Ancognatha Erichson, 1847

Ratcliffe, Brett C., Cave, Ronald D. & Mondaca, José, 2021, The Dynastine Scarab Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) of Chile, The Coleopterists Bulletin 75 (2), pp. 279-309 : 285-286

Ancognatha Erichson, 1847

Ancognatha Erichson 1847: 97 .

Barotheus Bates 1891: 30 (synonym).

Pseudancognatha Otoya 1945: 275 (synonym, described as subgenus).

Ancognatha is comprised of 23 species that are found from the southwestern USA (Arizona and New Mexico) to northern Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia ( Endrödi 1966, 1985; Moore et al. 2018; Ratcliffe et al. 2020). One species occurs in Chile.

The elongate, generally acuminate or parabolic form of the clypeal apex in species of Ancognatha is a character state shared with many species of Cyclocephala , but the emarginate form of the mentum in Ancognatha species (and their generally larger size) will separate them from Cyclocephala species. Bates (1888) noted that in Ancognatha species the labrum is detached and inclined from the roof of the mouth instead of being hidden as in Cyclocephala . The narrow, generally upwardly pointed mandibles are also characteristic of most species of Ancognatha . The form of the parameres of most species is not overly distinctive.

The larval stage is described for Ancognatha manca LeConte , Ancognatha sellata Arrow , Ancognatha scarabaeoides (Erichson) , and Ancognatha ustulata Burmeister (Neita Moreno and Morón 2008; Ramírez-Salinas et al. 2004; Ritcher 1966; Vallejo and Morón 2008). Larvae of three Ancognatha species are reported as a human food source in Ecuador: Ancognatha castanea Erichson , Ancognatha jamesoni Murray , and Ancognatha vulgaris Arrow ( Onore 1997, 2005).

Adults are attracted to lights at night, but little else is known of their life history and behavior. Most species occur only in highland areas (Figueroa and Ratcliffe 2016; Mondaca 2016; Pardo-Locarno et al. 2006). Endrödi (1966, 1985) provided the last comprehensive review of the species of Ancognatha , but several new species have been described since.