Copris fidius ( Olivier, 1789 )

Deschodt, Christian M., Davis, Adrian L. V. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2015, A new synonymy in the fidius group of Copris Müller 1764 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) and a new species from the highland grasslands of South Africa, Zootaxa 3949 (3), pp. 431-438 : 433

Copris fidius ( Olivier, 1789)

Figure 3 A, 4 C, E, 5.

Copris bihamatus Balthasar, 1965 new synonym Figure 3 B.

We have compared the habitus of the holotype male and two female paratypes of C. bihamatus with male and female specimens of C. fidius . Following the similarity of habitus ( Fig 3 A, B), identical aedeagi, and similarity of the relationship between elytral length against horn length for male specimens ( Fig 2 ), it is clear that C. fidius and C. bihamatus are the same species. Consequently C. bihamatus Balthasar, 1965 , is, here, synonymized with C. fidius ( Olivier, 1789) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Graph showing horn length plotted against the length of elytral curvature for a Copris crassus, r Copris fidius and ● Copris bihamatus Holotype (regression lines = negative exponential).

FIGURE 3. Habitus of a male C. fidius (A) and the male Copris bihamatus holotype (B) of similar body size.