Coprophanaeus, Olsoufieff, 1924

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 : 60-64

Coprophanaeus (C.) morenoi Arnaud, 1982

Fig. 162-163 , 171-172, 179-184

Coprophanaeus morenoi Arnaud, 1982b: 121

Coprophanaeus kohlmanni Arnaud, 2002a: 5 New Synonymy

Type. C. morenoi – holotype male, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris (examined by photo) ; C. kohlmanni – holotype male, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Santo Domingo de Heredia .

Diagnosis. General – Completely black, only very rarely with metallic coloration along anterior pronotal margin. Clypeal teeth normal, length about equal to width at base. Width of upper portion of eye slightly greater than one-fourth of interocular distance. Frons smooth, at most with faint puncturing behind transverse carina. Posterior portion of paraocular area smooth. Posteromedian portion of pronotum smooth, devoid of distinct sculpturing; basal pronotal fossae effaced. Anterior angle of metasternum bearing elevated cap (seen in profile, as in Fig. 168 ). Elytral interstriae flat. Pygidium with wide basal groove ( Fig. 162-163 ). Length 15-23 mm.

Male ( Fig. 181-184 ) – Pronotal prominence bimorphic, either cleat-shaped ( Fig. 183 , upper view) or quadrilobate with lobes linked by thick carina ( Fig. 183 , lower view); prominence flanked by broad concavities; declivitous surface of pronotum beneath carina smooth, devoid of sculpturing. Parameres with wide subapical tooth ( Fig. 184 ).

Female ( Fig. 179-180 ) – Length of frons about one and one-half times that of clypeus. Transverse pronotal carina bidentate medially, followed by transverse depression summit of which weakly bitumid.

Specimens examined – 327.

Distribution. Chocó and Eastern Central American provinces ( Fig. 172 ).

Collection Records. COLOMBIA: Chocó – Quibdó (Sep) ; El Amargal Biological Station , 5.6 oN 77.4 oW, 150-500 m (Aug) ; 30 km S Quibdó [ Lloró ], 5 o 30’N 76 o 33.5’W, 90 m (Feb) ; Pacurita , 5 o 41’N 76 o 40’W, 50 m (Nov) ; 20 km NE Quibdó [ Tutumendó ], 60 m (Nov) . Valle de Cauca – 70 km E Buenaventura [Anchicaya Dam], 350 m (Jul) . COSTA RICA: Alajuela – 3.5 km E Bijagua [Heliconias Lodge], 10 o 42’45.2”N 85 o 02’28.5”W, 730 m (May-Jun). Heredia – Reserva Biológica La Selva, 10 o 26’N 86 o 59W, 75 m (Oct). Limón – Sector Cerro Cocori, Finca de E. Rojas, 150 m (Oct). San José – Estación Bijagual (north of Bijagualito ), 600 m (Jun) . ECUADOR: Esmeraldas – Borbón , 1 o 04’44”N 78 o 58’48”W, 25 m (Aug) ; San Miguel, 00 o 40’18”N 79 o 53’00”W (Dec) ; 11 km SE San Lorenzo [ La Chiquita Forest Station ] (Jun) ; Punta Venado (Nov-Dec); Yalere (Nov); Playa de Oro (Feb-Mar, Oct) ; La Concordia (Nov); Palma Real (Mar). Los Ríos – Río Palenque Research Station , 0 o 35’S 79 o 22’W, 200 m (Jan-Feb, Jun-Jul). Pichincha – Quevedo (Apr-May) ; 113 km NW Quito on Puerto Quito road, 800 m (Aug) ; i 1 km E Tinalandia , 600 m (Jul) . NICARAGUA: Jinotega – 32 km NW Jinotega [Finca El Jaguar], 13 o 14’28”N 86 o 03’16”W, 1340 m (Dec). Matagalpa – Selva Negra, 13 o 00’01”N 85 o 54’32”W, 1350 m (May). Río San Juan – 8 km S El Castillo [Refugio Bartola], 10 o 56.6’N 84 o 20.4’W, 30 m (Mar, May) . PANAMA: Colón – 16 km SE Colón [Santa Rita Ridge], 270 m (Jun). Darien – Estación Ambiental Cana , 7 o 45.32’N 77 o 41.07W, 600-750 m (Jun). Panamá – Capira [Cerro Campana], 8 o 44’N 79 o 57’W, 790 m (Jun, Dec) ; Chepo-Carti Road , 400 m (Jun-Aug) ; Cerro Azul , 650 m (May, Dec) ; 7.5-9.6 km N El Llano , 475 m (Jan) ; 12 km N El Llano on road to Carti , 250 m (May) .

Comments. The occurrence of bimorphic major males in this species is unique to the genus and, although in different descriptive terms and under the name “ ohausi ”, it was first described by Howden and Young (1981). The unusual form ( Fig. 183 , lower view) is so far known only from certain populations in the environs of El Llano (Panamá province), where it occurs with the typical cleat-shaped form ( Fig. 183 , upper view). Because the quadrilobate condition of the male pronotum occurs in individuals otherwise “major” in size and other respects, we consider it a developmental option to the cleat-shaped prominence in typical males rather than a step in the gradient from “major” to “minor” individuals.

The middle of basal margin of pygidium is sometimes weakly angulate and tooth-like, at least partially interrupting basal groove ( Fig. 162 ). This was a key character in the original description that has revealed itself to be highly variable. The toothed condition is more frequent in Ecuadorian, Colombian and eastern Panamanian populations, but it becomes very rare beyond the Darien province.

For most of this study we regarded C. kohlmanni as a species distinct from C. morenoi ; the primary criteria for doing so were its somewhat larger size and presumed isolated distribution. It turns out, however, that the distribution of C. morenoi is continuous from northwestern Ecuador through Panama along Caribbean coast into Nicaragua, and the species is subject to local variations along the way, the most striking of which is the unusual male type from western Panama. Costa Rican populations formerly assigned to C. kohlmanni are part of a continuum and tend to be somewhat larger than in other populations.

Figures

Figure 172. Approximate geographic distribution of Coprophanaeus (s. str.) species in the pluto species group.

Figure 162-170. Characters of the Coprophanaeus (s. str.) pluto species group. 162-163) Posterior view of pygidium of C. morenoi. 164) Same, C. chiriquensis. 165) Dorsal view left of elytron of C. solisi. 166) Same, C. pluto. 167) Metasternal prominence of C. pluto. 168) Same, C. pecki. 169) Dorsal view of parameres of C. pluto. 170) Lateral view, same.

Figure 179-184. Coprophanaeus morenoi. 179-180) Female habitus. 181-182) Male habitus. 183) Dimorphism of male pronotal prominence (cleat-shaped form above; quadrilobate form below). 184) Aedeagus (dorsal view on left; lateral view on right).