Liothorax consociatus (Horn, 1887), new combination

(Figs. 8–12)

Aphodius consociatus: Horn 1887: 21, Gordon 1977: 162 (lectotype designation) Aphodius (Volinus) consociatus: Schmidt 1913: 143, Schmidt 1922: 175 Aphodius (Chilothorax) consociatus: Dellacasa 1988: 113

Type locality: California, U.S.A.

Type depository: Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, U.S.A.

Redescription: Length 4.0–5.0 mm; body moderately elongate, convex, shiny, glabrous. Color black; elytra yellow with first interstriae and sides widely piceous; legs brownish-red; antennal club piceous. Head anteriorly at middle convex, with coarse and rather dense punctures, punctation coarser distally. Clypeus very weakly sinuate medially, rounded laterally, very thinly bordered, border weakly upturned; genae rounded, with short setae, weakly protruding beyond eyes; frontal suture obsolete; front with evenly spaced and rather sparse punctures. Pronotum moderately transverse, convex, with dual, coarse and moderately close punctures throughout, large punctures two to three times larger than small; punctation somewhat denser and coarser laterally; lateral margins weakly arcuate anteriorly, near parallel posteriorly; with thin border; hind angles obtusely rounded; base faintly bisinuate, with thin but distinct border. Scutellum weakly excavate, shiny, impunctate. Elytra very convex, slightly widened posteriorly; striae rather fine, with deep punctures, moderately crenulate; interstriae flat, finely alutaceous, with irregular almost indistinct punctures. Hind tibiae with superior apical spur somewhat longer than first tarsomere; first tarsomere as long as following three combined. Male fore tibiae with apical spur slender, almost abruptly hooked inward at apex; head and pronotum with less coarse and more sparse punctures than in female. Female fore tibiae with apical spur evenly acuminate apically.

Distribution: Coastal southern California (from Los Angeles to San Diego).

Bionomy: This is an early spring species whose ecology is unknown. It is apparently endemic to coastal southern California, a region under intense human disturbance and alteration.