Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Lonchophorus Germar 1824
Onthurgus Gistel 1857
Palaeocopris Pierce 1946
Explanation of Names
Author is
William Sharp Macleay. According to Blatchley, p. 917
(1) (
direct link),
Phanaeus is Greek, meaning
light bearer.
Numbers
Genus Phanaeus MacLeay 1819
Phanaeus adonis Harold 1863 - Mexico; coastal Cameron County, Texas
Phanaeus amithaon Harold 1875 - Mexico, south central Arizona @ low to mid elevations
=Phanaeus magnificens Robinson 1948
=Phanaeus floridanus D’Olsoufieff 1924
Phanaeus quadridens (Say 1835) - Mexico, southeastern Arizona, New Mexico @ mid-elevations
=Phanaeus violaceus Laporte 1840
=Phanaeus laevipennis Sturm 1843
=Phanaeus borealis D’Olsoufieff 1924
=Phanaeus torrens LeConte 1847
=Phanaeus niger D’Olsoufieff 1924
=Phanaeus goidanichi Balthasar 1939
Phanaeus vindex MacLeay 1819 - Mexico; Eastern US, west to Wyoming and Arizona
=Phanaeus cyanellus Robinson 1938
=Phanaeus rubervirens Robinson 1948
=Phanaeus carnifex auct., not Linnaeus
Nearctica.com lists 10 species in the genus for North America - outdated.
Identification
Large, robust, colorful scarabs. Males often have a prominent horns.
Life Cycle
Adults of P. vindex excavate a cavity and form a dung ball underneath a dung mass, as opposed to rolling it away, as do other scarabs. (See
Univ. of Nebraska page.) Eggs are laid on this dung ball.
Remarks
NCSU Entomology collection lists the following species for the state of North Carolina, with number pinned: carnifex (14), igneus (24), triangularis (1), vindex (65).
Print References
White, P. vindex, plate 7
(4)
Harpootlian, pp. 18-20, gives a key and illustrates all South Carolina species, which include triangularis, vindex, and igneus.
(7)Internet References
Univ. of Nebraska page discusses scarab life history, including Phanaeus.
Univ. Wisconsin page showing a species of Phanaeus
