Coprophanaeus (Metallophanaeus) thalassinus ( Perty, 1830 )

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 : 36-38

Coprophanaeus (Metallophanaeus) thalassinus ( Perty, 1830)

Fig. 52 , 62 , 90-94

Phanaeus thalassinus Perty, 1830: 40

Coprophanaeus thalassinus (Perty) (recomb. by Blackwelder 1944: 209)

Type. Holotype male, Zoologische Staatssammlung, Munich. Diagnosis. General – Paraocular areas (genae) densely rugose, at most only weakly raised in front of eye; carina adjacent to eye largely obliterated by strong rugosity. Posteromedian portion of pronotum, at least near fossae, granulate or granulorugose ( Fig. 52 ); posterior angle normal, basal fossae small; basal pronotal sulcus usually obsolete medially, not reaching basal fossae. Salient anteromedian angle of metasternum (seen in profile) quadrate, not noticeably salient. Striae (x5) weakly impressed, simple; bases of striae 1-4 impressed, not distinctly fossate. Elytral interstriae weakly convex. Ventral surface of protibia lateral to longitudinal carina mostly smooth, usually with single or double row of shallow, confluent punctures paralleling longitudinal carina (as in Fig. 51 , arrow). Pygidium with broad, shallow basal groove. Length 13-19 mm. Color dark blue or green.

Male – Head with evenly tapering horn, whose base is abruptly swollen. Pronotum of large male with deep anteromedian concavity at summit bearing transverse ridge. Tips of parameres bear rounded flanges with slightly upturned margins.

Female – Cephalic carina of female with prominent conical median tubercle. Pronotum with deep, oval anteromedian concavity, bearing strongly raised, trituberculate, quadrate process adjacent to anterior margin.

Specimens examined – 7.

Distribution. Largely unknown ( Fig. 62 ).

Collection Records. BRAZIL: Bahia – 160 km W Barrieras, 11 o 51’S 46 o 10’W, 830 m (Jan).

Comments. This is one of the two or three rarest species of the genus. We have seen only seven specimens and accept the distinct possibility that the above diagnosis may prove to be too restrictive. Martínez and Pereira (1967) provided a detailed description of the species and commentary on the prevailing confusion attending the name “ thalassinus ”. According to their analysis, Olsoufieff (1924) concluded that Felsche (1901) misidentified Perty’s species in his redescription of “ thalassinus ”, which he inadvertently based on a then undescribed species. To rectify the error, Olsoufieff redescribed Felsche’s “ thalassinus ” as Phanaeus pertyi , and then proceeded to invert characters of the two in the couplet of his key separating C. thalassinus and C. pertyi !

Figures

Figure 62. Approximate geographic distribution of Coprophanaeus (Metallophanaeus) species.

Figure 50-61. Characters of the Coprophanaeus subgenus Metallophanaeus. 50) Ventral view of left protibia of C. saphirinus. 51) Same, C. pertyi. 52) Dorsal view of posterior portion of pronotum of C. thalassinus. 53) Same, C. pessoai. 54) Dorsal view of left elytron of C. punctatus. 55) Same, C. pessoai. 56) Posterior view of pygidium of C. horus. 57) Lateral view of metasternal angle of C. pertyi. 58) Same, C. pessoai. 59) Same, C. saphirinus. 60) Dorsal view of right side of head of C. horus. 61) Same, C. pessoai.

Figure 90-94. Coprophanaeus thalassinus. 90-91) Female habitus. 92-93) Male habitus. 94) Aedeagus (dorsal view on left; lateral view on right).