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Diagnosis. Body yellowish to light brown, somewhat flattened. Elytra with basal margin not bordered. Femora not grooved at front or hind margin. Middle and hind tibiae with weak transverse carinae. Pygidium smooth, unmodified. Metatibial apical spurs set close. Metatarsal insertion not set between spurs and does not articulate between spurs.

Classification status. The Didactyliini has included several genera now considered members of the Proctophanini. The status of these tribes and the Aphodiini is still unclear. Some recent publications combine the Didactyliini and Proctophaniini into a single tribe. The Palaearctic Catalog (Löbl and Smetana 2006) consider them subtribes of the Aphodiini.

Distribution. Primarily African, southern Palearctic, New World.

Composition. The Didactyliini contains roughly 10 genera and 40 species, only one genus occurs in the New World.

New World genus (click on generic name for information):
Aidophus Balthasar 1963

References:
Dellacasa, M., R.D.Gordon, P.J.Harpootlian, Z. Stebnicka, and G. Dellacasa. 2002. Systematic redefinition of the New World Didactyliini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) with descriptions of two new species of Aidophus Balthasar. Insecta Mundi [2001] 15(4): 193-216.
Löbl, I. and A. Smetana (eds.). 2006. Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Vol. 3. Senstrup, Apollo Books, 690 pp.

Authors: Paul E. Skelley
Generated on: 13/MAY/2008.....Last modified: 13/MAY/2008
University of Nebraska State Museum - Division of Entomology