4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.89 



Front of head at most rugose ; first segment of hind tarsus slen- 

 der; longer spur of hind tibia about as long as first tarsal 



segment Ataenius 



5. Elytra margined across base by a carina, which is broken by each 



stria; humus-dwelling species, often taken on wing at dusk — Pleurophorus 

 Elytra not margined across base; species living in dead wood 



associated with other insects Saprosites 



Genus APHODIUS lUiger, 1798 



Aphodius lULiGEB, 1798, Verzeichniss der Kafer Preussens, p. 15. — Cubtis, 1824, 

 British entomology, vol. 1, No. 27. — Schmidt, 1922, Das Tierreich, pars 45, 

 Aphodiinae, p. 8. 



Type of genus : Scardbaeus fossor Linnaeus (by subsequent desig- 

 nation of Curtis, 1824). 



The genus Aphodiibs was established in 1798 to include 32 species, 

 but without any designation of type species. Curtis, in 1824, selected 

 one of these as type of the genus, choosing the largest of the included 

 species. His action is entirely in accord with the International Rules 

 and must stand. The type de,signations Scardbaeus ohlongiLS Scopoli 

 by Gozis, 1886, and Scardbaeits erraticus Linnaeus by Paulian, 1935, 

 are both invalid. 



Almost four-fifths of the roughly 700 species of this genus are 

 from the Old World and about half of all the species are Palaearctic 

 in origin. They feed on the excrements of the higher animals. 



KEY TO WEST INDIAN SPECIES, OF APHODIUS 



1. Anterior margin of clypeus with 4 acute teeth, median pair longer 



than external; Cuba 1. quadridentatus Harold 



Anterior margin of clypeus without acute teeth 2 



2. Pronotum with a fine but distinct basal margin, surface rather 



coarsely and densely punctured ; elytral striae deep ; form 



robust, length 4-5 mm 2. sallei Harold 



Pronotum without basal margin, surface sparsely punctured, 

 shining 3 



3. Pale brown with pronotal disk, elytral suture and disks darker ; 



pronotal pxmctures mostly fine with a few coarse ones at sides. 



3. lividus Olivier 

 Piceous with sides of pronotum and elytra and legs slightly 



paler ; pronotal punctures coarse but sparse 4. cuniculus Chevrolat 



1. APHODIUS QUADRIDENTATUS Harold 



Aphodius quadridentatus Harold, 1861, Berlin. Ent. Zeitschr., vol. 5, p. 107 ; 

 1863, loc. cit, vol. 7, p. 331.— Schmidt, 1922, Das Tierreich, pars 45, 

 Aphodiinae, p. 157. 



Subconvex, shining, rufopiceous, with sides of pronotum, apices of 

 elytra, and a few small spots on elytra reddish yellow. Head flat, 

 with a low weak swelling at middle, finely punctured, gena angulate 

 and prominent ; clypeus anteriorly subtruncate, on each side with the 

 angles produced as small teeth; within these teeth a second pair of 



