Taxonomic review of the pilularius species group of the New World dung beetle genus Canthon Hoffmannsegg, 1817 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Deltochilini)

Abstract

This paper presents a taxonomic review of the pilularius species group of the genus Canthon Hoffmannsegg, 1817, a New World group of ball-rolling (telocoprid) dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae). This species group comprises five North American taxa: Canthon vigilans LeConte; C. chalcites (Haldeman); C. pilularius (Linnaeus); C. imitator Brown; and C. floridanus Brown. Each species is keyed, diagnosed, illustrated and presented with information on distribution, relationships, and biology. Nomenclatural actions taken include (a) designation of lectotype for Scarabaeus pilularius Linnaeus, 1758; (b) designation of lectotype for Scarabaeus hudsonias Forster, 1771; (c) designation of lectotype for Scarabaeus laevis Drury, 1773; (d) designation of lectotype and correction of type locality for Scarabaeus volvens Fabricius, 1792; and (e) correction of type locality for Canthon floridanus Brown. In addition, a new synonymy is designated: Scarabaeus hudsonias Forster, 1771, as senior objective synonym of S. laevis Drury, 1773.

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