Copris crassus Deschodt and Davis

Deschodt, Christian M., Davis, Adrian L. V. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2015, A new synonymy in the fidius group of Copris Müller 1764 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) and a new species from the highland grasslands of South Africa, Zootaxa 3949 (3), pp. 431-438 : 434-436

Copris crassus Deschodt and Davis

Figure 4 A, B, D–H, 5.

Diagnosis. This species and C. fidius are the only species in the group with almost round eyes However, this species can be separated from C. fidius by its larger size, the pronotal lateral lobes in major specimens ending with a single peak instead of two, and the male and female pronotal and elytral punctures being larger and closer together.

Description. Holotype: Length: 21.0 mm, long 12.4 mm at widest and 9.0 mm high.

Body somewhat squat, shiny black, glabrous dorsally.

Major male. Head: apical edge of clypeus slightly indented and with two small denticles, forming very shallow “v”; area behind clypeal horn and genae punctate; genal angle sharp; clypeal horn elongate and narrow, slightly curved backwards, sharp at apex, distal edge with a small hooked tooth at basal fourth. Epipharynx: anterior edge convex, median sensory setae dense and tight, forming a strongly sclerotized cone; sensory setae more or less in straight lines diverging anteriorly. Labium: apical edge with deep notch, median depression deep, almost one third as wide as labium at widest. Prothorax: median lateral indentation present, punctate laterally, with anterior median region smooth; anterior, outside angles obtuse, the lateral edges slightly curved; median excavation wide, somewhat concave, punctate anteriorly and smooth posteriorly, the prothoracic lobes significantly elevated with apices terminating in a single point, turned inward distally. Elytra: interstriae flat, finely punctate, punctation less than one puncture diameter apart, striae clearly visible. Pygidium: with dense punctation less than one puncture diameter apart. Sterna: meso-metasternal suture lines straight, forming obtuse, anteriorly-pointing angle medially; mesosternum somewhat rugose; on metasternum, meso-metasternal suture, posterior edge and area between coxae smooth; area outside of coxae punctate. Legs: protibial spur spatulate, slightly curved ventrally towards apex; profemora covered with dense hair; metatibiae with two thin spurs on distal outside edge; proximal spur is half the length of distally curving distal spur. Male genitalia: apices of parameres dorsally rounded with hooked ventral tip. The apical sclerites of the internal sack consist of the basal sclerite (“lamelle conique” in Nguyen Phung (1988)) that is bulbous at base and hooked at the tip; the elongate sclerite with long filaments that is typical of all Copris spp.; and of the plate sclerite with a file-like surface and ends that are twisted 90 degrees ( Fig. 4 E). Length: 18.0 to 21.0 mm.

Variation. Minor males. Size somewhat variable. Lateral lobes on pronotum range between half that of the major male to completely absent with between-lobe concave excavation becoming flat and less distinct. Clypeal horn ranges between one third of that in major males to only a small protrusion with distal basal tooth relatively smaller or absent.

Females. Similar to males, but with a much reduced clypeal horn or a slightly projecting point on the frontoclypeal suture; the prothorax is very slightly excavated or flat and densely punctate medially.

Etymology. The name for this largest known species in the fidius group is the Latin word for “fat” reflecting the squat body shape.

Type material examined. Holotype: 1 ♂ Suikerbosrand Nat. Res., Gauteng, South Africa, 28°28–32’S 28°10- 17’E, 12–13.xii.2001 1631–1930 m, Davis & Deschodt ( TMSA).

Paratypes: 4 ♂ same data as holotype (2 UPSA, 1 TMSA, 1 SANC), 1 ♂ RSA: Kwazulu-Natal, Sani Pass, alt. 1747m, S 29°37’37.57” E 29°25’21.87”, 21.ix.2003;Pitfall – Cattle dung, W.P. Stru[ü]mpher, A. Henning ( UPSA), 3 ♂ RSA: NATAL, Giants Castle Res., 32.02S – 19.13E [29.43°S 29.52°E] 250m [2500m] 15/ 17-XI-1985, AVEvans,CHScholtz, ( UPSA), 1 ♀ Avontuur, E. CP, (23 kms S) [33.841°S 23.189°E] 2.IX.77, Sandy loam, Rocky hillside pasture with shrubs 570m C, A.L.V. Davis, ( SANC), 1 ♀ QUEENSTOWN, CP (35 kms N) [31.669°S 26.708°E] 12.XI.74, I.D. Temby, ( SANC), 1 ♂ S.Afr.;KWZ Natal, Lotheni Nat.Res. 29[°].26[’] S - 29[°].31[’] E, 27– 30.3.2011;E-Y:3902, at light; 1497m, leg. Ruth Müller, ( TMSA), 1 ♂ RSA, KZN, Lotheni, 29.44558[°]S/ 29.53784[°]E, 1718m, Grassland, 13 j[J]anuary 2007, Site No. 107, Capture: Ground, MDTP No. 97353, [Michelle Hamer, Maluti Drakensberg transect project] and 1 ♂ same as pervious but with MDTP No. 96745, (2 UPSA), 1♂ SOUTH AFRICA: MPU, Groenvaly, 10km NE of Badplaas, 25°52’S, 30°46’E 04.ii.1995 S.H. Foord, ( SANC), 6♂ Lotheni Nature Reserve, 29.44558°S 29.53784°E, 07– 09.12.2014, 1700m, Grassland, C. Deschodt & A. Davis (4 UPSA, 2 NMPC).

FIGURE 5. Map indicating the location of the collecting sites of (●) Copris crassus and (▲) C. fidius specimens in Southern Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Habitus of C. crassus (A) major male, (B) female and (C) C. fidius major male. Head and pronotum side profile of major males of (D) C. crassus and (E) C. fidius. Outlines of apical sclerites of the internal sack of aedeagus for C. crassus: (F) basal sclerite and (G) plate sclerite. (H) Aedeagus of C. crassus. C. crassus, (I) labium and (J) epipharynx. C. fidius. Scale bar 1 (10 mm) for A – E and scale bar 2 (1 mm) for F – J.