The dung beetle fauna of the Big Bend region of Texas (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) Edmonds, W. D. Insecta Mundi 2018 2018-07-27 642 1 30 4FSL6 Edmonds Edmonds 1994 [192,580,490,514] Insecta Scarabaeidae Phanaeus Animalia Coleoptera 15 14 Arthropoda species texensis   Fig. 70–73   Diagnosis.Black, often with blue-violet highlights; upper surface dull. Length 12–22 mm. Male ( Fig. 70–72) – Head of large individuals bearing long horn curved posteriorly over the pronotum; pronotum roughened by irregular granular sculpturing, strongly flattened, with salient, laterally curved posterior angles; in smaller males head horn shorter and triangular area of pronotum reduced in size and prominence. Female ( Fig. 73) – Head with anteriorly bowed ridge between and in front of eyes; pronotum granulate, convex, with transverse, weakly bowed ridge near anterior margin. Elytral interstriae flat, densely roughened. Edmonds (1994)provides a formal description of this species (as  P. triangularis texensis; raised to species status in Edmonds and Zidek 2012).   Big Bend collection sites(altitudinal range: 1325–1850 m).   Jeff Davis Co: [1] Davis Mountains Preserve, 31°41′40″N 104°07′30″W, 1850 m(Jul–Aug);  [2] Davis MountainsPreserve ( Madera Canyon Unit),  1845 m( Sep);  [3]  16 kmS Fort Davis(along TX 17), 30°27′48″N 103°58′59″W,  1600 m( Aug);  [4] 8 km  8 kmSE Fort Davis(via TX 118), Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute( Quarry Unit), 30°32′06″N 103°50′37″W,  1480 m( Sep);  [5]~  16 kmNE Valentine, Muerto Springs Ranch( Muerto Springs), 30°40′50″N 104°20′22″W,  1555 m( Jul).   Presidio Co.: [1]  37 kmSSW Marfa(along FM 2810, Petan Ranch– Cherry Hillssector), 30°07′35″N 104°19′24″W, 1630 m(Jun);  [2]  20–26 kmSSE Marfa(along FM 169),  1355–1415 m( Jun);  [3]  27 kmSSE Marfa(along FM 169), 30°08′42″N 104°02′13″W,  1325 m( Jul);  [4]~  16 kmW Valentine( Miller Ranch, near headquarters), 30°33°30″N 104°38′44″W,  1350 m( Jul–Aug);  [5] Miller Ranch(~  16 kmW Valentine), 30°32′50″N 104°39′40″W( Camp Holland)  1410 m( Aug);  [6]  3 kmNE Marfa(along FM 1112), MarfaGolf Course, 30°19′40″N 103°59′41″W,  1470 m( Jul, Sep).  Collection method(s).a) baited pitfall trap (human feces); b) direct capture (cowdung; pronghorn dung; horse dung; *deer carcass).   Surface activity.Diurnal.  Habitat.Montane woodlands and grasslands throughout the Big Bend area.   Comments.  Phanaeus texensisis not common in the Big Bend, but it is widespread there. It is a burrowing species that searches for food (usually dung) on the surface that, once located, is buried by bits in tunnels underneath or to the side of its find. Often the only sign that it is present is a small mound of soil pushed to the surface during excavation of the tunnel. Because it passes most of its adult life underground, this species is, in spite of its size and conspicuousness, largely unknown to ranchers, hunters and others who frequent pasturelands in the area. While it prefers montane habitats, it can be found in other grassland and scrub habitats as well, but usually above 1380 m. Big Bend specimens of this species are always darkly colored, but scarce individuals can occasionally assume metallic green/coppery coloration in eastern parts of the state. In 1994, I considered  P. texensis(as  P. triangularis texensis) essentially absent from the Big Bend, an error corrected here. A peripheral record in Pecos Co. about 32 kmnorthwest of Marathon on U.S.Hwy 385 (Brewster Co.), reports  P. texensisfrom a deer carcass. While  P. texensisoccurs throughout much of the western two-thirds of the state, including the Big Bend, another species occurs at the periphery of the Trans-Pecos and could be regarded as an incipient (or perhaps previous) member of the Big Bend fauna. This second  Phanaeusis  P. difformisLeConte( Fig. 74–75), which is broadly distributed in the south-central United Statesand has penetrated western areas into the northern limit of the Trans-Pecos via river drainage systems into southeastern New Mexicoand eastern Colorado( Edmonds 1994). A few isolated specimens have been collected in the Hueco Mountains east of El Paso ( Schoenly 1983) as well as in GuadalupeMountains National Park and near Malaga, New Mexico (personal records). Another common  Phanaeus,  P. vindexMacLeay, occurs widely in the Texas plains, New Mexico and Arizona; I agree with Bill Warner (pers. comm.) that its apparent absence from the Trans-Pecos is surprising. 2575871676 [232,1388,875,900] 31.694443 Davis Mountains Preserve 20 -104.125 Jeff Davis Co 15 14 1 2575871701 Sep 1845 Davis Mountains Madera Canyon Unit 15 14 1 2575871613 TX Aug 1600 30.463335 16 km S Fort Davis 20 -103.983055 15 14 TX 17 1 2575871656 TX Sep 1480 30.535 Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute 20 -103.84361 Quarry Unit 15 14 TX 118 1 2575871620 Jul 1555 30.680555 Muerto Springs Ranch 20 -104.33945 Muerto Springs 15 14 1 2575871637 Presidio Co. 30.126389 Petan Ranch 20 -104.32333 Marfa 15 14 1 2575871696 [543,1305,1069,1093] FM Jun 1385 20 - 26 km SSE Marfa 15 14 FM 169 1 2575871700 FM Jul 1325 30.145 27 km SSE Marfa 20 -104.03694 15 14 FM 169 1 2575871687 Jul-Aug 1350 Miller Ranch -104.64555 15 14 1 2575871604 Camp & Aug Netherlands 1410 30.547222 Miller Ranch 20 -104.66111 15 14 1 2575871699 FM Jul & Sep Netherlands 1470 30.327778 Marfa 20 -103.99472 15 14 FM 1112 1