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 : 84-87

Coprophanaeus (C.) milon ( Blanchard, 1843)

Fig. 225-226 , 233 , 237 , 249-253

Phanaeus milon Blanchard, 1843: 174 .

Coprophanaeus milon (Blanchard) (recomb. by Edmonds 1972: 843)

Phanaeus obscurus Olsoufieff, 1924: 71 (syn. by Arnaud 1982a: 117)

Type. P. milon – lectotype male (des. by Arnaud 1982a: 114), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris (examined by photo); P. obscurus – holotype male, Zoologische Staatssammlung, Munich.

Diagnosis. General – Dorsum ( Fig. 249-252 ) dark, sombre, metallic reflections dark blue or bluish green. Clypeal margin at most only weakly angulate adjacent to median teeth. Length of clypeus greater than that of frons, especially in male. Pronotal disk( Fig. 252 ) with midlongitudinal sulcus expanding posteriorly into triangular depression embracing basal fossae; sulcus and triangular depression often with metallic color. Cap of anterior metasternal angle usually simple, sometimes bifurcate; anterior surface of metasternum smooth above anterior margin of disk. Elytral striae not distinctly carinulate ( Fig. 233 ). Length 18-25 mm.

Male – Head horn ( Fig. 225-226 ) erect, plate-like, set very near eyes; width clearly less than interocular distance, sides convergent to divergent; apex tridentate, emarginations separating teeth shallow. Pronotal prominence ( Fig. 252 ) strongly bilobate, lobes directed anterolaterally and flanked by deep, oval concavities; width of prominence approaching distance between outer margins of eyes. Apical processes of parameres hook-like.

Female – Transverse crest of pronotum rounded, at most only very weakly bidentate; crest followed by weak concavity, summit weakly bitumose.

Specimens examined – 138.

Distribution. Chaco and Pampa provinces ( Fig. 237 ).

Collection Records. ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires – Mercedes (Mar) ; San Isidro ( Jan ) ; General Sarmiento San Miguel (Jan) ; Buenos Aires (Feb, Oct ); San Fernando (Dec) ; Zelaya ( Feb ) . Chaco – Cruce Loma Plata (Jan) ; Miraflores (Apr). Córdoba – Río Primero (Feb) ; Cruz Alta ( Feb ) . Corrientes – Monte Caseros (Sep) . Entre Ríos – Liebig (Dec) ; Pronunciamiento ( Feb-Mar , Oct) . Formosa – Formosa (Nov) ; Gran Guardia (Oct). Misiones – Dos de Mayo (Feb) ; Puerto Iguazú ( Nov ) . Santiago del Estero – Santiago del Estero (Mar) . BRAZIL: Mato Grosso do Sul – Corumbá [Pantanal do Miranda] (Jan) . Paraná – Rolândia (Nov) . Rio Grande do Sul – Pelotas (Dec) . Santa Catarina – São Francisco (Nov) . PARAGUAY: Boquerón – Mariscal Estgarribia (Feb, May) . Presidente Hayes – Cruce Loma Plata (Feb) ; Estación Yui ( Dec ) ; Laguna Capitan ( Jan ) ; Lolita ( Yaragui ) (Jan) . URUGUAY: Canelones – Las

Piedras (Jan); Ruta 107, km 43 Canelones-Chico (Jan). Lavalleja – Sierra de Minas. Montevideo – La Teja (Dec). Río Negro – Haedo (Feb) .

Comments. Barattini and Sáenz (1953) described the reproductive behavior of C. milon . The shape of the male horn varies in this species. Usually it is parallel-sided, but in certain large individuals the sides diverge apically.

Coprophanaeus (C.) christophorowi ( Olsoufieff, 1924)

Fig. 238 , 254-258

Phanaeus christophorowi Olsoufieff, 1924: 66

Coprophanaeus christophorowi (Olsoufieff) (recomb. by Blackwelder 1944: 209)

Type. Holotype male, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris (examined by photo).

Diagnosis. General – Largely weakly shining black; anterior pronotal margin with weak violet-green reflections (reddish sheen in Fig. 257 produced by teneral surface). Posterior (ventral) surface of protibia smooth except for single or double row of coarse punctures (as in Fig. 230 , arrow) paralleling longitudinal carina. Cap of anterior angle of metasternum very weakly forked. Anterior surface of metasternum glabrous above anterior margin of metasternal disk, otherwise sparsely, weakly punctured. Basal pronotal fossae effaced. Length 17-23 mm.

Male – Head horn ( Fig. 256 ) attenuated, base very short, lateral tubercles very acute. Pronotal prominence ( Fig. 256-257 ) topped by simple transverse carina, anterior surface almost vertical, with elongate lateral concavities. Apical processes of parameres large, hook-like ( Fig. 258 ).

Female – Cephalic carina weakly bowed anteriorly, trituberculate, middle tubercle somewhat larger than laterals; length of clypeus equal to or greater than that of frons. Pronotal ridge angulate medially, not distinctly tuberculate.

Specimens examined – 18.

Distribution. French Guiana ( Fig. 238 ).

Collection Records. FRENCH GUIANA: Saül , Mt. Galbao, 3 o 37’18”N 53 o 16’42”N, 740 m (Jun) ; 7 km N Saül, 11 km NW Les Eaux Claires [Rue de Belizon Trail] 3 o 39’46”N 53 o 13’19”W, 280 m ; 18.4 km SSE Roura , 4 o 36’38”N 53 o 13’25”W, 240 m (May) ; Nouragues Field Station , 4 o 05’N 52 o 40’W (Apr) .

Comments. Coprophanaeus christophorowi is a taxonomic isolate within the telamon species subgroup; its highly localized distribution is similar to that of Oxysternon durantoni ( Edmonds and Zidek 2004) . The violet-green color and shape of the male pronotum are unique to the subgroup.

Figures

Figure 237. Approximate geographic distribution of Coprophanaeus (s. str.) species in the dardanus species group A.

Figure 238. Approximate geographic distribution of Coprophanaeus (s. str.) species in the dardanus species group B.

Figure 213-227. Characters of the Coprophanaeus (s. str.) dardanus species group. 213-214) C. dardanus, anterior view of cephalic process of large male. 215) Same, small male. 216) Same, female. 217) C. telamon, aedeagus (lateral view above; dorsal view below). 218-219) C. corythus, anterior view of male cephalic process. 220) C. telamon, same. 221-222) C. telamon, lateral view of male cephalic process (arrow in 222 indicates posterior tubercle). 223) C. corythus, lateral view of male cephalic carina. 224) C. degallieri, metasternal shield. 225-226) C. milon, anterior view of male cephalic process. 227) C. magnoi, same.

Figure 228-236. Characters of the Coprophanaeus (s. str.) dardanus species group. 228) Oblique lateral view of metasternum (asterisk marks capped anterior angle of shield), C. degallieri. 229) Same, C. parvulus. 230) Ventral view of left protibia of C. degallieri (arrow marks row of coarse punctures). 231) Same, C. telamon. 232) Dorsal view surface of left elytron of C. ignecinctus. 233) Same, C. milon. 234) Same, C. magnoi. 235) Dorsal view of head of female C. ignecinctus. 236) Same, C. magnoi.

Figure 249-253. Coprophanaeus milon. 249-250) Female habitus. 251-252) Male habitus. 253) Aedeagus (dorsal view below; lateral view above).

Figure 254-258. Coprophanaeus christophorowi. 254-255) Female habitus. 256-257) Male habitus. 258) Aedeagus (dorsal view on left; lateral view on right).