Guia de identificação para Aphodiinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) no Brasil

Abstract

Aphodiinae, a subfamily of Scarabaeidae, is a cosmopolitan group of small saprophagous beetles. Some species are specialized in coprophagy and are essential for maintaining pastures as they break down bovine fecal masses preventing the development of parasites and contributing to nutrient cycling. Prior to this study, in Brazil, the group was represented by 149 species and 40 genera. Despite its diversity and importance, this group remains poorly explored and superficially identified by Brazilian researchers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to construct a guide that allows the identification of Aphodiinae species already recorded and to expand knowledge about this group in Brazil. Considering the importance of this subfamily in pasture maintenance, a simplified guide for Aphodiinae found in these environments was also developed. Through the analysis of 8,404 individuals deposited in entomological collections and consultation of specialized literature, dichotomous keys, diagnoses, and updated distribution maps were prepared. Ataenius Harold, 1867, due to its diversity, is treated here at the level of a species group only. Platytomus longulus and Platytomus freudei are treated as a species complex since it was not possible to differentiate these species with precision. Three genera: Amerilochus Skelley 2007, Saprolochus Stebnicka & Galante, 2007, and Stebnickiella Skelley 2007, and 14 species: Aidophus kolbei (Schmidt, 1911), Amerilochus cinereus Skelley 2007, Ataeniopsis haroldi (Steinheil & Strobel, 1972), Ataenius bolivarensis Stebnicka, 2007, Batesiana chamorroi Skelley & Vaz-de-Mello, 2002, Blackburneus thomasi Dellacasa, Dellacasa & Gordon, 2012, Iarupea lopeteguii Martínez, 1953, Lomanoxia canthonopsis Skelley & Howden, 1951, Lomanoxoides bitubericollis (Schmidt, 1909), Odontolytes guayara (Stebnicka, 2002), Odontolytes loretoensis (Stebnicka, 2002), Saprolochus tridentatus Skelley, 2007, Stebnickiella zosterixys Skelley, 2007, Tanyana guyanaensis (Stebnicka, 2003) are recorded for the first time in Brazil. The group's diversity in the country is now elevated to 163 species and 43 genera. At least 53 species and 17 genera have been recorded in pastures and may or may not be directly associated with bovine fecal masses.