Onthophagus (Onthophagus) falsus Gillet, 1925

Ziani, Stefano, Abdel-Dayem, Mahmoud Saleh, Aldhafer, Hathal Mohammed & Barbero, Enrico, 2019, An overview of the Onthophagini from the Arabian Peninsula (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae), Zootaxa 4658 (1), pp. 1-36 : 22

Onthophagus (Onthophagus) falsus Gillet, 1925

[ Fig. 16 ]

Literature quotes. None.

Material examined. SAUDI ARABIA : Riyadh Province, Al-Wasiel , 19.xi. 205, SW on Alfalfa, M. Ur Rehman leg. 1 ♂ ( KSMA) ; Wadi Al Dawaser, Al Muhmmadiya Farm , 700 m (2025.497′N 4443.563′E), 9.v.2018, H. Al Dhafer et al. leg. 2 ♂♂ ( KSMA) ; Wadi Hanifa , 14.xi.2015, HP in date palm, E.M. Khan leg. 2 ♂♂ ( KSMA) .

Distribution. Asia: Afghanistan ( Balthasar 1963), central and northern India ( Arrow 1931; Mittal & Jain 2015), south-western India ( Sabu et al., 2011; Venugopal et al., 2012); Pakistan ( Arrow 1931).

Remarks. First record for the Arabian Peninsula, notably Saudi Arabia . The taxon was placed in the subgenus Gibbonthophagus Balathasar, 1935 by Kabakov (2006), then in Onthophagus species incertae sedis by Ziani & Bezděk (2016). We have herein inserted O. falsus in the nominotypical subgenus because, in our opinion, the species is phylogenetically more closely related to Onthophagus taurus (Schreber, 1759) , the type species of the subgenus, than to any type species of any other genus or subgenus of Onthophagini . Paramera apex and lamella copulatrix support this placement.

Figures

FIGURES 14–18. Onthophagini of Arabian Peninsula. 14, Onthophagus (Micronthophagus) ochreatus d’Orbigny, 1898: YE (Al Hudaydah) 10 km W Al Mansuriyah; 15, Onthophagus (Onthophagiellus) millingeni d’Orbigny, 1898: YE (Sana’a) Haddah; 16, Onthophagus (s. str.) falsus Gillet, 1925: SA (Riyadh) Wadi Al Dawaser; 17, Onthophagus (Proagoderus) quadriarmatus Fairmaire, 1892, ♂: YE (Al Mahrah) Wadi N of Damqut vill.; 18, Onthophagus (Proagoderus) quadriarmatus Fairmaire, 1892, ♀: YE (Al Mahrah) Wadi N of Damqut vill. Photos by Gabriele Fiumi.