AUSTRALIAN DUNG BEETLES of the SUB-FAMILY 



COPRIDES 



By ARTHUR M. LEA, F.E.S., ENTOMoLocasr, S.A. Museum 



Plates vi-ix. 



In comparison with otlicr parts of the world Australia has but few Coprides, 

 mostly below the aA'erag'e size of those occurring elsewhere; the largest species, 

 Aiilacopris reichei, seldom reaching a body-length of an inch and a quarter. 

 This, however, is only to be expected considering the dearth of large indigenous 

 mammals. Dung beetles of several kinds have multiplied with the distribution 

 of the cow and horse, and many European species have been introduced, 

 especially in the Aphodiides and Staphylinidae. 



Some of our genera are of exceptional interest, such as Macropocopris, species 

 of which live in the fur about the anal region of marsupials, and have developed 

 extremely powerful claws; one species, M. sy))ihioticus, has been found in the 

 cloaca of a Avallaliy. Dr. J. F. Tllingworth informed me that Pedaria goniiuifa 

 habitually uses, for its own young, dung-balls formed by other species of Coprides. 



The following is a list of the species previously recorded as occurring in 

 Australia, synonyms being ])riut(Ml in italics: 



Actinophorus leei Shipp. 

 Aulacopris reichei White. 

 Canthonosoma castelnaui Har. (Cepha- 

 lodesmius). 

 macleayi Har. (Cfph(iIo(]('s})iiiis). 

 mastersi Mad. 



lionwdesniixs Juiroldi Sliar]i. 

 planus Sharp (Honiodesiiiiiis). 

 Catharsius australiae Shij)]). 

 tricornufui^ Felsche. 

 .( 'ei)halodesmius armiger Westw. 

 cornutus Mad. 

 laticollis Pase. 

 minor Blackb. 

 (luadridens Mad. 

 Copraecus hemisphaericus Guer. 



Coptodactjda bailey i Blackb. 

 acuficeps Felsche. 

 ducalis Blackb. 

 glabrieollis Hope, 

 monstrosa Felsche. 

 subaenea Har. 

 Epilissus globulus Mad. 

 niger Lansb. 

 ustulatus Lansb. 

 Labroma horrens Sharp. 



Menthoph ihis fuhercuhitus 

 Waterh. 

 Macropocopris carmodensis Blackb. 

 (OnihopJiagus). 

 kingi Har (O)itJwpJiagi(s). 

 0. miificus Macl. 



