Gonaphodiellus hoffmanni (Islas, 1945)

(Fig. 18-22)

Aphodius (Gonaphodiellus) hoffmanni Islas, 1945: 451; Dellacasa 1988: 140.

Gonaphodiellus hoffmanni; Skelley et al. 2007: 4.

Type locality. Aldea Coronado, Chiapas, Mexico.

Type repository. Instituto de Biología, Mexico City, Mexico (type not examined).

Redescription. Length 5.5-6.0 mm, oblong, moderately convex, shiny, glabrous. Dark brownish; clypeal margin and sides of pronotum paler; elytra with more or less elongate basal yellowish spots on second, third and seventh interstriae; first interstria yellowish on disc; second interstria posteriorly with a round blackish margined yellowish spot at two thirds of length; often shoulder and apical declivity more or less widely yellowish; legs brown-reddish; antennal club brownish. Head with epistome feebly convex on disc, with moderately dense, almost coarse, regular punctation; clypeus subtruncate anteriorly, round at sides, distinctly bordered, edge almost glabrous; genae obtusely round, very shortly ciliate, protruding from the eyes; frontal suture finely impressed; front rather finely subregularly punctured. Pronotum transverse, moderately convex, punctation somewhat irregular, denser and coarser on sides, more regular superficial and sparser on disc; lateral margins subparallel toward base, distinctly bordered, edge glabrous; hind angles widely truncate; truncature faintly sinuate inwardly; base distinctly bisinuate. Scutellum elongate, irregularly punctured on basal half. Elytra slightly broadened posteriorly, weakly denticulate at shoulder; striae fine, superficially punctured, subcrenulate; interstriae feebly convex, very finely microreticulate, moderately shiny, nearly imperceptibly sparsely punctured. Hind tibiae upper spur as long as two thirds of first tarsal segment; first tarsal segment as long as following four segments combined. Male: pronotum not narrowed anteriorly; fore tibiae relatively longer and slender, their spur somewhat stouter; metasternal plate longitudinally excavate at middle; aedeagus Fig. 21-22. Female: pronotum somewhat narrowed anteriorly; fore tibiae relatively shorter and stouter, their spur slender; metasternal plate nearly flat.

Material examined. GUATEMALA: Dept. El Progreso, Sierra de la Minas, nr. Cerro Pinalon, “Las Cabañas”, nr. 15.08467 -89.94299, m 2579, 12-15.V.2010, leg. Skelley P. E., Steck & Sutton, cloud forest, FIT (5 exx., FSCA) ; idem, 12-15.V.2010, leg. Skelley P. E., cloud forest, animal dung (3 exx., FSCA); idem, 12-15.V.2010, leg. Skelley P. E., cloud forest, dung baited pitfall (7 exx., FSCA); Dept. El Progreso, Sierra de la Minas, nr. Pinalon, nr. Finca de La Tormenta, m 2199, nr. 15.07222 - 89.94891, 15-17.V.2010, leg. Skelley P. E., moist oak forest, animal dung (3 exx., FSCA) ; idem, 15- 17.V.2010, leg. Skelley P. E., moist oak forest, 8w light trap (26 exx., FSCA; 6 exx., DCGI); San Marcos, San Rafael Soché, m 2500, 01.VI.2000, leg. Cano E., bosque Alnus encino y cipreses sembrados, luz UV+ Hg 18.30-23.30 hrs (1 ex., FSCA) ; MEXICO: Chiapas: Chiquihuite dint., 15°05’41.0" N-092 °06’04.3"W, m 2060, 23.VI.2007, leg. Dellacasa M. & Fresi C. (51 exx., DCGI) ; El Porvenir, m 2850, 23.IV.1995 leg. Curoe D. (1 ex., CNCI) ; La Selva Negra, 30.VI.1991, leg. Burne J. B. & Thomas D. (1 ex., CNCI) ; idem, 03.VIII.1991, leg. Thomas D. & Mendoza (3 exx., CNCI); Laguna Montebello, 4700’, 30.VII.1974, leg. C: W. O’Brien, L. B. O’Brien & G. B. Marshall (1 ex., EMEB) ; Mpio. Motozintla, Boquerón, 10.V.2003, leg. López-Rojas J. (2 exx., DCGI) ; Mpio. Angel Albino Corzo, Reserva El Triúnfo, trail to El Triúnfo Peak, 15°39’82"N – 92°48’62"W, m 2180, 16-20.XI.2001, leg. Kovarik P., transect #6 flight intercept. trap (9 exx., FSCA) ; 7.4 Km SSW Motozintla, Mendoza, m 2000, 21.IX.1992, Anderson R. S. leg., cloud forest litter (cut over) (2 exx., CMNO) ; 8 mi. N Pueblo Nuevo, 6000’, 26-27.VIII.1973, leg. Newton A. (1 ex., CNCI) ; 4 mi. NW Teopisca, 24.VIII.1971, leg. Newton A. (2 exx., CNCI) ; Mpio. Union Juarez, Telquian, VI.2003, leg. Coutino T. A. (1 ex., DCGI) ; Volcan Tacana, lower slopes, ca. 4 Km N Union Juarez, m 2000, 20.IX.1992, leg. Anderson R. S., cloud forest litter (2 exx., CMNO) .

Distribution. Guatemala, Mexico (Chiapas).

Bionomics. Probably all year round, coprophagous species, often collected in horse dung.