The dung beetle fauna of the Big Bend region of Texas (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)
Author
Edmonds, W. D.
text
Insecta Mundi
2018
2018-07-27
642
1
30
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.3708186
f503e20e-e3fb-41ac-bf17-bdaf221bc7c7
1942-1354
3708186
55CCB217-771C-499D-9110-36F143C375C5
Euoniticellus intermedius
(Reiche)
Fig. 60–63
Diagnosis.
Dorsum mottled yellowish brown, usually with distinct dark, angular area extending along midline of pronotum. Pronotum evenly punctate; body elongate. Male (
Fig. 62–63
) – Head with large, blunt, slightly curved, cylindrical horn (reduced to tubercle in small individuals); pronotum (seen in profile) enlarged and expanded toward head. Female (
Fig. 60–61
) – Head with transverse, curved carina in front of and between eyes; pronotum flattened, rounded on sides. This species was re-described by
Janssens (1953)
.
Big Bend collection sites
(altitudinal range:
1055–1550 m
[
2490 m
in Sierra El Carmen]).
Brewster Co.
:
[1]
~
17 km
W
Alpine
(
Paisano Baptist Encampment
),
30°17′37″N
103°47′35″W
,
1550 m
(Jul)
;
[2]
*
Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area
,
30°03′04″N
103°32′56″W
,
1345 m
(Apr)
.
Jeff Davis Co.
:
[1]
Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute
(
Quarry Unit
),
30°32′06″N
103°50′37″W
,
1480 m
(Sep).
Presidio Co.
:
[1]
~
96 km
SSE
Marfa
(
Old Alazan Ranch
, headquarters),
29°33′01″N
103°53′25″W
,
1275 m
(Mar)
;
[2]
37 km
SSW
Marfa
(along
FM 2810
, Petan Ranch – Cherry Hills sector),
30°07′35″N
104°19′24″W
,
1630 m
(Jun)
;
[3]
~
6 km
W
Marfa
(Hip-O Ranch),
30°21′54″N
104° 7′12″W
,
1530 m
(Aug– Sep)
;
[4]
60 km
SSE Marfa
(along
FM 169
),
Casa Piedra
,
29°44′07″N
104°03′03″W
,
1055 m
(Sep)
.
MEXICO
:
Coahuila
,
Sierra El Carmen
,
Maderas del Carmen
,
29°00′06″ N
102°35′48″ W
,
2490 m
[Jul].
Collection method(s).
a) baited pitfall trap (human feces); b) direct capture (cow dung; horse dung).
Surface activity.
Diurnal.
Habitat.
Generally distributed throughout the region in all habitats, although more common in open pasturelands in association with livestock.
Comments.
This species spends its life in a dung pad and, because it is often dirtied by adhered fragments of dried dung and has the habit of feigning death (thanatosis) when disturbed, it is splendidly camouflaged. It is common in the Big Bend, but I have never observed population levels to even closely approximate those of
D. gazella
. The efficacy of the activities by
E. intermedius
in the control of nematodes is discussed by Martínez et al. (2018).