BEETLE GENUS ONTHOPHAGUS HOWDEN, CARTWRIGHT 45 



all the related species except the females of the orpheus complex. 

 Male minors and females of s. striatulus may be distinguished from 

 these species by the fine alutaceous sculpture of the elytral intervals 

 which is lacking in the orpheus group. The similarity of the females 

 of these species probabl}^ led Blatchley to confuse orpheus as a variety 

 of striatulus in his "Coleoptera or beetles known to occur in Indiana" 

 (1910, p. 919). Blatchley (1916, p. 95) also stated that 0. janus and 

 striatulus are good species, but his reasons for this separation are not 

 valid. 



Onthop>hagus striatulus is fau'ly distinct from other North American 

 Onthophagus in its habits inasmuch as it prefers rotting fungi to dung 

 as adult food. Specimens can be commonly taken under some of the 

 "toadstool" fungi and have also been found by the \STiters on a species 

 of Rhizopogon. They can be easily taken in sunken can traps baited 

 with bananas, fermenting malt, or malt and propionic acid. Speci- 

 mens less frequently are taken on rotten melons, animal di'oppings, 

 or carrion. Brown (1928) found striatulus attracted to baits of 

 decaying bananas in damp forests. 



In provisioning larval food, however, s. striatulus seems to follow 

 the typical pattern of providing dung for the larvae. A number of 

 adult s. striatulus collected at Bastrop State Park, Texas, on rotting 

 watermelon during mid-June were placed in a large soil-filled flower 

 pot, furnished with fungi and cov/ dung, and left undisturbed until 

 July 5th. At that time, the pot w^as investigated and four cells com- 

 posed of dung were found at depths of 3, 4, and 5 inches. Each cell 

 contained a single larva. All the larvae, 2 second instars and 2 third 

 instars, were immediately preserved. The cells were oval in shape, 

 12 to 14 mm. long, and 8 to 10 mm. wide at the widest point, wdth 

 the cavity containing the larva at the upper end. In none of the 

 cells was there an^^ indication of fragments of fungi, even though fungi 

 was placed in the pot and the adults appeared to feed on it. After 

 July 5th no additional cells were formed. Development of 0. striat- 

 ulus seems t^^pically rapid, the third instars taking no more than 3 

 weeks to develop from the egg. Pupation evidently occurs in mid- 

 summer, for numerous, seemingl}' freshlj' emerged adults are common 

 on fungi in September in Tennessee. 



Onthophagus striatulus floridanus Blatchley, new combination 



Plate 4, Figures 24 and 25 



Onthophagus nigrescens Blatchley, 1916, p. 94 (not d'Orbigny, 1902, p. 21). — 



Leng and IMutchler, 1933, p. 38. 

 Onthophagus floridanus Blatchley, 1928, p. 128. — Leng and Mutcliler, 1933, p. 38. 



Male majors. — Length 5.9 to 7.1 mm., width 3.7 to 4.3 mm. 

 Dorsal color shining black with vague greenish cast. Head with 



