Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) lancifer ( Linné, 1767 )

Edmonds, W. D. & Zidek, J., 2010, A taxonomic review of the neotropical genus Coprophanaeus Olsoufieff, 1924 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae), Insecta Mundi 2010 (129), pp. 1-111 : 16-18

Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) lancifer ( Linné, 1767)

Fig. 13, 17-18, 23-26 , 28 , 35-39

Scarabaeus lancifer Linné, 1767: 544

Scarabaeus satelles Lichtenstein, 1796: 5 (syn. by Nevinson 1892: 5)

Phanaeus heros Castelnau, 1840: 80 (syn. by Nevinson 1892: 5)

Phanaeus miles Castelnau, 1840: 80 (syn. by Nevinson 1892: 5)

Phanaeus septentrionalis Pessôa, 1934: 291 (syn. by Martínez and Pereira 1967: 60) Megaphanaeus lancifer (L.) (recomb. by Blackwelder 1944: 209)

Coprophanaeus lancifer (L.) (recomb. by Edmonds 1972: 841)

Type. S. lancifer – unknown to us; P. heros – unknown to us; P. miles – unknown to us; S. satelles – unknown to us; P. septentrionalis – holotype female, Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo .

Diagnosis. General – Pronotum ( Fig. 25-26 , 35, 38 ) strongly granulate posteromedially. Posterolateral pronotal ridge ( Fig. 37 , arrow) short, not extending to lateral pronotal fossa. Metasternal shield ( Fig. 18 ) smooth centrally, punctate peripherally; anterior portion of metasternum completely smooth, shiny medially, finely granulate laterally. Basal two-thirds of elytral striae 2-4 moderately undulate, width at widest points about one-half of that at narrowings; carinulate margins usually tuberculate at narrowings Fig. 13 ). Interstriae granulorugose, granulation, if distinct, confined to apical one-third of interstriae 2-6. Dorsal color usually dark blue, rarely green or bluish green. Length 28-50 mm.

Male ( Fig. 23-24 , 37-39 ) – Pronotal concavity flanked on each side beneath central prominence by sharp, oblique carina ( Fig. 23 , arrow). Dorsal prominence wide, width of saddle usually much greater than length. Apical process of parameres acute in profile.

Female ( Fig. 25-26 , 35-36 ) – Protarsi present. Pronotal concavity lacking oblique carinae.

Specimens examined – 351.

Distribution. Amazonian subregion of the Neotropical region ( Fig. 28 ).

Collection Records. BOLIVIA: Beni – Magdalena (Apr) . Pando – Cobija [Reserva San Sebastian Tahuamanu], 11 o 24’27”S 69 o 01’04”W (Dec) ; Guayaramerin (Dec) ; near Guayamerin , 11 o 50’S 65 o 22’W, 120 m (Feb, Dec) ; 2 km E Fortaleza , 9 o 47’S 65 o 30’W, 120 m ; Río Negro , 9 o 52’S 65 o 42’W, 120 m (Feb) ; 20 km SW Villa Bella , 10 o 22’S 65 o 22’W, 120 m (Feb) ; Tahuamanu , 11 o 24’27”S 69 o 01’04”W, 280 m ; Malecón , 11 o 57’S 68 o 48’W, 190 m ; Florida , 12 o 18’S 68 o 40’W, 190 m (Nov) ; Río Negro , 9 o 52”S 65 o 42’W, 120 m (Feb); near Bella Vista, 10 o 22’S 65 o 22’W, 120 m; Santa Rosa, 12 o 00’S 68 o 52’W, 180 m (Oct). BRAZIL: Amazonas – 30 km N Manaus [Reserva Forestal Ducke] (Mar- May , Aug ); Manaus ( Jan , Mar-Apr , Jul , Dec ); 60 km N Manaus [ Fazenda Esteio ] ( Jun ); Manacapurú ( Mar ); São Paulo de Olivença ( May , Jul , Dec ); Tefé ( Aug ). Mato Grosso – Rosário Oeste ( Jul ); Nobres ( Jan , Jul ). Pará – Belêm [ Agua Preta ] ( Jan-Feb ); Tucuruí ; Obidos ( Mar-May , Jul , Nov-Dec ); Santarém ( Jan , May ); Taperinha ; Monte Dourado [ Apui ], 00 o 46’S 52 o 35.5’W (Jan); Monte Dourado [Tingilingi], 00 o 57’S 52 o 45.5’W (Apr). Rondônia – 9 km NE Cacaulândia (Feb, Nov) GUYANA: East Berbice-Corentyne – Bartica (May). Upper Demerara-Berbice – Ituni ( Jul ). PERU: Madre de Díos – Río Madre de Díos , 12 o 34’10.0” S 70 o 06’01.4”W, 290 m (Apr); Río Tambopata , 12 o 38’59”S 69 o 06’24”W, 230 m (Sep); Río Palma Real Grande , 12 o 32’20”S 68 o 51’40”W, 220 m; 30 km SW Puerto Maldonato [ Río Tambopata Reserve ], 12 o 50’S 69 o 20’W. 290 m. SURINAME: Commewijne – Akintosoela, CELOS Camp, 39 km SE Suriname river bridge, road to Redi Dodi , 40 m, 5°16’17”N 54°55’15”W (Jul). Sipaliwini – Lely Plateau , 46’13"N 54 o 44’18"W, 650 m (Oct) ; Oelemarie , ~ 3 o 6’0'’N 54 o 32’00'’W (Feb, Aug, Oct) ; Palumeu , ~3 o 21’30.3'’N 55 o 26’38.2'’W (Jun): Kwamalasumutu (Jul) . VENEZUELA: Amazonas – Río Mavaca camp, 2 o 02’N 65 o 06’W . Bolívar – Las Trincheras [Río Cauca] (Aug) ; Puerto Cabello ( Río Cauca ] (Aug).

Comments. This is a common species occurring sometimes is large numbers throughout much of the Amazon basin. Among all Coprophanaeus species , C. lancifer is the best choice as indicator species of Amazonia and is an important component of many local dung beetle communities (see, for example, Gardner et al. 2008, and Quintero and Halffter 2009). We have seen no specimens from eastern Ecuador and Colombia, but its absence there is unlikely. The color of this species is usually a consistent dark metallic blue; Trond Larsen has collected bright green examples in southeastern Peru. Besides the commonly used baits of dung and carrion, this species is also attracted to decomposing millipedes (Conrad Gillett, pers. comm.)

Théry et al. (2008) interpreted the crepuscular flight activity of this species as a mechanism that improves visual communication among conspecifics. At mid-range (> 0.5 m) in the low-intensity dusk lighting, the dark blue, metallic (structural) body coloration is seen at higher contrast against ambient background and active individuals become more visible to each other; at shorter range (<0.5 m), enhancement of contrast between the black head horn and metallic pronotum probably functions in species recognition.

Except for the presence of protarsi, medium-sized and small females closely resemble equal-sized males. Pessôa’s (1934) description of C. septentrionalis was based on five females; Lane and Camargo- Andrade (1935) re-examined the type series and found that it included one male. The pronotal prominence of large females ( Fig. 25-26 ) is subject to considerable variation in width, but not as extreme as in C. ensifer (q.v.).

This species is the first Coprophanaeus depicted in print, as far as we know. Voet’s (1766) illustrations (pl. 23, fig. 1-2 and 38) are unmistakably of C. lancifer . His fig. 1 and 2 are cited by Linné (1767) in his description of Scarabaeus lancifer and can be regarded as at least part of the type series. Voet’s fig. 38 is of interest because, as Olsoufieff (1924) pointed out, it depicts the body of a male C. lancifer “… mais avec une tête (?) d’un autre Scarabaéide.” In the text caption Voet stated that [specimen 38] “Forgan haec femina est No. 1 vel 2” [“Could be the female of either N. 1 or 2”]. Herbst’s (1789) illustration (pl. VIII, fig. 6, under the name Hamadrias ) is a copy of Voet’s “hybrid;” but his pl. XV, fig. 1 depicts a male C. lancifer placed correctly under the name “ Scarab [aeus] lancifer .”

Figures

Figure 28. Approximate geographic distribution of Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) species.

Figure 13-27. Characters of the Coprophanaeus subgenus Megaphanaeus. 13) Elytral surface of C. lancifer. 14) Same, C. ensifer. 15) Same, C. bonariensis. 16) Same, C. bellicosus. 17) Mesosternum and anterior portion of metasternum of C. lancifer (arrow indicates smooth area of metasternum). 18) Metasternum of C.lancifer. 19) Same, C. ensifer. 20) Dorsal view of posteromedian pronotal prominence of female C. ensifer (broad form). 21) Same (narrow form). 22) Partial lateral view of pronotum male C. ensifer (arrow indicates lateral spine). 23) Same, C. lancifer (arrow indicates vertical ridge). 24) Dorsal view of posteromedian pronotal prominence of male C. lancifer. 25) Same, female (broad form). 26) Same (narrow form). 27) Anterior view of cephalic process of female C. bellicosus.

Figure 35-39. Coprophanaeus lancifer. 35-36) Female habitus. 37-38) Male habitus (arrow in 37 indicates posterolateral pronotal ridge). 39) Aedeagus (lateral view on left; dorsal view on right).