Geotrupidae, Latreille, 1802

Slay, Michael E., Skelley, Paul E. & Taylor, Steven J., 2012, New Records ofOnthophagus cavernicollisHowden and Cartwright (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from Ozark Caves, with a Review of Scarabaeoids Reported from North American Caves, The Coleopterists Bulletin 66 (3), pp. 187-199 : 192-193

Geotrupidae

Geotrupes blackburnii (F.). Our collections produced a single specimen from Missouri: Pulaski Co.: C- Ration Cave, 23-Mar-2003, S. J. Taylor, V. R. Block (013 Pit: collected from a pitfall trap baited with limburger cheese) (FSCA). Geotrupes blackburnii is common and widespread in the eastern US and frequently found in a variety of animal dung, including that from horse and cow ( Woodruff 1973; Harpootlian 2001). This is considered an accidental collection. The beetle was collected using a baited pitfall trap placed for 24 hours in the cave at a distance of 7.2 m from the entrance. At the trap, soil temperature (measured 2 cm below soil surface) was 16.0°C, air temperature (measure 10 cm above floor) was 17.0°C, and relative humidity was 40.3%.

Geotrupes splendidus (F.). Gardner (1986) reported three specimens from Missouri: Pulaski Co., Kerr Cave , “… from fresh dung in total darkness.” Our collections produced specimens from Missouri: Barry Co. : Mark Twain National Forest , 1.5 mi. W of Shell Knob, Currey Cave , 25-MAR-2001, M. Sutton, dark zone, in fresh woodrat scat (1- FSCA); Pulaski Co. : cave identified as 23PU248, 26-Oct-2003, S. J. Taylor, M. E. Slay (027 Pit: collected from a pitfall trap baited with limburger cheese) (1- FSCA), McCann Cave, 12-May-2004, S. J. Taylor, M. E. Slay (466 Hand: in woodrat feces on dry soil floor) (1- FSCA). Geotrupes splendidus is common and widespread in the northeastern and central US. It is frequently found in a variety of animal dung, fungus, and various decaying animal matter (Ratcliffe and Paulsen 2008). These are considered accidental collections. The beetle taken in 23PU248 was collected using a baited pitfall trap placed for 3 days in the cave at a distance of 14.1 m from the entrance. At the trap, soil temperature (measured 2 cm below soil surface) was 15.0°C, air temperature (measured 10 cm above floor) was 15.6°C, and relative humidity was 99.4 %.