Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) ensifer ( Germar, 1821 )

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 : 20-21

Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) ensifer ( Germar, 1821)

Fig. 5, 11 , 14, 19-22 , 28 , 45-49

Copris ensifer Germar, 1821: 147

Phanaeus ajax Sturm, 1826: 125 (syn. by Nevinson 1892: 3)

Phanaeus ducalis Castelnau, 1840: 79 (syn. by Nevinson 1892: 5)

Megaphanaeus ensifer (Germar) (recomb. by Blackwelder 1944: 209)

Coprophanaeus ensifer (Germar) (recomb. by Edmonds 1972: 841)

Type. C. ensifer – unknown to us; P. ajax – unknown to us; P. ducalis – unknown to us.

Diagnosis. General – Pronotum strongly granulate posteromedially ( Fig. 20-21 , 46-47 ). Posterolateral pronotal ridge short, not extending to lateral pronotal fossa ( Fig. 45 , cf. Fig. 37 ). Metasternal shield completely, coarsely punctured ( Fig. 19 ); anterior portion of metasternum completely finely granulate. Carinulate margins of striae 2-4 strongly undulate such that width of stria at narrowings is no more than one-half (usually much less) of that at widest points; carinulate margins strongly tuberculate at narrowings ( Fig. 14 ). Interstriae completely covered by large, round granules. Dorsal color usually shade of green or bluish green, rarely blue. Length 30-56 mm.

Male ( Fig. 22 , 47-49 ) – Pronotal concavity with dorsally inclined spiniform process on each side below prominence ( Fig. 22 ). Dorsal prominence wide, width of saddle much greater than length. Apical process of parameres rounded in profile.

Female ( Fig. 20-21 , 45-46 ) – Pronotal concavity lacking spiniform processes. Protarsi present.

Specimens examined – 133.

Distribution. Caatinga and Cerrado provinces of Chacoan subregion ( Fig. 28 ).

Collection Records. ARGENTINA: Misiones – Loreto. BOLIVIA: Santa Cruz – Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado [Los Fierros], 14 o 33’28”S 60 o 55’51”W and 15 o 15’6.3”S 61 o 14’41”W (Jan-Feb) ; Caparú , 14 o 50’S 61 o 10’W ; Las Conchas , 17 o 34’S 59 o 28’W ; La Guardia , 17 o 53’S 63 o 20’W ; Basilio , 18 o 07’S 63 o 12’W ; Estancia Perforación , 19 o 45’S 62 o 00’W ; 20 km SW Perseverancia , 14 o 44’S 62 o 47’W, 230 m. BRAZIL: Alagoas – Maçeio (Jul). Bahia – Encruzilhada (Dec). Distrito Federal – Brasilia, 600 m (Nov-Dec). Goias – Bananeiras (Jan). Mato Grosso – Rio Verde (Nov) ; Fazenda São João , 14 o 14’10”S 56 o 08’11”W, 400 m (Jan) ; Arinos (Nov). Mato Grosso do Sul – Piraputanga (Mar); Selvíria (Jan). Minas Gerais – Lagoa Santa; Machacalis (Dec); Uberlândia (Dec). Paraíba – Mamanguape [Rebio Guaribas], 6 o 41’S 35 o 10’W ; João Pessoa [Mata do Buraquinho] (May). Pernambuco – Recife [campus Universidade Federal de Pernambuco ] (Aug). São Paulo – Assis (Dec) ; Descalvado (Mar); Colina (May); Itirapina (Feb); Ilha Solteira (Feb) ; São José do Rio Preto (Dec) ; Riberão Preto (Feb); Bálsamo (Nov); Rio Claro (Feb-Mar) ; Araraquara (Oct); Urupês (Nov); Planalto (Apr); Limeira (Feb); São José dos Campos (Oct-Nov); Rio Preto (Dec) ; Franca (Nov); Mogi Guaçu [Fazenda Campininas] (Jan); Campinas (Nov-Dec). PARAGUAY: Alto Paraná – Limoy (Sep-Oct). Anambay – Cerro Cora Feb, Dec). Caaguazú – Caaguazú (Nov-Dec). Concepción – Cororó (Nov). Guairá – Villarrica (Dec) ; Independencia; Melgarejo (Sep). Kanindeyu – Carapa (Apr).

Comments. Endres et al. (2005) studied the phenology of C. ensifer in Paraíba ( Brazil) and found that adult abundance and activity are greatest during the April–September rainy season and that beetles showed no preference for carrion type used to bait traps. Otronen (1988) provided observations and interpretations on horn variation and combat in this species in both sexes. Fighting in C. ensifer occurs both intra- and intersexually. Males fight males to defend or gain resources and to win females; females fight females and males to defend their burrows.

This species varies in color. The usual tone is dark metallic green, often with contrasting bluish reflections. Pessôa (1934) reported rare metallic blue individuals from Lussanvira, São Paulo, and bluishgreen individuals from Mato Grosso. A very dark bluish-green form occurs in the gallery forests of northern Mato Grosso (Querencia, Diamantino, Trivelato), where the species has evidently invaded a decidedly Amazonian habitat; the male of this form has a small median tooth between larger lateral ones born apically on the median projection of the pronotal prominence (Fernando Vaz-de-Mello, pers. comm.).

The female pronotal prominence takes two forms. The summit of the more frequent one is broadly saddle-shaped ( Fig. 20 ). In the less frequent condition the sides of the median saddle are closely appressed, producing a fluted salience ( Fig. 21 ). Both forms occur together in the region of Brasilia.

Figures

Figure 28. Approximate geographic distribution of Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) species.

Figure 5-12. Characters of Coprophanaeus. 5) Ventral view of front left tibia of C. ensifer (arrow marks elongate tuft of setae). 6) Same, C. dardanus. 7) Left anterolateral pronotal margin of C. spitzi (arrow indicates unbroken circumnotal carina. 8) Same, C. magnoi (arrow indicates broken circumnotal carina). 9) Base of left hind wing of C. cerberus. 10) Same, C. horus. 11) Lateral view left occipital lobe of C. ensifer (asterisk marks swelling). 12) Same, C. spitzi (asterisk marks flat area).

Figure 13-27. Characters of the Coprophanaeus subgenus Megaphanaeus. 13) Elytral surface of C. lancifer. 14) Same, C. ensifer. 15) Same, C. bonariensis. 16) Same, C. bellicosus. 17) Mesosternum and anterior portion of metasternum of C. lancifer (arrow indicates smooth area of metasternum). 18) Metasternum of C.lancifer. 19) Same, C. ensifer. 20) Dorsal view of posteromedian pronotal prominence of female C. ensifer (broad form). 21) Same (narrow form). 22) Partial lateral view of pronotum male C. ensifer (arrow indicates lateral spine). 23) Same, C. lancifer (arrow indicates vertical ridge). 24) Dorsal view of posteromedian pronotal prominence of male C. lancifer. 25) Same, female (broad form). 26) Same (narrow form). 27) Anterior view of cephalic process of female C. bellicosus.

Figure 45-49. Coprophanaeus ensifer. 45-46) Female habitus. 47-48) Male habitus. 49) Aedeagus (lateral view above; dorsal view below).

Figure 35-39. Coprophanaeus lancifer. 35-36) Female habitus. 37-38) Male habitus (arrow in 37 indicates posterolateral pronotal ridge). 39) Aedeagus (lateral view on left; dorsal view on right).