From cowdung - Canthon floridanus

Moved

Moved from Canthon (Canthon) imitator.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 7 July, 2019 - 6:01am

Thanks for moving them all

to C. floridianus. It was on my to-do list

… margarethe brummermann, 7 July, 2019 - 10:21am

Moved

Moved from Tumblebugs.

… margarethe brummermann, 9 September, 2007 - 9:16pm

Canthon (Canthon) imitator

considering size, locale and that it's clearly not in the subgenus Boreocanthon - narrows it down nicely

… Phillip Harpootlian, 9 September, 2007 - 8:32pm

The cleft in the clypeus

Did you notice the deap cleft? I went through some pics on the net and couldn't find that on males or females. My specimen all have it.

… margarethe brummermann, 9 September, 2007 - 9:14pm

yes

Not a male/female character. All Canthon have at least some measure of a notched clypeus, this specimen is just very pronounced, more in some species, less in others.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 10 September, 2007 - 7:06am

But on other pics of imitator

But on other pics of C.imitator I don't see it! Does that mean it's a different spec?

… margarethe brummermann, 10 September, 2007 - 8:41am

check ..

I can't tell from the photo - is the clypeus quadridentate [subgenus Boreocanthon]? The center pair prominent, the outer ones often indistinct, but nonetheless present. Compare to this. In AZ, you certainly get C. (B.) simplex [in guide]. You're right though, doesn't compare well to the other imitator images. Is size accurate? Boreocanthon are typically smaller and the hind tibia are usually stouter, less curved.

There is only one sp. of Canthon in California, but MANY in Texas - at least a couple of those make it into AZ, but I'm not aware of any good current list for AZ. The NAU collection database does include (current nomenclature);
Canthon (Boreocanthon) praticola LeConte 1859
Canthon (Boreocanthon) puncticollis LeConte 1866
but is incomplete and has some errors; a Phanaeus sp. in Dynastinae and what the heck genus is "Golbocerina".

… Phillip Harpootlian, 10 September, 2007 - 9:06am