Ceratocanthus White, 1842

Morón, Miguel A. & Arce, Roberto, 2003, Description of Third Instar Larva and Pupa of Ceratocanthus Relucens (Bates) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Ceratocanthinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 57 (3), pp. 245-253 : 246

Larvae of Ceratocanthus White

The larval description of Ceratocanthus relucens (Bates) that follows is the first for the genus. Ceratocanthus larvae are distinguished by the following combination of characters: head with1 anterior frontal seta, 1 exterior frontal seta, 1 posterior frontal seta, and 2 dorsoepicranial setae at each side; dorsal surface of labrum nearly smooth, with microscopic, shallow punctures; both mandibles with apical, acute tooth followed by blade-like tooth, and without brustia; right mandible with molar area clearly pedunculate; epipharynx with dexiophoba extended across the torma; second antennal segment 2 3 longer than first antennal segment; external surface of profemur and metafemur without microscopic stridulatory surface; and abdominal spiracles with the concavity of respiratory plate facing ventrally.

The genus Ceratocanthus contains about 50 species distributed from United States to Argentina (Paulian 1982; Howden and Gill 2000) and needs revision. Adults of Ceratocanthus have been collected infrequently at lights, inside tree holes, and rarely under leaf litter or under loose bark. Larvae are found in rich organic soil and inside termite nests or tree holes. Most of the species are found in humid forests, mainly tropical forests. The known distribution of Ceratocanthus relucens includes Mexico (Guerrero, Jalisco, Oaxaca, Veracruz), Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama ( Blackwelder 1944; Morón 1979; Howden and Gill 2000).

Key to the Known Third Instar Larvae of Ceratocanthinae from the Americas

1 Dorsal surface of labrum with coarse tubercles. Abdominal spiracles with concavity of respiratory plate facing anteriorly. Metafemur with microscopic stridulatory area - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Germarostes (Germarostes) 2

1 9 Dorsal surface of labrum irregularly punctate. Abdominal spiracles with concavity of respiratory plate facing ventrally. Metafemur without microscopic stridulatory area - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ceratocanthus relucens (Bates)

2 Anterior margin of clypeus deeply sinuated, with lateral angles clearly projected. Palidia formed by 9–10 spatulate pali. Profemur without microscopic stridulatory area. Meso- and metanotum without sclerotized areas at sides - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - G. (G.) aphodioides (Illiger)

2 9 Anterior margin of clypeus briefly sinuated, with lateral angles scarcely projected. Palidia formed by 20 spatulate pali. Profemur with microscopic stridulatory area. Meso- and metanotum with sclerotized areas at sides - - - - - G. (G.) macleayi (Perty)