Phanaeus nimrod Harold, 1863

Moctezuma, Victor, Halffter, Gonzalo & Lizardo, Viridiana, 2021, The Phanaeus tridens species group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea): a dung beetle group with genital morphological stasis but a changing ecological niche, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 61 (2), pp. 447-482 : 464

Phanaeus nimrod Harold, 1863

( Figs 24–26 , 40 , 52 , 60 )

Phanaeus nimrod Harold, 1863: 167 . Type locality: Mexico.

Phanaeus babori Balthasar, 1939:246 .Synonymy established by ARNAUD (1982b: 125) and confirmed here.

Type material examined. MEXICO: OAXACA: HOLOTYPE of P. babori (designated by monotypy by BALTHASAR 1939, examined from photographs; Fig. 26 ): ♂, Oaxaca ( NMPC: Mus. Nat. Pragae Inv. 26352). W I THOUT SPEC I F I C LOCAL I TY: L ECTOTYPE of P. nimrod (designated by ARNAUD 1982a, examined from photographs; Fig.25 ):♂, without specific locality ( MNHN: MNHN EC10555). P ARALECTOTYPES of P. nimrod : 1♂ 1 ♀ (examined from photographs), without specific locality ( MNHN: MNHN EC10556, MNHN EC10557).

Non-type material examined. MEXICO: OAXACA: 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Ocotlán ( GHVM); 6 ♂♂ 6 ♀♀, Santa Cruz Papalutla ( JLSHVM: 3 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀; VMPM: 3 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀); 1 ♀, 2 km S Sola de Vega ( IEXA).

Diagnosis. Metallic turquoise ( Fig. 25 ), green-blue ( Figs 26 , 60 ), yellow-green, green-red ( Fig. 24 ) or dark blue. Sides of pronotal disc finely granulate to finely granulorugose ( Figs 24–26 , 40 , 52 , 60 ). Pronotal disc smooth to superficially punctate anteriorly, sparsely roughened posteriorly ( Figs 24–26 , 52 ). Posteromedial process of pronotum produced into denticle, strongly widened laterally, not bifurcated apically ( Figs 40 , 52 ). Anteromedial portion of pronotal disc with two denticles, distinctly separate ( Fig. 52 ).Anterolateral margins of pronotal disc with distinctly developed line of tubercles ( Fig. 52 ). Posterolateral angles of pronotum much shorter than posteromedial process of pronotum ( Figs 40 , 52 ). Elytral striae scabriculous, distinctly impressed, superficially punctate ( Figs 24–26 ). Elytral interstriae scabriculous, superficially punctate, convex ( Figs 24–26 ).

Variability. Minor male. Similar to major male, except for reduction of secondary sexual characters (i.e. cephalic horn, pronotal processes and posterolateral angles). Female. Similar to male, except for head showing trituberculate carina; pronotal sculpture granulate, becoming smooth to superficially punctate posteriorly; pronotum with anteromedial black macula, and anteromedial carina followed by posterior concavity ( Fig. 60 ). This species is highly variable in colour ( Figs 24–26 , 52 , 60 ).

Comments. Apparently, this species is well defined and is not involved in taxonomical controversies. Phanaeus nimrod is typical of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca ( Fig. 67 ), but DELOYA et al. (2014) reported it from an isolated locality in Guerrero (El Ocotito). The distribution of this species needs to be confirmed since doubtful records from the Pacific Coast of Oaxaca have been provided ( EDMONDS 1994, 2003; DELOYA & MORÓN 1998). None of the specimens of the P. tridens species group revised in the present work from the Mexican Pacific coast belong to P. nimrod . The major male figured by DELOYA & COVARRUBIAS-MELGAR (2014) seems to be a green specimen of P. nimrod .

Distribution. Mexico: Central Oaxaca to central Guerrero ( Fig. 67 ). Records from Guerrero and the Pacific coast of Oaxaca were omitted for the distribution model because they need confirmation.

Figures

Figs 24–26. Phanaeus nimrod Harold, 1863. 24 – male green-red phase; 25 – lectotype and labels (by Christophe Rivier, MNHN); 26 – P. babori Balthasar, 1939, junior subjective synonymy, holotype and labels (by Jiří Hájek, NMPC). Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Figs 32–42. Posterior view of pronotum of major male. 32 – P. tridens Castelnau, 1840; 33 – P. moroni Arnaud, 2001, stat. rev.; 34 – P. bal- thasari Arnaud, 2001, stat. rev.; 35 – P. daphnis Harold, 1863; 36 – P. substriolatus Balthasar, 1939, stat. rev.; 37 – P.herbeus Bates, 1887, stat. rev.; 38 – P.furiosus Bates, 1887; 39 – P.pseudofurcosus Balthasar, 1939, stat. rev.; 40 – P. nimrod Harold, 1863; 41 – P. victoriae Moctezuma sp. nov.; 42 – P. eximius Bates, 1887. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Figs 43–54. Lateral view of pronotum of major male. 43 – P. tridens Castelnau, 1840; 44 – P. moroni Arnaud, 2001, stat. rev.; 45 – P. balthasari Arnaud, 2001; 46 – P. daphnis Harold, 1863; 47 – P. coeruleus Bates, 1887, stat. rev. (holotype, by Keita Matsumoto, BMNH); 48 – P. substriolatus Balthasar, 1939, stat. rev.; 49 – P. herbeus Bates, 1887, stat. rev. (green-red phase); 50 – P. furiosus Bates, 1887 (green phase); 51 – P. pseudofurcosus Balthasar, 1939, stat. rev.; 52 – P. nimrod Harold, 1863; 53 – P. victoriae Moctezuma sp. nov. (holotype); 54 – P. eximius Bates, 1887. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Figs 55–62. Pronotum of female. 55 – P. tridens Castelnau, 1840; 56 – P. balthasari Arnaud, 2001, stat. rev.; 57 – P. daphnis Harold, 1863; 58 – P. substriolatus Balthasar, 1939, stat. rev. (dark blue-black phase); 59 – P.herbeus Bates, 1887, stat. rev. (green phase); 60 – P. nimrod Harold, 1863 (blue-green phase); 61 – P. furiosus Bates, 1887 (dark blue phase); 62 – P. pseudofurcosus Balthasar, 1939, stat. rev. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 67. Predicted distribution of P. nimrod Harold, 1863 and P. victoriae Moctezuma sp. nov.