Arkansas: Logan Co. , Mt. Magazine , Signal Hill Trail , 13-15-V-1994, E. G. Riley (1 EGRC); Polk Co. , Rich Mt. , (2,681’) 12 mi. [ 19.3 km] Mena, 34° 4002800 N, 94° 1904500 W, 17- XI-1990, Karl Stephan , leaf litter extract (2 FSCA). Florida: Jackson Co. , Florida Caverns State Park , 6-X-1960, R. E. Woodruff, Neotoma droppings on rock (3 FSCA); Leon Co. , Tall Timbers Res. Sta., Woodyard Hammock , 8-14-VI-1968, W. H. Whitcomb, Berlese funnel (1 FSCA); Liberty Co. , Torreya State Park , 11–13-VI-1981, S. & J. Peck, forest, log-leaf litter (1 CMNC); same locality, 17- VII-1987, P. Skelley & D. Matthews, deer dung (9 FSCA). Georgia: Rabun Co. , Pine Mountain , 15- VIII-1940, Starnes & Cartwright (1 FSCA); Marion Co. , Hwy. 41, 1.9 mi. [ 3.1 km] SW. jct. 30, 2-IV-1995, R. Turnbow, Berlese leaf litter (1 RHTC). Indiana: Morgan Co. , ∼ 6 mi. [ 9.7 km] S of Martinsville, 17-31-III-2009, K. Schnepp, window trap (1 KESC). Iowa: Fremont Co. , Waubonsie State Park ; 22-V-2010, M. J. Paulsen, deer dung (3 MJPC); same locality, 25-IV-2012, M. J. Paulsen, deer dung (9 MJPC, 10 UNSM). Kansas: Douglas Co. , Clinton Lake , 1 km SW dam, off 900 E Rd, 38.9010, -95.3344, 31-III-2007, Falin, Zachary, sifted leaf litter, upland forest (1 SEMC); Jefferson Co. , 1.5 km N junction of 94th St & Kingman Rd, 39.2230, -95.4040, 14-21-IV-2005, Z. Falin, FIT near lower meadow (1 SEMC); same data, FIT in upper meadow (1 SEMC); same locality, 5-12-V-2005, Z. Falin, FIT near lower meadow (2 SEMC); Miami Co. , 3 mi. [ 4.8 km] E. Jingo, 38.4198, -94.6615, 12-20-IV-2010, G. Salsbury, canopy trap (3 SEMC); same locality, 4-10-V-2010, G. Salsbury, canopy trap (1 SEMC). Kentucky: Edmonson Co. , Mammoth Cave National Park , 27-VIII-2-IX-1967, forest carrion trap 283a, S. Peck (1 CMNC); Edmonson Co. , Mammoth Cave National Park , Doyle Vy., 30-VIII-1967, S. Peck & A. Fiske (3 FMNH); Edmonson Co. , Running Br. Cave , 5-V-1972, S. Peck, sinkhole litter (1 CMNC); Trigg Co. , LBTL [ Land Between the Lakes], Bacon Cr. Area , 6-V-1986, J. M. Campbell (1 CNIC). Louisiana: W. Feliciana Parish, Kakowi, Feliciana Preserve (T35, R1W, S72), 30° 450 N, 91° 160 W, 17-V-1995, D. Pashley, pitfall trap (1 FSCA); W. Feliciana Parish, 21-XII-1998, D. P. Cabin, J. L. Johnson, Berlese (1 FSCA). Mississippi: Panola Co. , 14 mi. [ 22.5 km] ESE. Batesville, 16-IV-1992, P. K. Lago, goat dung trap (1 CEMT). Nebraska: Sarpy Co. , Bellevue, Fontenelle Forest , 16-V-2004, M. J. Paulsen, deer dung (1 MJPC); same locality, 16-IV-2005, M. J. Paulsen, deer dung (4 FSCA); same locality, 15- IV-2007, M. J. Paulsen, deer dung (2 MJPC). North Carolina: Transylvania Co. ; Pisgah Forest [Black Mountains near Brevard; Cartwright 1952], 16-VI-1937, O. Cartwright, hillside above power house (9 CMNC, 5 CNIC, 5 FSCA); same locality, 1-VII-1937, O. Cartwright (4 CNIC); same locality, 2- VIII-1937, O. Cartwright (1 CNIC, 1 FSCA); same locality, 29-IV-1938, O. Cartwright (20 FSCA); same locality, 10-IX-1938, O. Cartwright (1 FSCA); same locality, 21-VI-1939, O. Cartwright, hillside above power house, (4 FSCA); same locality, 29-IV-1941, L. J. Bottimer, dung (15 CNIC). Tennessee: Knox Co. , Knoxville, 6-IV-1956, H. & A. Howden (1 CMNC); Sevier Co. , Greenbrier Cove, 1,700 ft. [ 518 m], 19-23-V-1972, A. Newton, ex slime flux Liriodendron (1 FMNH). Virginia: Warren Co. , Howellville, 1-IX-1969, O. L. Cartwright (1 TAMU); same locality, 21-IX-1969, Robert Gordon (30 NMNH); same locality, 22-VI-1970, Robert Gordon (18 NMNH).

Additional data reported in literature: USA: Indiana: Crawford Co., 19-V-1903, W. S. Blatchley ( Cartwright 1952). Maryland: Prince Georges Co., Marlboro, 13-V ( Cartwright 1952). South Carolina: Charleston Co. , I’ On Swamp, Fair Lawn Plantation, 7 mi. [ 11.3 km] N of Awendaw, 15 mi. [ 24.1 km] NE Charleston, 4-VI-1948 ( Cartwright 1952; Harpootlian 2001); Pickens Co. , Sassafras Mountain ( Cartwright 1952; Harpootlian 2001); Pickens Co., Eastatoe River ( Cartwright 1974; Harpootlian 2001). Ohio: Hamilton Co., Cincinnati, 5-V-1926, Dury ( Cartwright 1958). Virginia: Bath Co., Duthet State Park ( Cartwright 1974); Botetourt Co., 5 mi. [ 8 km] S of Paris ( Cartwright 1974); Caroline Co., A. P. Hill Military Reservation ( Cartwright 1974).

Remarks. Aphotaenius carolinus has been reared from deer dung collected in shaded woodlands and pack rat dung near caves ( Woodruff 1973), and also collected from deer, sheep, dog, and cow dung ( Cartwright 1952, 1974; Ritcher 1966). It is occasionally collected in leaf litter. The larvae of A. carolinus were described by Jerath (1960).

Figures

Figs. 1–5. Representative mesotibiae and elytra. 1) Ataenius erratus Fall; 2) Ataenius strigicauda Bates; 3–4) Aphotaenius carolinus; 5) Aphotaenius elegans, new species. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Figs. 20–25. Aphotaenius carolinus. 20) Dorsal habitus; 21) Ventral habitus; 22) Lateral habitus; 23) Epipharynx; 24–25) Male genitalia, lateral and dorsal views, respectively, scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Figs. 6–9. Aphotaenius species, head to elytral base, oblique frontal view. 6) A. carolinus; 7) A. howdeni; 8) A. elegans, new species; 9) A. convexus.