Gonaphodiellus opisthius (Bates, 1887)

(Fig. 43-50)

Aphodius duplex Bates, 1887: 87 (nec Aphodius duplex LeConte, 1878).

Aphodius opisthius Bates, 1887 . 92 (nomen novum); 1889: 392; Blackwelder 1944: 213.

Aphodius (Trichaphodius) opisthinus; Schmidt 1913: 136 (incorrect spelling); 1922: 132.

Aphodius (Gonaphodiellus) opisthius; Dellacasa 1988: 173.

Gonaphodiellus opisthius; Dellacasa et al. 2002: 189; Skelley et al. 2007: 4.

Type locality. Cerro de Plumas [=Cerro de Palmas], [Veracruz], Mexico.

Type repository. Natural History Museum. London, UK (type examined).

Redescription. Length 4.0-5.0 mm, oval-elongate, moderately convex, subshiny, nearly glabrous. Yellowish-brown; head anteriorly and pronotum disc brownish; elytra with juxtasutural interstria, base of fifth interstria and preapical declivity brownish, apical declivity including an oblique oval yellowish spot (Fig. 44); sometimes elytra almost entirely dirty yellowish (Fig. 46) or almost entirely dark-brownish (Fig 45). Head with epistome somewhat convex medially, superficially microreticulate, regularly and distinctly punctured; punctation denser and coarser laterally; clypeus slightly sinuate at middle, round at sides, bordered, edge shortly bristled; genae round, slightly auriculate, shortly ciliate, feebly protruding from the eyes; frontal suture finely impressed; front regularly and rather coarsely punctured. Pronotum transverse, moderately convex, distinctly, regularly and rather densely punctured; sides slightly sinuate inwardly before hind angles, finely bordered, edge glabrous; hind angles obliquely truncate, the truncature not inwardly sinuate; base bisinuate. Scutellum elongate with curved sides, coarsely but rather sparsely punctured. Elytra almost subparallel-sided, convex, minutely denticulate at shoulder, finely striate; striae feebly crenulate; interstriae almost flat, superficially microreticulate, finely and irregularly punctured, sparsely shortly pubescent on preapical declivity. Hind tibiae upper spur shorter than first tarsal segment; latter slightly longer than following three segments combined. Male: fore tibiae spur abruptly downward curved; pronotum relatively more transverse and less convex; metasternal plate distinctly excavate; aedeagus Fig. 48-49. Female: fore tibiae spur almost straight; pronotum relatively narrower frontward and more convex; metasternal plate almost flat.

Material examined. GUATEMALA: San Marcos, 25.0 Km NW San Marcos, 15°04’N – 91°51’W, m 3052, 25.V.1973, leg Erwin & Havel, Central American Expedition 1973 (1 ex., USNM) . MEXICO: Chiapas: 6 exx. (DCGI) 1 ex. (MSNT); Chihuahua: 4 exx. (DCGI); Distrito Federal: 10 ex. (FSCA), 1 ex. (NYSM); Durango: 4 exx. (CSCA), 61 exx. (DCGI), 8 exx. (MSNT); Guerrero: 164 exx. (DCGI), 5 exx. (MSNT); Hidalgo: 56 exx. (DCGI), 369 exx. (MSNT), 4 exx. (RHTC); Jalisco: 4 exx. (CSCA), 103 exx. (DCGI), 2 exx. (EMEB), 137 exx. (MSNT), 4 exx. (NYSM), 2 exx. (RHTC); México: 94 exx. (DCGI), 77 exx. (MSNT), 6 exx. (NYSM), 1 ex. (USNM); Michoacán: 215 exx. (DCGI), 10 exx. (EMEB), 768 exx. (MSNT), 1 ex. (NYSM); Morelos: 57 exx. (DCGI), 2 exx. (NYSM); Nayarit: 1 ex. (DCGI); Oaxaca: 392 exx. (DCGI), 737 exx. (MSNT); Puebla: 50 exx. (DCGI), 195 exx. (MSNT); Queretaro: 111 exx. (DCGI), 307 exx. (MSNT); Sinaloa: 57 exx. (CSCA), 1 ex. (DCGI); Tlaxcala: 16 exx. (DCGI); Veracruz: 392 exx. (DCGI), 46 exx. (EMEB), 325 exx. (MSNT) .

Distribution. Guatemala, Mexico (widely distributed almost all over).

Bionomics. All year round, coprophagous species collected in nearly all kinds of dung.