Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) bellicosus ( Olivier, 1789 )

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 : 14-16

Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) bellicosus ( Olivier, 1789)

Fig. 16, 27-34

Scarabaeus bellicosus Olivier, 1789: 109

Phanaeus sylvanus Castelnau, 1840: 80 (syn. by Nevinson 1892: 2)

Megaphanaeus bellicosus (Olivier) (recomb. by Blackwelder 1944: 209)

Coprophanaeus bellicosus (Olivier) (recomb. by Edmonds 1972: 841) Type. S. bellicosus – holotype male, Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow (examined by photo) ; P. sylvanus – unknown to us.

Diagnosis. General – Pronotum ( Fig. 30-31 ) punctate posteromedially, not granulate. Posterolateral pronotal ridge long, extending to lateral pronotal fossa ( Fig. 32 , arrow). Metasternal shield largely smooth (as in Fig.18 ); anterior portion of metasternum smooth. Elytral striae ( Fig. 16 ) narrow, sides carinulate, straight, converging apically; interstriae 1-4 smooth, 5-7 finely rugose. Dorsal color black or dark brown, sometimes dark blue or bluish violet. Length 28-38 mm.

Male ( Fig. 31-33 ) – Pronotal concavity broad, shallow, lacking lateral protuberances. Dorsal prominence with narrow, median, scoop-shaped element. Apical process of parameres rounded in profile.

Female ( Fig. 29-30 ) – Cephalic process tridentate, middle tubercle much larger than laterals. Pronotal prominence a transverse, weakly bitumid, narrow process near posterior margin; pronotal concavity very broad, shallow, similar to that of male. Protarsi present.

Specimens examined – 150.

Distribution. Atlantic coast forests of Brazil (Paranaian subregion) ( Fig. 28 ).

Collection Records. BRAZIL: Bahia – Entre Rios (Jan) ; Encruzilhada (Dec) . Espiritu Santo – Sooretama (Jun, Nov) ; Tijuco Prêto (Dec) ; Fazenda Lagoa do Macuco [Municipio Linhares], 19 o 03’50”S 39 o 58’43”W (Jan) ; Timbuhy. Minas Gerais – Viçosa [Mata do Paraiso], 20 o 48’18”S 42 o 51’20”W, 750 m (Feb, Nov). Rio Grande do Sul – São Alberto (Jan). Rio de Janeiro – Nova Friburgo (Jan, Oct) ; 17 km E Nova Friburgo , 22 o 23’04”S 42 o 33’30”W, 750 m (Jan). Santa Catarina – Joinville (Nov-Dec) ; Tijuca Forest ( Jan ). São Paulo – São João dos Campos (Feb) ; Nova Cantareira (Apr) ; 50 km SE Mogi das Cruzes [ Serra do Mar Biological Station “ Boraceia ”], 800-900 m (Apr) ; Tremembé (Dec) .

Comments. Arnaud (2002c) transferred this species to the subgenus Coprophanaeus s. str. stating only that, while it was isolated from other members of that subgenus, it could not “… en aucune manière, si ce n’est sa taille, être associé au groupe lancifer .” We disagree and maintain its placement in Megaphanaeus because of the suite of characters it shares with C. lancifer , C. ensifer and C. bonariensis (see key to subgenera). But we do agree that it is a taxonomic isolate within the subgenus with, in our view, a closer affinity with the saphirinus group of Metallophanaeus than with any constituent of Coprophanaeus s. str. In this context, the affinity is suggested by secondary sexual characteristics of both sexes and the texture of the elytra. Interestingly, Nevinson (1892) in his “Suggested order of the species, and the groups into which they more-or-less naturally fall,” proposed C. bellicosus as an isolated annectant between the lancifer and saphirinus groups. To Martínez (1944) the females of C. bellicosus “ … se asemejan a ciertos [two male symbols] del subgenero Coprophanaeus del grupo jasius .”

Coprophanaeus bellicosus is a denizen of the Atlantic coast forests of Brazil, and its range, along with that of C. cerberus , has undoubtedly contracted in recent decades because of widespread agriculturization and urbanization of Brazil’s eastern seaboard.

Figures

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

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 29-34. Coprophanaeus bellicosus. 29-30) Female habitus. 31-33) Male habitus (arrow in 32 indicates posterolateral ridge). 34) Aedeagus (lateral view below; dorsal view above).