Pseudocanthon perplexus (LeConte, 1847)

Ivie, Michael A. & Philips, Keith, 2008, Three new species of Canthonella Chapin from Hispaniola, with new records and Nomenclatural changes for West Indian dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Zootaxa 1701, pp. 1-14 : 11

Pseudocanthon perplexus (LeConte, 1847)

A series of specimens of this widespread mainland species (Arizona to Indiana, south to Brazil) from Grand Bahama Island, Freeport, were taken 20–27 June 1987 by W. E. Steiner, M. J. and R. Molineaux (NMNH, WIBF). This is apparently the first report of P. p e r p l e x u s from the West Indies, and given its dung requirements ( Blume 1982), almost certainly represents a recent arrival on Grand Bahama. Pseudocanthon perplexus differs from all previously recorded West Indian Pseudocanthon except P. chlorizans (Bates) (recorded from Mexico and the southernmost Lesser Antilles [ Grenada and the Grenadines of Union, Carriacou, Mustique, and Bequia], Matthews 1966, Woodruff et al. 1998) in lacking a basal carina on the pygidium. It should be noted that Howden (1966) and Woodruff (1973) both raised the question of validity of P. chlorizans . Pseudocanthon perplexus is purported to differ from P. chlorizans by the denser pronotal punctures, in which the discal punctures are separated by 1.0–1.5 diameters, compared with the 2.0 or more diameters that separate them in P. chlorizans ( Howden 1966) . The pronotum in P. chlorizans is also said to be much shinier, with the punctures simple, while in P. perplexus the pronotal punctures are larger, microumbiculate in appearance, and the surface less shining ( Howden 1966). Blume (1982) described the larva and biology of P. perplexus in Texas.