Ataeniopsis edistoi (Cartwright) in Florida (Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae)

Authors

Paul E. Skelley, Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

September 2003

Comments

Published in INSECTA MUNDIVolume 17, No. 3-4, September-December, 2003. Copyright © 2003 P. Skelley. Used by permission.

Abstract

Ataenius edistoi Cartwright (1974) was described from a series of eight specimens collected near the Edisto River in South Carolina. All were "collected under surface litter on sandy but hard ground along the roadside". According to Cartwright (1974) attempts to collect the species at light at the type locality were not successful, indicating the species does not come to light. The species was transferred to the genus Ataeniopsis Petrovitz by Stebnicka (2003) in a revision of the genus. Ataeniopsis differs from Ataenius Harold in that the apical half of the pygidium in Ataeniopsis is smooth and glabrous, while in Ataenius it is eroded and usually alutaceous. The rarity of A. edistoi was emphasized by the fact that Stebnicka saw no additional specimens.