A new genus and species of Aulonocneminae from India with notes on comparative morphology (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Abstract

A new genus and species of Aulonocneminae from India with notes on comparative morphology

Evolution of the scarab hindwing articulation and wing base: a contribution toward the phylogeny of the Scarabaeidae (Scarabaeoidea: Coleoptera)

“…Although aegialiines do not exhibit any autapomorphic hindwing articulation or wing base characters, they do share eight derived character states of the wing articulation with Aulonocnemis and Aphodiinae, which together form a monophyletic group (see Aphodiinae below). It is likely that these three taxa together form Aphodiinae, as has been implied by other workers (Koshantschikov, 1913;Stebnicka, 1985;d'Hotman & Scholtz, 1990a;Nel & Scholtz, 1990;Scholtz, 1990).…”

“…Aegialiini and Aphodiinae share apomorphic character states of the mouthparts (Nel & Scholtz, 1990), male genitalia (d'Hotman & Scholtz, 1990a), spiracles (Ritcher, 1969) and chromosomes (Virkki, 1967). Aegialiini also share many characters with Aulonocnemis, such as the shape of the wings (Balthasar, 1942), the shape of the male genitalia (d'Hotman & Scholtz, 1990a), larval morphology (Paulian & Lumaret, 1974), the general type of mouthparts (Scholtz, 1990), and food preferences and habits (Stebnicka, 1985).…”

“…Despite the lack of apomorphies which distinguish Aulonocnemis from Aphodiinae, and the lack of any reliable synapomorphies between Aegialiini and Aphodiinae, both Stebnicka (1985) and later Cambefort (1987) consider aegialiines to be intermediate between 'Aulonocneminae' and Aphodiinae. No wing articulation characters were found to support such a relationship.…”

“…The diagnosis of 'Aulonocneminae' is virtually the same as that of Aphodiinae (see below). Only a single derived character state separates Aulonocnemis from Aphodiinae, namely the presence of single apical spur on the hindtibia (Stebnicka, 1985), a convergent character state which is similarly used to separate Leptohoplia (Rutelinae) from Hopliini (Melolonthinae) (Howden & Hardy, 1971).…”

Influence of carrion smell and rebaiting time on the efficiency of pitfall traps to dung beetle sampling

“…In 6 weeks, a total of 1 976 dung beetles were trapped, representing 26 species (Table 1). Six Ataenius species were also trapped but excluded from the analysis, because their relationship with dung is uncertain (Stebnicka, 1985). Only the most abundant species were included in the statistical analysis, namely Canthon septemmaculatus histrio , Canthidium spec., Deltochilum spec., Dichotomius bos , Dichotomius nisus , Eurysternus near hirtellus , Ontherus appendiculatus , Onthophagus near hirculus , Onthophagus near ranunculus , Pedaridium bidens , Trichillum externepuctatum , and Uroxys epipleuralis .…”