Species Onthophagus batesi

Onthophagus batesi Howden & Cartwright, 1963

Length 6-8 mm., and width 4-5 mm. (1)

southmost Texas (Cameron and Hidalgo Counties) / Mexico (widely dist.) to Panama - Map (2)(1)

Photo posted here represents the second U.S. county record, Hidalgo Co., TX.

Number of compiled Texas collecting events by month:

June (3). (1)

Asso. w/ cow, horse, human and cow dung. In comparison between dung and carrion, O. batesi strongly preferred dung over carrion. (Halffter and Matthews 1966)

At locations in Chiapas and Guatemala, this species began arriving at dung traps at dusk and continued arriving until about 22:00 hrs. when their activity ceased completely. (Halffter and Matthews 1966)

O. batesi constructs a burrow with multiple brood masses (a compound nest). (Halffter and Edmonds 1982)

Although this species can be considered common throughout much of its range in Mexico and Central America it is apparently rare in south Texas. The only published records for Texas (and the United States) are those accompanying the original description in Howden and Cartwright (1963). In this work, six specimens are cited from Brownsville collected during June of 1954 and 1955. We recently examined a single female specimen of this species labeled "TX: Cameron County, Sabal Palm Grove Audubon Sanctuary, June 2-6, 1986, R. M. Brattain". This is the only specimen we examined from Texas despite our bait-trapping efforts at this and other localities in Cameron County. (3)

Halffter, G. and W.D. Edmonds. 1982. The nesting behavior of dung beetles (Scarabaeinae). An ecological and evolutive approach. Instituto Ecologia, Mexico, D.F. Pub. no. 10: 1-176 pp.

Halffter, G. and E.G. Matthews 1966. The natural history of dung beetles of the subfamily Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). Folia Entomologica Mexicana 12-14: 1-312.

Howden, H.F. and O.L. Cartwright. 1963. Scarab beetles of the genus Onthophagus Lateille north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Proceedings of the United States National Museum 1l4(3467): 1-135.

Riley, E.G. & J.E. King. 2009. Element record datasheets submitted to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Wildlife Division, Austin. (1)