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. No-menclatural 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.