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

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5352924

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/3A7F7B2C-7F6B-8865-FF34-F90024B6EF72

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) ensifer ( Germar, 1821 )
status

 

Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) ensifer ( Germar, 1821) View in CoL

Fig. 5, 11 View Figure 5-12 , 14, 19-22 View Figure 13-27 , 28 View Figure 28 , 45-49 View Figure 45-49

Copris ensifer Germar, 1821: 147 View in CoL

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

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

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

Coprophanaeus ensifer (Germar) View in CoL (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 View Figure 13-27 , 46-47 View Figure 45-49 ). Posterolateral pronotal ridge short, not extending to lateral pronotal fossa ( Fig. 45 View Figure 45-49 , cf. Fig. 37 View Figure 35-39 ). Metasternal shield completely, coarsely punctured ( Fig. 19 View Figure 13-27 ); 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 View Figure 13-27 ). 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 View Figure 13-27 , 47-49 View Figure 45-49 ) – Pronotal concavity with dorsally inclined spiniform process on each side below prominence ( Fig. 22 View Figure 13-27 ). Dorsal prominence wide, width of saddle much greater than length. Apical process of parameres rounded in profile.

Female ( Fig. 20-21 View Figure 13-27 , 45-46 View Figure 45-49 ) – Pronotal concavity lacking spiniform processes. Protarsi present.

Specimens examined – 133.

Distribution. Caatinga and Cerrado provinces of Chacoan subregion ( Fig. 28 View Figure 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) GoogleMaps ; Caparú , 14 o 50’S 61 o 10’W GoogleMaps ; Las Conchas , 17 o 34’S 59 o 28’W GoogleMaps ; La Guardia , 17 o 53’S 63 o 20’W GoogleMaps ; Basilio , 18 o 07’S 63 o 12’W GoogleMaps ; Estancia Perforación , 19 o 45’S 62 o 00’W GoogleMaps ; 20 km SW Perseverancia , 14 o 44’S 62 o 47’W, 230 m. GoogleMaps 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) GoogleMaps ; 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 GoogleMaps ; 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 View Figure 13-27 ). In the less frequent condition the sides of the median saddle are closely appressed, producing a fluted salience ( Fig. 21 View Figure 13-27 ). Both forms occur together in the region of Brasilia.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Scarabaeidae

Genus

Coprophanaeus

Loc

Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) ensifer ( Germar, 1821 )

Edmonds, W. D. & Zidek, J. 2010
2010
Loc

Coprophanaeus ensifer (Germar)

Edmonds, W. D. 1972: 841
1972
Loc

Megaphanaeus ensifer (Germar)

Blackwelder, R. E. 1944: 209
1944
Loc

Phanaeus ducalis

Nevinson, B. G. 1892: 5
Castelnau, F. L. 1840: 79
1840
Loc

Phanaeus ajax

Nevinson, B. G. 1892: 3
Sturm, J. 1826: 125
1826
Loc

Copris ensifer

Germar, E. F. 1821: 147
1821
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