Blackburneusstercorosus (Melsheimer, 1844)

Dellacasa, Marco, Dellacasa, Giovanni & Gordon, Robert D., 2011, Systematic revision of the American taxa belonging to the genera Alloblackburneus Bordat, 2009, and Blackburneus Schmidt, 1913, with description of seven new species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Insecta Mundi 2011 (204), pp. 1-52 : 30-31

Blackburneusstercorosus (Melsheimer, 1844)

( Fig. 135-139 )

Aphodius stercorosus Melsheimer, 1844: 136 ; Horn 1870: 127; Horn 1887: 35; Jerath 1960: 63 (larval morphology); Woodruff 1973: 98; Ratcliffe and Paulsen 2008: 208.

Aphodius (Koshantschikovius) stercorosus ; Schmidt 1913: 150; Schmidt 1922: 230; Dellacasa 1988: 202.

Blackburneusstercorosus ; Gordonand Skelley 2007: 364.

Typelocality. Pennsylvania [ U.S.A.].

Type repository. Unknown to authors; type probably lost.

Redescription. Length 3.0- 4.5 mm; oblong, convex, shiny, glabrous. Rufo-testaceous; epistome and pronotal disc dark brownish; elytra with more or less widened dark brownish cloudy discal spot; legs yellowish-brown to dark brown; antennal club testaceous. Head with epistome moderately convex on disc, regularly evenly punctured; punctation somewhat denser and coarser distally, sparser and more superficial medially; clypeus feebly sinuate at middle, round at sides, thinly bordered, edge glabrous; genae round, with extremely short near imperceptible bristles, faintly protrudingfrom the eyes; frontal suture very finely impressed, sometimes almost obsolete; front rather sparsely evenly punctured. Pronotum transverse, convex, dually punctured; large punctures, three to four times larger than small ones, dense and coarse on sides, lacking on disc; small punctures regularly scattered throughout, somewhat distinct on sides, more superficial on disc: lateral margins feebly arcuate, rather thickly bordered, edge glabrous; hind angles obtusely round; base faintly bisinuate. Scutellum flat, sparsely finely punctured. Elytra oval, feebly widened posteriorly, epipleural carina distinctly raised at shoulder, finely striate; striae distinctly punctured, feebly crenulate; interstriae flat, near imperceptibly sparsely punctured on disc; more distinctly punctured and finely microreticulate thus alutaceous on preapical declivity, dull at apex. Hind tibiae superiorapical spur regularly acuminate, somewhat shorterthan first tarsal segment; latterlonger than following three segments combined. Male: head somewhat less convex; pronotum more transverse lessdenselyand coarselypunctured on sides; foretibiae apicalspurstouter and downward curved; aedeagus Fig. 136-137 . Female: head somewhat more convex; pronotum somewhat narrowed frontwardly, more coarsely densely punctured on sides; fore tibiae apical spur slender and almost straight.

Material examined. CANADA: Québec, Berthierville , 19.VI.1938, leg. J. Ouellet (4 exx., DCGI) ; USA: Florida (30 exx., DCGI) ; Illinois: Clark Co., Rocky Branch Creek, N. of Clarkville , 2.VII.1991, leg. P. Skelley, L. Heyer & M. A. Goodrich (4 exx., DCGI) ; idem, 8-11.VII.1988, leg. P. Skelley (1 ex., DCGI) ; Macon Co., NW side of Decatur , 7-14.VIII.1988, leg. P. Skelley (pigdung & malt pitfall) (1 ex., DCGI) ; idem, 15.VIII.1988, leg. P. Skelley (blacklight trap) (1 ex., DCGI) ; Maine: Bingham , 27.VII.1991, leg. G. Minet (2 exx., BCSC; 1 ex., DCGI) ; New Jersey: Westwood , VII.1917 (4 exx., DCGI) ; New York: Catskill Mountains , VII.1977 (1 ex., BCSC) ; North Carolina: Black Mt. , VII.1900 (2 exx., DCGI) ; Pisgah Forest , 1.VII.1937, leg. O. L. Cartwright (2 exx., DCGI) ; Pennsylvania (3 exx., DCGI) ; Tennessee: Fortress Co., Picked State Forest , 26-27.VI.1992, leg. C. Cook (1 ex., BCSC) ; Virginia: Basye , 18.IX.1943, leg. O. L. Cartwright (6 exx., DCGI) ; Botetourt Co., Jefferson N. F., 3 mi NE Powell Gap , 5-6.VI.1967, leg. O. L. Cartwright (2 exx., DCGI) ; Wisconsin: Jefferson N. F., Botetourt, 6.VI.1967, leg. O. L. Cartwright (3 exx., DCGI) .

Distribution. Canada (Québec), U.S.A. (from Michigan south to Florida, west to eastern Kansas, eastern and southern Texas).

Bionomics. Coprophagous species found in several kinds of dung, from April to October; often attracted to light.

Figures

Figures 127-139. Blackburneus saylorea (Robinson, 1940) (Tuxpan, Estado de Michoacán, Mexico). 127) Habitus (morphological details). 128-131) Habitus (length ideogram and colour variations). 132-133) Aedeagus (dorsal and lateral view). 134) Epipharynx. Blackburneus stercorosus (Melsheimer, 1844) (Basye, Virginia, U.S.A.). 135) Epipharynx. 136-137) Aedeagus (dorsal and lateral view). 138-139) Habitus (length ideogram and morphological details).