Onthophagus lemur (Fabricius, 1781)

Ziani, Stefano, 2012, Taxonomic notes on Onthophagus (Palaeonthophagus) lemuroides d’Orbigny, 1898 and O. (P.) fortigibber Reitter, 1909 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Onthophagini) Stefano Ziani, Insecta Mundi 2012 (217), pp. 1-9 : 7

Key to the species morphologically similar to Onthophagus lemur (Fabricius, 1781)

1. Occipital carina of the head with a transverse erect lamina, sometimes ending in a pair of vertical horns in male. Pronotum declivous anteriorly in both sexes, with an anterolateral tubercle on each side and an anteromedian gibbosity; pronotal anterior angles clearly produced, sides not or indistinctly sinuate behind them; inner angle of protibial apex with a small denticle strongly curved downward in male; pubescence yellow; length from 4.0 to 8.0 mm. ............. 2

— Not all the above characters present simultaneously.. all other Palaeonthophagus Zunino

2(1) Pronotum granulate on disc, granules sub-regular, separated from 0.5–1.0 times their diameter; major males occipital carina with a straight erect lamina, never ending in two horns; southern Europe, Middle East. .............................................................................. O. lemur (Fabricius)

— Pronotum punctate on disc, punctures sometimes bearing a small granule at their anterior margin, separated from 1–2 times their diameter; major males occipital carina either with an erect lamina slightly bent backward or with a lamina ending in two vertical horns........ 3

3(2) Occipital carina extending at base to inner edge of eyes; pronotal anterolateral tubercles turned inward; pronotal anteromedian gibbosity clearly sinuate at base; Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia. ................................................................................................................... O. trigibber Reitter

— Occipital carina clearly not extended at base from side to side of the head; pronotal anterolateral tubercles facing forward or turned slightly outward; pronotal anteromedian gibbosity slightly or not at all sinuate. ................................................................................................................... 4

4(3) Head with clypeus distinctly emarginate at middle; occipital carina in major males with an erect lamina ending in a pair of vertical horns; Turkey, Iraq, Iran........................................... .......................................................................................................... O. lemuroides d’Orbigny

— Head with clypeus barely emarginate at middle; occipital carina in major males with an erect lamina never ending in a pair of vertical horns; Caucasus, northern Russia, Turkey............. ................................................................................................................ O. fortigibber Reitter