Catharsius brutus Harold, 1881

Génier, François & Josso, Jean-François, 2016, Notes on Afrotropical Catharsius species described by Edgar von Harold (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae), Zootaxa 4072 (3), pp. 333-342 : 342

Catharsius brutus Harold, 1881

( Figs. 27–33 )

Catharsius brutus Harold, 1881: 263

Type locality. Sansibar ( Tanzania)

The unique specimen on which Harold based his description is a well-developed male, it is very teneral and missing both posterior legs. The holotype bear the following labels ( Fig. 29 ): [Hildabrdt.] handwriting on green card; [60753] white card; [Type] red card; [ Brutus / Harold/ Sansibar] handwriting on green card; [ Catharsius brutus / HAR./ M.C. Ferreira det.,1960] part handwriting on white card; [HOLOTYPUS / Catharsius / brutus Harold, 1881 / labelled by MNHUB 2014] red card.

Remark. This is the last species of Catharsius described by Harold. The original description is based on a specimen collected during the expedition of J.M. Hildebrandt in the “Districten von Taita und Ukamba auf einer Tour von Mombassa nach dem Kenia ”. The holotype label states “ Sansibar ” as the specimen locality which is south of the area described in the title of the publication. However, the title also state “vorzüglich” (especially) which seems to indicate that the expedition went to some other nearby area as well. The island of Zanzibar is approximately 200 km South of Mombassa. Catharsius brutus is cited from Kenya, Tanzania ( Zanzibar) and Uganda. Recent collecting in Cabo Delgado Province ( Mozambique) indicates that the species is present further south as well. Unconfirmed records indicate that the species occurs also in central Mozambique, Mt. Mulange (S. Malawi) and Chirinda Forest (E. Zimbabwe) (pers. comm. A. Davis). We are adding photographs of a well sclerotized aedeagus ( Figs. 32–33 ) to accompany the distorted aedeagus of the holotype ( Figs. 30–31 ).

Figures

FIGURES 27 – 33. Catharsius brutus Harold (Figs. 27 – 31. holotype ♂, Figs. 32 – 33. non teneral specimen). 27. habitus, dorsal view; 28. head, dorsal view; 29. labels; 30. parameres, dorsal view; 31. aedeagus, lateral view; 32. parameres, dorsal view; 33. aedeagus, lateral view.