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Aphodius Illiger, 1798
Aphodius Illiger, 1798: 15

Figure 55. Aphodius (Calamosternus) granarius (Linnaeus). Male.
Photo by Paul Skelley
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Figure 56. Aphodius (Calamosternus) granarius (Linnaeus). Female.
Photo by Paul Skelley
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Figure 57. Aphodius (Labarrus) pseudolividus Balthasar
Photo by Paul Skelley
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Classification
Superfamily.....
Family........... Subfamily......
Tribe.............
Scarabaeoidea
Scarabaeidae
Aphodiinae
Aphodiini
 

 

Aphodiinae Overview

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Type species: Scarabaeus fimetarius Linnaeus, 1758 by subsequent designation (Latreille 1810).

 
 

Remarks: The genus Aphodius is a large and taxonomically difficult group that is currently in the process of being re-classified into dozens of genera. We found two species representing two subgenera of Aphodius as occurring in southern South America. Both of these species are introduced to southern South America and native to Europe and Africa.

 
 
 
 
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Subgenus Aphodius (Calamosternus) Motschulsky, 1859
Calamosternus Motschulsky, 1859: 156.
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Type species: Scarabaeus granarius Linnaeus, 1767 by monotypy.
Synonyms: Megalisus Mulsant and Rey, 1870: 209; type species: Aphodius stercorarius Mulsant and Rey, 1870 by subsequent designation (Dellacasa 1988). Pseudesymus d’Orbigny, 1896: 218; type species: Aphodius lucidus Klug, 1845 by monotypy.
Diagnosis: Color uniformly black (Figs. 55–56). Body robust. Head trituberculate. Pentagonal scutellum usually depressed below the surface of the elytra. Metatibia with apical spurs separated by metatarsus. Remarks: Full description and illustrations of Calamosternus and its type species is present in Dellacasa et al. (2001).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Subgenus Aphodius (Labarrus) Mulsant and Rey, 1870
Aphodius (Labarrus) Mulsant and Rey, 1870: 516.
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Type species: Scarabaeus lividus Olivier, 1789 by monotypy.
Synonym: Aphodius (Pseudocalamosternus) Balthasar, 1936: 1; type species: Aphodius (Pseudocalamosternus)rigidus Balthasar, 1936 by monotypy.
Diagnosis: Body robust. Pale brown and black color pattern is similar only to members of Aidophus in South America (Fig. 57). Head with tubercles on frontal suture (Fig. 36). Pronotum lacking basal
marginal line (Fig. 36). Scutellum pentagonal. Metatibia with apical spurs separated by metatarsus.
Remarks: A full description and illustrations of Labarrus and its type species are present in Dellacasa et al. (2001). Members of the genus Aidophus in South America have similar color pattern to Aphodius (Labarrus) species. Aidophus are easily distinguished by lacking the frontal tubercles, having a triangular scutellum, and in having the metatibial spurs adjacent.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

References:
Dellacasa, M.
(1988) Contribution to a world-wide catalogue of Aegialiidae, Aphodiidae, Aulonocnemidae, Termitotrogidae
(Coleoptera Scarabaeoidea). Memorie della Societa Entomologica Italiana, 66, 1–455. [Dated 1987].

Dellacasa, G., Bordat P. & Dellacasa, M. (2001) A revisional essay of world genus-group taxa of Aphodiinae (Coleoptera: Aphodiidae). Memorie della Societa Entomologica Italiana, 79, 1–482.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Excerpt from: Smith, A. B. T. and P. E. Skelley. 2007. A review of the Aphodiinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of southern South America. Zootaxa 1458: 1-80.

 
 
   
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Authors: Andrew Smith ( Canadian Museum of Nature) and
Paul Skelley (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
).
Generated on: 08/JAN/08.....Last modified: 08/JAN/08
University of Nebraska State Museum - Division of Entomology