PROCEEDINGS OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



by the 



SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM 

 VoL 108 Washington : 1959 No. 3409 



SCARAB BEETLES OF THE GENUS BOTHYNUS IN THE UNITED 

 STATES (COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEIDAE)' 



By O. L. Cartwright 



Since CoL Thomas Casey's (1915) study of the scarab beetles of the 

 genus Bothynus, which he placed in Ligyrus and Ligyrodes, the number 

 of species has varied from the 31 he accepted to only six species 

 accepted by L. W. Baylor in 1946. Casey described species based on 

 minor variations, while Baylor's lumping of so many together under 

 the name Ligyrus gihhosus (DeGeer) was based on obvious but super- 

 ficial similarities. I agree that all of Casey's species ai'e synonyms, 

 but I do not agree with Baylor's placing of them. Two of the Le- 

 Conte species which Baylor placed in synonym}^ are perfectly valid. 



I have examined the Casey types in the U. B. National Museum and 

 the LeConte types in the IVIuseum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard 

 College. After studying several thousand specimens, my conclusions 

 regarding the species discussed by Dr. LeConte almost exactly 100 

 years ago are practically identical with the opinions expressed by him. 

 The few species found since Dr. LeConte's day bring the total I 

 recognize from the United Btates to nine species and one subspecies. 



In the following account, changes in the nomenclatm-e of the gi-oup 

 are discussed, a key is presented for separation of the species, and for 

 each species arc given the synon}Tns, a complete description, a figure 

 of the male genitalia, location of the type, number of specimens 



I This study was supported in part by a research grant from American Philosophical Socit'ty, Penrose 

 Fund No. 2057. 



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