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Streblopus Van Lansberge, 1874 has been one of the most mysterious dung beetle groups of the Neotropical fauna, having a rather peculiar morphology, very few known specimens in collections and a difficult placement among the scarabaeine lineages. In this work, based on the examination of a recently collected series of specimens and a synthesis of some scattered, but deeply valuable, information available in the literature, we readdress many of the questions posed by past authors. It is shown that Streblopus is a relict genus composed of two currently living species of widely disjunct distribution, namely S. opatroides Van Lansberge, 1874, from patches of Atlantic Forest in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Espírito Santo, and S. punctatus (Balthasar, 1938), known from a few localities across Sub-Andean humid forests in the Peruvian and Ecuadorian Amazon Forest. We redescribe both and present in detail the evidence pointing to their validity as two independent species; a discussion of their remarkable sexual dimorphism is also given. The biogeography of Streblopus in South America is addressed, and we conclude that the present disjunct distribution of the genus is a consequence of the retreat of the tropical forest corridors that once connected the Atlantic Forest to the Amazon Basin through the South American Dry Diagonal during several periods of the Neogene, particularly until the Middle Miocene. Finally, we propose an African origin for the genus based on its close phylogenetic relationship with a group of Old World taxa ‒ particularly Circellium Latreille, 1825 and Scarabaeini. Having diverged from those groups in the late Upper Cretaceous, we argue that the ancestor of Streblopus arrived in South America crossing the Atlantic Ocean by rafting. We present a synthesis of data from a wide variety of biological groups to support our ideas and contend that long-distance dispersal hypotheses should be taken more seriously by scarab beetle specialists.
Canthon (Peltecanthon) is revised in this work. The subgenus now includes four species: C. (P.) staigi (Pereira, 1953), C. (P.) haroldi nom. nov., C. (P.) splendidus Schmidt, 1922 and C. (P.) terciae sp. nov. All species occur in the Atlantic Forest. Maps, natural history information, specimen data and illustrations are provided.
The taxonomy of the American Onthophagus Latreille, 1802 included in the “hirculus” group is revised, and a study of their morphology allows for the delineation of five species-complexes. Herein, we provide a diagnosis of the “hirculus” group, an illustrated key to the complexes, along with a descriptive overview of their taxonomy and geographic distribution. Onthophagus hirculus Mannerheim, 1829 is considered to be a junior synonym of O. hircus Billberg, 1815, which is here demonstrated to be a valid species name. Thus, the “hirculus” group is here renamed the “hircus” group. Furthermore, a general scheme of the genital organs of American Onthophagus is provided, including names of different anatomical parts and a brief discussion on the need for nomenclatural stability for the genitalia of scarab beetles.
Type series for 35 type species of Macrodactylini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) are studied and taxonomic changes are proposed. The following 35 lectotypes are designated: Agaocnemis pruina Moser, 1918; Amphicrania ursina Burmeister, 1855; Anomalochilus singularis Blanchard, 1850; Anomalonyx uruguayensis Moser, 1921; Aulanota sulcipennis Moser, 1924; Barybas nanus Blanchard, 1850; Barybas volvulus Burmeister, 1855; Calodactylus tibialis Blanchard, 1850; Ceraspis pruinosa LePeletier de Saint-Fargeau & Audinet-Serville, 1828; Ceratolontha venezuelae Arrow, 1948; Chariodactylus chacoensis Moser, 1919; Clavipalpus dejeani Laporte, 1832; Corminus canescens Burmeister, 1855; Ctenotis obesa Burmeister, 1855; Ctilocephala pellucens Burmeister, 1855; Demodema fallax Blanchard, 1850; Euryaspis gaudichaudii Blanchard, 1851; Faula cornuta Blanchard, 1850; Gama grandicornis Blanchard, 1850; Gastrohoplus mirabilis Moser, 1921; Mallotarsus spadiceus Blanchard, 1850; Manodactylus gaujoni Moser, 1919; Manopus biguttatus Conte de Castelnau, 1840; Melolontha rufipennis Fabricius, 1801; Oedichira pachydactyla Burmeister, 1855; Pachycerus castaneipennis Guérin-Méneville, 1831; Pachylotoma viridis Blanchard, 1850; Pectinosoma elongata Arrow, 1913; Philochlaenia virescens Blanchard, 1842; Plectris tomentosa LePeletier de Saint-Fargeau & Audinet-Serville, 1828; Pseudohercitis viridiaenea Moser, 1921; Rhinaspoides aeneofusca Moser, 1919; Schizochelus flavescens Blanchard, 1850; Serica marmorea Guérin-Méneville, 1831; and Ulomenes hypocrita Blanchard, 1850. The following six genera are revalidated: Byrasba Harold, 1869 (formerly a synonym of Rhinaspis Perty, 1833); Euryaspis Blanchard, 1851 (formerly a synonym of Plectris LePeletier de Saint-Fargeau & Audinet-Serville, 1828); Junkia Dalla Torre, 1913 (formerly a synonym of Plectris); Faula Blanchard, 1850 (formerly a synonym of Ceraspis LePeletier de Saint-Fargeau & Audinet-Serville, 1828); Paulosawaya Martínez & d’Andretta, 1956 (formerly a synonym of Clavipalpus Laporte, 1832); and Pseudoserica Guérin-Méneville, 1838 (formerly a synonym of Plectris). The following 11 new generic synonymies are proposed: Anomalochilus Blanchard, 1850 a new synonym of Plectris; Amphicrania Burmeister, 1855 (formerly a synonym of Clavipalpus and a homonym of Amphicrania Dejean, 1833) and Pseudoleuretra Martínez & d’Andretta, 1956 are synonymized with Paulosawaya; Aulanota Moser, 1924 and Hadrocerus Guérin-Méneville, 1838 are synonymized with Philochloenia; Ctenotis Burmeister, 1855 a new synonym of Euryaspis Blanchard, 1851; Gama Blanchard, 1850, Pachylotoma Blanchard, 1850 (formerly a synonym of Gama) and Harpodactyla Burmeister, 1855 (formerly a synonym of Gama) are synonymized with Pseudoserica; Gastrohoplus Moser, 1921 a new synonym of Schizochelus Blanchard, 1850; and Hercitis Burmeister, 1855 a new synonym of Barybas Blanchard, 1850. One new specific synonymy is proposed: Hercitis pygmaea Burmeister, 1855 a synonym of Barybas nana Blanchard, 1850. Philochloenia armata nom. nov. is proposed for Aulanota sulcipennis Moser, 1924 to avoid secondary homonymy. Ancistrosoma Curtis, 1835, nomen protectum, has priority over Sciuropus Dejean, 1833, nomen oblitum. Taxonomic remarks, diagnoses and a key are given to all Macrodactylini genera.
The fauna of Phanaeini of the northeast of Brazil was investigated through fieldwork in the States of Ceará, Maranhão and Piauí, and through study of preserved material from other states. Seven species of Phanaeini are newly recorded from these three states. Of these, two species are also new records for the northeast region: Phanaeus melibaeus Blanchard and an unidentified Dendropaemon Perty species. A total of 13 new state records are given for eight of the 15 species of Phanaeini recorded from the northeast to date, including three new state genus records. A key is provided for identification of all species. Detailed distributional information is presented together with habitat and bait preferences and other ecological data for each species. The diversity and distribution of the tribe in the northeast is discussed in the context of regional biotopes and wider geographic ranges. The fauna is shown to be more diverse than previously believed, containing both endemic and widespread elements occurring in species assemblages that differ according to habitat type and elevation, leading to substantial complementarity of diversity amongst the main biogeographic provinces and biotopes of the region.