Explanation of Names
"geos" from Greek meaning earth and "trypetes" from Greek meaning borer.
Numbers
Geotrupes balyi Jekel 1865
Geotrupes blackburnii blackburnii (Fabricius 1781) - eastern [of Appalachians] subspecies
Geotrupes blackburnii excrementi Say 1823 - western subspecies
Geotrupes egeriei Germar 1824
Geotrupes hornii Blanchard 1888
Geotrupes opacus Haldeman 1853 - dull granulate black, elytra with no striae
Geotrupes semiopacus Jekel 1865 - elytra with striae impunctate
Geotrupes splendidus (Fabricius 1775)
Geotrupes stercorarius (Linnaeus 1758) - Canada (introduced from Europe)
Geotrupes ulkei Blanchard 1888 - Mtns (typ. 3000') from Virginia to Alabama, flightless
Identification
Geotrupes of America, north of Mexico - guide for field ID
1. Elytra with striae obsolete, just rows of punctures
Dull granulate black, widespread US
Shiny, Appalachian Mtns from N. Alabama to West Virginia
2. Elytra with striae impunctate
3. Very convex shape, elytra with striae differently colored
4. Sutural striae end at scutellum. see detail below
Generally black or blue, pronotum with scarce, minute punctures
Variously colored, from bright green to black, pronotum
usually with at least some obvious punctures laterally
5. Elytra with sutural striae complete to base
Widespread, at least some hint of blue or green
Widespread, solid black, no trace of color
Black above, purple below, elytra with moderate striae
and punctures, eastern Canada, Maine(?)
