Genus Copris Geoffroy, 1762

Copris Geoffroy, 1762, Ins. Des Envir. De Paris, 1: 87 (Type species: Scarabaeus lunaris Linnaeus, 1758, by original designation, deposited in UZIU).

Key to species of Copris from Hong Kong.

1 Male pronotum with developed horn(s), female pronotum ridged anteriorly....................................................................................... 2

Male pronotum without developed horn or weakly convex anterior ly, female pronotum simple or weakly ridged anteriorly............. 5 2 Clypeus with narrow trianglular notch in the middle of the anterior margin, male pronotum with two horns..................................... 3

Clypeus with broad and shallow notch in the middle of the anterior margin, male pronotum with six horns ......................................4 3 Shiny elytra, pronotum with shallow ditches around the horns....................................................... Copris (s. str.) sinicus Hope, 1842

Dark but not shiny elytra, pronotum with deep ditches around the horns ................... Copris (Sinocopris) ochus Motschulsky, 1860 4 Weak lateral carinae on pronotum, not obviously protruding towards the front ........................ Copris (s. str.) punctatus Gillet, 1910

Strong lateral carinae on pronotum, obviously protruding towards the fron .................. Copris (s. str.) tripartitus Waterhouse, 1875 5 Male pronotum with a weak horn anteriorly ............................................................... Copris (s. str.) szechouanicus Balthasar, 1958

Male pronotum simple, without horn ...................................................................................... Copris (s. str.) confucius Harold, 1877