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 : 64-68

Coprophanaeus (C.) boucardi ( Nevinson, 1891)

Fig. 160 , 172 , 189-194

Phanaeus boucardi Nevinson, 1891: 208

Coprophanaeus boucardi (Nevinson) (recomb. by Edmonds 1972: 843)

Coprophanaeus pluto boucardi (Nevinson) (recomb. by Arnaud 2002c: 41)

Type. Lectotype male (des. by Arnaud 2002a: 9), The Natural History Museum, London (examined).

Diagnosis. General – Black except for green to yellowish-green metallic coloring on pronotum and pygidium. Clypeal teeth (subject to wear) elongate, length about one and half width at base ( Fig. 160 ). Length of frons about equal to that of clypeus. Eyes large, width of upper portion about one-third to onefourth of interocular distance. Anterior one-half of frons punctate, smooth posteriorly. Paraocular area completely sculptured, sculpturing weakening closer to eye. Posteromedian portion of pronotum strongly punctured, punctures asperate, becoming weaker and sparser near posterior margin; basal pronotal fossae distinct. Anterior angle of metasternum with rounded cap (seen in profile, as in Fig. 167 ). Elytral interstriae at most only weakly convex (as in Fig. 166 ). Pygidium with wide basal groove (as in Fig. 163 ). Length 13-25 mm.

Male ( Fig. 191-194 ) – Tubercles of cephalic carina acute, equal-sized, somewhat elongate. Pronotal prominence of large male ( Fig. 193 ) cleat-shaped, lateral angles reduced such that width is less than that of emarginate, anteromedian portion of pronotal margin. Parameres lacking subapical tooth ( Fig. 194 ).

Female ( Fig. 189-190 ) – Transverse pronotal carina bidentate medially, followed by transverse depression with summit weakly bitumid.

Specimens examined – 48.

Distribution. Extreme southern portion of the Pacific Coast province ( Fig. 172 ).

Collection Records. COSTA RICA: Guanacaste – Liberia ( Aug ) ; 34 km N Liberia (Hacienda Poco Sol) ( May-Jul ) ; Rincón de la Vieja National Park, 775 m ( Jun ) ; Estación Santa Rosa [Parque Nacional Santa Rosa], 10 o 50’23.0”N 85 o 37’07.0”W, 290 m ( Jun-Jul ) ;. San José – Santo Domingo (Aug). EL SAL- VADOR: San Salvador – San Salvador ( Jul ) ; Santa Tecla (Nueva San Salvador), 900 m ( Sep ) ; Lago Ilopango ( Aug ) . HONDURAS: Cortés – Parque Nacional Cerro Azul-Meambar, 14 o 52.4’N 87 o 54.7’W, 800 m ( May ) . Francisco Morazán – El Zamorano [Escuela Agrícola Panamericana], 800 m ( Jul ) ; Tatumbla, 1400 m ( Oct ) . Olancho – 14 km N La Unión [Parque Nacional La Muralla], 1500 m ( Aug ) .

Comments. Pereira (1953) regarded this species as a synonym of C. pluto . This very close relative of C. pluto is a denizen endemic to dry forests of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador, where it occurs with Phanaeus eximius Bates and P. demon var. excelsus Bates. We have seen specimens labeled Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas (530 m); while its occurrence there is a reasonable possibility, the record needs confirmation.

Figures

Figure 172. Approximate geographic distribution of Coprophanaeus (s. str.) species in the pluto species group.

Figure 151-161. Characters of the Coprophanaeus (s. str.) pluto species group. 151-153) Anterior views of male cephalic process of C. pluto. 154-157) Dorsal views of male pronotal prominence of C. chiriquensis. 158-159) Same, C. gilli. 160) Clypeal margin of C. boucardi. 161) Same, C. pluto.

Figure 189-194. Coprophanaeus boucardi. 189-190) Female habitus. 191-192) Male habitus. 193) Dorsal view of pronotal prominence of large male. 194) Aedeagus (lateral view on left; dorsal view on right).

Figure 162-170. Characters of the Coprophanaeus (s. str.) pluto species group. 162-163) Posterior view of pygidium of C. morenoi. 164) Same, C. chiriquensis. 165) Dorsal view left of elytron of C. solisi. 166) Same, C. pluto. 167) Metasternal prominence of C. pluto. 168) Same, C. pecki. 169) Dorsal view of parameres of C. pluto. 170) Lateral view, same.