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Diagnosis. Body usually dark brown to black, robust. Elytra with basal margin not bordered. Femora not grooved at front or hind margin. Meso- and Metatibiae with weak transverse carinae. Pygidium smooth, unmodified. Metatibial apical spurs set close. Metatarsal insertion not set intermediate and can not articulate between spurs.

Classification status. The status of the tribes Didactyliini, Proctophanini, and 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 as subtribes of the Aphodiini.

Distribution. Africa, Australia, New World (introduced).

Composition. The Proctophanini contains roughly 5 genera and 30 species, only one of these occurs in the New World.

New World genus (click on generic name for information).
Australaphodius Balthasar 1942

References:
Dellacasa, G., P. Bordat and M. Dellacasa. 2001. A revisional essay of world genus-group taxa of Aphodiinae (Coleoptera: Aphodiidae). Memorie della Societa Entomologica Italiana 79: 1-482.
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.
Stebnicka, Z. T., and H. F. Howden. 1995. Revision of Australian genera in the tribes Aphodiini, Aegialiini and Proctophanini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae. (CSIRO) Invertebrate Taxonomy 9: 709‑766.

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