Coprophanaeus, Olsoufieff, 1924

Edmonds, W. D. & Zidek, J., 2010, A taxonomic review of the neotropical genus Coprophanaeus Olsoufieff, 1924 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae), Insecta Mundi 2010 (129), pp. 1-111 : 73-74

Coprophanaeus (C.) gilli Arnaud, 1997

Fig. 158-159 , 172 , 210-212

Coprophanaeus gilli Arnaud, 1997: 4

Coprophanaeus henryi Malý and Pokorný, 2008: 2 New Synonymy

Type. C. gilli – holotype male, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa (examined) ; C. henryi – holotype male, National Museum , Prague (examined) .

Diagnosis. General – Black except for dark blue metallic coloring on pronotum and pygidium (rarely also on elytra). Clypeal teeth normal, length about equal to width at base. Eyes normal, width of upper portion one-fourth to one-fifth of interocular distance. Frons weakly to moderately strongly punctured behind transverse carina. Paraocular area completely sculptured, sculpturing weakening closer to eye. Posteromedian portion of pronotum distinctly punctured, punctures progressively weaker and sparser approaching posterior margin; basal pronotal fossae distinct. Anterior angle of metasternum with rounded cap (seen in profile, as in Fig. 167 ). Elytral interstriae distinctly convex, usually shinier midlongitudinally (as in Fig. 205, 208 ). Pygidium usually lacking basal groove, rarely narrow groove present. Length 15-26 mm.

Male ( Fig. 158-159 , 210-212 ) – Length of frons about one and half times that of clypeus. Teeth of cephalic carina closely set, distance between lateral teeth usually about one-half that of interocular distance. Pronotum with oval fovea above lateral fossa ( Fig. 210 , arrow). Pronotal prominence of large male thickened transverse carina with pair of closely set median tumescences, sometimes scarcely broken medially. Parameres with acute subapical tooth ( Fig. 212 , upper view).

Female – Distance between lateral teeth of cephalic carina clearly greater than one-half of interocular distance. Lengths of frons and clypeus about equal. Transverse pronotal carina bidentate medially, followed by transverse depression.

Specimens examined – 102.

Distribution. Gulf of Mexico and Eastern Central America provinces ( Fig. 172 ).

Collection Records. BELIZE: Toledo – Chiquibul National Park ( Doyle’s Delight ), 16 29’23”N 89 02’45”W, 950 m (Aug) . HONDURAS: Cortes – Parque Nacional Cusuco, Santo Tomás , 700-800 m (Aug) . Olancho – Parque Nacional La Muralla , 1800 m (Jun) . GUATEMALA: Alta Verapaz – Finca Seacté Cobán (Apr) . Izabal – 8 km N Las Escobas [ Cerro San Gil ], 800 m (Jun) . Zacapa – 3 km S La Unión , 1400 m (Jun) . MEXICO: Chiapas – 10.5 km W El Bosque , 1480 m (Aug) ; Santa Rosa (Aug); Bonampak , 16 o 44’N 91 o 05’W, 300 m (Sep) . Hidalgo – Tlanchinol (Jun, Aug); Otongo , 1120 m (Jul) . Oaxaca – Huautla de Jiménez (Nov) ; Los Metates (Sep). Puebla – Calapan 19 o 55’45.92”S 97 o 23’07.65”W, 1250 m (Jul) . Veracruz – 33 km NE Catemaco , 160 m (Jul) ; Cuautlapan (Aug-Sep); Pipiapan [Parque de la Fauna y Flora Silvestre Tropical], 600 m (Nov) ; Dos Amates [ Catemaco ] (Jul, Sep) ; Sontecomapan [Estación Biológica Tropical “Los Tuxtlas”], 400 m (Jun, Oct) ; Ruiz Cortinas [Mpio. San Andrés Tuxtla], 1020 m (Apr). Cerro El Gallo [Mpio. Catemaco], 810 m (Apr) ; Guadalupe Victoria [Mpio. Tatahuicapan], 750 m (Jun) ; San Martín Pajapan [Mpio. Mecayapan], 720 m (Feb) ; Cuautlapan [Cerro Chicahuaxtla] (Aug); Ruiz Cortines (Apr).

Comments. This species is very closely related to C. chiriquensis , and, given the long history of intense collecting in Mexico and Central America, it is surprising that it went undiscovered until the late twentieth century. It differs from C. chiriquensis in geographic distribution, the shape of prominence of male pronotum, a somewhat larger average size, and usually in distinct (x10) puncturing of the frons and posterior portion of the pronotum. Coprophanaeus henryi is based on smaller specimens that fit well within the variation of C. gilli .

Among the best data we have on the local ecology of this species are those provided by Matthias Rös (pers. comm.). Careful sampling in the sierras of northern Puebla has revealed a rather broad habitat, from well conserved mesophilous forest to secondary growth, acahual (scrub), coffee plots and other highly disturbed areas between 1000 and 1300 m. Sharing this ecological spectrum there with C. gilli is another neotropical immigrant, C. corythus .

Figures

Figure 172. Approximate geographic distribution of Coprophanaeus (s. str.) species in the pluto species group.

Figure 151-161. Characters of the Coprophanaeus (s. str.) pluto species group. 151-153) Anterior views of male cephalic process of C. pluto. 154-157) Dorsal views of male pronotal prominence of C. chiriquensis. 158-159) Same, C. gilli. 160) Clypeal margin of C. boucardi. 161) Same, C. pluto.

Figure 205-212. Coprophanaeus spp. 205-209) C. chiriquensis. 205-206) Male habitus. 207) Aedeagus (lateral view on left; dorsal view on right). 208-209) Female habitus. 210-212) C. gilli. 210-211) Male habitus. 212) Aedeagus (dorsal view above; lateral view below).

Figure 162-170. Characters of the Coprophanaeus (s. str.) pluto species group. 162-163) Posterior view of pygidium of C. morenoi. 164) Same, C. chiriquensis. 165) Dorsal view left of elytron of C. solisi. 166) Same, C. pluto. 167) Metasternal prominence of C. pluto. 168) Same, C. pecki. 169) Dorsal view of parameres of C. pluto. 170) Lateral view, same.