* Ataenius, Aphotaenius, and Pseudataenius of the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) OSCAR L. CARTWRIGHT SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY • NUMBER 154 SERIAL PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION The emphasis upon publications as a means of diffusing knowledge was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. In his formal plan for the Insti- tution, Joseph Henry articulated a program that included the following statement: "It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge." This keynote of basic research has been adhered to over the years in the issuance of thousands of titles in serial publications under the Smithsonian imprint, com- mencing with Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge in 1848 and continuing with the following active series: Smithsonian Annals of Flight Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology Smithsonian Contributions to Astrophysics Smithsonian Contributions to Botany Smithsonian Contributions to the Earth Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology In these series, the Institution publishes original articles and monographs dealing with the research and collections of its several museums and offices and of professional colleagues at other institutions of learning. These papers report newly acquired facts, synoptic interpretations of data, or original theory in specialized fields. These pub- lications are distributed by mailing lists to libraries, laboratories, and other interested institutions and specialists throughout the world. Individual copies may be obtained from the Smithsonian Institution Press as long as stocks are available. S. DILLON RIPLEY Secretary Smithsonian Institution SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY • NUMBER 154 Ataenius, Aphotaenius, and Pseudataenius of the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) Oscar L. Cartwright SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS City of Washington 1974 ABSTRACT Oscar L. Cartwright. Ataenius, Aphotaenius, and Pseudataenius of the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae). Smithsonian Con- tributions to Zoology, number 154, 106 pages, 24 figures, 3 plates, 1974.—All known species are fully described; literature citations, synonyms, and a key to the species are provided; and known distribution is recorded and shown by map figures. All species previously ascribed to the area are listed, and the present status of each is presented. Twenty new species are added to the fauna. Ataenius waltnerhorni Balthasar is transferred to the genus Pseudataenius. The following are placed in synonymy: A. fleutiaui Paulian (=havanensis Bal- thasar), A. cribratus Van Dyke ( = confertus Fall), A. linelli Cartwright (=lan- guidus Schmidt), A. oblongus Horn (=sculptor Harold), A. sulcatula (Chevrolat) and A. frankenbergeri Balthasar (=brevicollis (Wollaston)), A. floridanus Brown and A. solitarius Blatchley {=rhyticephalus (Chevrolat)). Lectotypes are designated for Pseudataenius socialis (Horn), Ataenius in- sculptus Horn, A. ovatulus Horn, A. cylindrus Horn, A. aequalis Harold, A. sulcatulus (Chevrolat), and A. cognatus (LeConte). Neotypes are established for A. confertus Fall, A nocturnus (Nomura), A. texanus Harold, and A. strigatus (Say). New taxa are Pseudataenius contortus (Florida), Ataenius edistoi (South Carolina), A. parkeri (Arizona), A. rugopygus (Texas), A. duncani (Arizona), A. superficialis (Florida), A. pseudohirsutus (Texas), A. sabinoi (Arizona), A. vandykei (California), A. barberi (Arizona), A. nunenmacheri (Arizona), A. stroheckeri (Florida), A. glaseri (Maryland), A. punctifrons (Minnesota), A. utahensis (Utah), A. hesperius (Arizona), A. sciurus (Florida), A. woodruffi, (Florida), A. griffini (Texas), and A. stephani (Arizona). OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. SI PRESS NUMBER 4820. SERIES COVER DESICN: The coral Montastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus). Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Cartwright, Oscar Ling. Ataenius, Aphotaenius, and Pseudataenius of the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) (Smithsonian contributions to zoology, no. 154) 1. Ataenius. 2. Pseudataenius. 3. Aphotaenius carolinus. I. Title. II. Series: Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian contributions to zoology, no. 154. QL1.S54 no. 154 [QL596.S3] 591'/08s [595.7'64] 73-6912 For sale by Che Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price $1.85 (paper cover) Contents Page Introduction 1 Status of Names Used for Ataenius 5 Key to Species of Aphotaenius, Pseudataenius, and Ataenius of the United States and Canada 6 Aphotaenius carolinus (Van Dyke) 11 Pseudataenius walterhorni (Balthasar), new combination 12 Pseudataenius socialis (Horn) 14 Pseudataenius contortus, new species 16 Ataenius edistoi, new species 17 Ataenius saxatilis Cartwrigbt 18 Ataenius figurator Harold 19 Ataenius parkeri, new species 21 Ataenius rugopygus, new species 23 Ataenius duncani, new species 24 Ataenius alternatus (Melsheimer) 26 Ataenius insculptus Horn 27 Ataenius imbricatus (Melsheimer) 28 Ataenius superficialis, new species SO Ataenius miamii Cartwright 31 Ataenius havanensis Balthasar S3 Ataenius semipilosus Van Dyke 34 A taenius hirsutus Horn 36 Ataenius pseudohirsutus, new species 87 Ataenius sabinoi, new species 38 Ataenius vandykei, new species 39 Ataenius confertus Fall 40 Ataenius saramari Cartwright 41 Ataenius convexus Robinson 42 A taenius lobatus Horn 44 Ataenius cylindrus Horn 45 Ataenius oklahomensis Brown 47 Ataenius ovatulus Horn 48 Ataenius desertus Horn 49 Ataenius languidus Schmidt 50 Ataenius barberi, new species 51 Ataenius puncticollis (LeConte) 52 Ataenius nunenmacheri, new species 53 Ataenius stroheckeri, new species 54 Ataenius texanus Harold 56 Ataenius glaseri, new species 57 Ataenius punctifrons, new species 59 Ataenius utahensis, new species 61 Ataenius hesperius, new species 61 Ataenius abditus (Haldeman) 63 Ataenius exiguus Brown 64 Ataenius sciurus, new species 65 Ataenius gracilis (Melsheimer) 67 Ataenius nocturnus (Nomura) 69 Ataenius sculptor Harold 70 Ataenius woodruffi, new species 72 Ataenius robustus Horn 73 iii Page Ataenius simulator Harold 74 Ataenius erratus Fall 75 Ataenius inquisitus Horn 76 Ataenius griffini, new species 77 Ataenius aequalis Harold 78 Ataenius integer Harold 79 Ataenius stephani, new species 81 Ataenius platensis (Blanchard) 82 Ataenius picinus Harold 84 Ataenius brevicollis (Wollaston) 85 Ataenius rhyticephalus (Chevrolat) 86 Ataenius brevis Fall 87 Ataenius spretulus (Haldeman) 89 Ataenius wenzelii Horn 91 Ataenius cognatus (LeConte) 92 Ataenius rudellus Fall 93 Ataenius californicus Horn 94 Ataenius strigatus (Say) 95 Ataenius apicalis Hinton 98 Ataenius fattigi Cartwright 99 Literature Cited 101 Plates 104 Ataenius, Aphotaenius, and Pseudataenius of the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) Oscar L. Cartwright Introduction 20 species described as new, type-localities of 6 are in Arizona, 5 in Florida, 4 in Texas, and 1 Ataenius includes many species of small, usually each in South Carolina, Maryland, Minnesota, elongate, black or reddish brown (though some- Utah, and California. Only 5 species—abditus, times gray or clay-colored), shining or dull, and gracilis, imbricatus, spretulus, and strigatus—are smooth or rarely pubescent scarab beetles averag- recorded from Canada, but it seems likely that ing about 4 mm or 5 mm in length. The smallest at least one or two more may occur there since are about 2.5 mm long, the largest about 6.5 mm. several others are found in bordering American Many but not all species are attracted to lights, states. Within the United States, Texas records 34 sometimes in such numbers as to be a nuisance. species, Florida 29, South Carolina 23, and Arizona Their life cycles are not well known but appar- 23. ently they are humus feeders in the soil, with a The genus Ataenius was named by E. von Harold few species attracted to decaying vegetation and (1867b:82) in describing Ataenius scutellaris from to animal dung. A very few have been taken in "Columbia." He placed the genus between "Eu- ant nests and animal burrows. Larvae of seven parius" and Rhyssemus. Since he mentioned "new species were described by Jerath (1960). genus" in this description of A. scutellaris, I con- The genus is worldwide, but by far the largest sider that species to be the type of the genus. In numbers of species are found in the Western the same paper, von Harold also placed in Ataenius Hemisphere and Australia. Over 300 species have the following four species: opatrinus, capitosus, been described, with perhaps the greatest number perforatus and hispidus. In the same year von from South America. Thus far only two species, Harold (1867c: 100) described the genus in a sep- A. picinus Harold and A. simulator Harold, are arate generic description and followed it with the known to have worldwide distribution. description of a single species, A. opacus. The first In this account I recognize 63 species of Ataenius reference takes precedence with A. scutellaris as the from the continental United States, three species type of the genus. of Pseudantaenius, and one species of Aphotaenius. Pseudataenius was proposed by Brown (1927) Species