Coprophanaeus (Coprophanaeus) dardanus ( Macleay, 1819 )

Gillett, Conrad P. D. T., Gillett, P. T., E. D. T, James & Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z., 2010, Diversity and distribution of the scarab beetle tribe Phanaeini in the northern states of the Brazilian Northeast (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Insecta Mundi 2010 (118), pp. 1-19 : 8

Coprophanaeus (Coprophanaeus) dardanus ( Macleay, 1819)

Figure 9

Collection data. Ceará: Baturité, Uirapuru, 38 o 54’22"W ; 04 o 17’27"S, 620 m Atlantic forest , dung traps, 06. iii. 2008: 2m ; idem, carrion traps near house, 27. iii. 2008: 1m ; idem, carrion traps, 06. iii. 2008: 3m + 1f ; idem, 09-10. v. 2008: 1m + 1f ; idem, dung traps, 28. iii. 2008: 1m ; idem, dung traps, 07. iii. 2008: 3m ; idem, carrion traps, 29. iii. 2008: 3m + 2f ; idem, carrion traps, 07. iii. 2008: 3m + 4f ; idem, dung trap near house, 28. iii. 2008: 1f ; idem, forest dung trap, 29. iii. 2008: 1f ; idem, 29. iii. 2008: 1m +2f ; idem, carrion traps, 28. iii. 2008: 4m + 5f ; idem, 27. iii. 2008: 5m + 2f ; Maranguape, Piraponga, 38 o 41’59"W ; 03 o 53’26"S, 200 m Atlantic forest , carrion traps, June 2005: 2m + 2f. NEW STATE RECORDS .

Results. 2008 data: 46 specimens; 27males and 19 females. Male: Female sex ratio 1.42. Bait preference (2008 data): Carrion (35), Dung (11). Temporal distribution (all data): March (44), May (2).

Distribution. This species has been recorded from BA ( Olsoufieff 1924) and recently from PE ( Costa et al. 2009) in the NE. It is also known from several other Brazilian states (Santa Catarina, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Pará), French Guiana and Venezuela ( Feer 2000; Arnaud 2002a; Schiffler et al. 2003; F. Z. Vaz-de-Mello personal observation) and is present in Suriname (C. Gillett personal observations). The new records above are intermediate between the other Brazilian records and the Amazonian records, indicating that the species has a more continuous distribution along the coast of Brazil than was previously apparent.

Remarks. Coprophanaeus dardanus is restricted to Atlantic forest fragments and enclaves in the area studied, only at elevations above 200 m (although it occurs above 500 m in SE Brazil – F. Z. Vaz-de-Mello personal observation). The species is preferentially necrophagous but can also be regularly collected in dung-baited traps. In June 2005 specimens were collected at Piraponga, Maraguape but not at Uirapuru, Serra de Baturité. Conversely in March 2008, specimens were collected at the latter locality but not in the former, possibly indicating very localized shifts in temporal distribution probably related to elevation and climate. At both localities the species occurs sympatrically with C. cyanescens . Specimens from CE match those from other areas ( French Guiana, Suriname etc.) in color, having only slight metallic greenish reflections on the pronotum and femora.

Figures

Figure 7-13. Habitus images. 7) Coprophanaeus cyanescens (Olsoufieff, 1924) male specimen from Maranguape, São Benedito, Sanctuario da Nossa Senhora de Penha (CE). 8) Coprophanaeus acrisius (Macleay, 1819) male specimen from Santa Quiteria de Maranhão, Fazenda Rodiador (MA). 9) Coprophanaeus dardanus (Macleay, 1819) male specimen from Baturité, Uirapuru (CE). 10) Coprophanaeus (Metallophanaeus) pertyi (Olsoufieff, 1924) male specimen from Maranguape, Tabatinga (CE). 11) Diabroctis mimas (Linnaeus, 1767) male specimen from Maranguape, Piraponga (CE). 12-13) Phanaeus melibaeus Blanchard, 1843 male specimen from Santa Quiteria de Maranhão, Fazenda Rodiador (MA). Photographs by M.P.T. Gillett.