Scarab beetles from pocket gopher burrows in the southeastern United States (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Authors

Paul E. Skelley, Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville, FL
Robert D. Gordon, Willow City, NDFollow

Date of this Version

June 2001

Comments

Insecta Mundi, published by the Center for Systematic Entomology, is available online at http://centerforsystematicentomology.org/. Copyright © by Gordon and Skelley.

Abstract

This paper reports on the scarab beetles collected during a survey of nonparasitic arthopods living in burrows of the southeastern pocket gopher (Geomys pinetus Rafinesque, Geomyidae). Three new species are described: Aphodius bakeri, A. baileyi and A. gambrinus. A key to species of Aphodius occurring in these burrows is presented. Distributional data is provided for species of Aphodius and one species of Euphoria occurring in this microhabitat. Aspects of life histories of burrow inhabiting insects are speculated upon.