Eurysternus mexicanus Harold, 1869

Cárdenas-Bautista, Johann Stephens, Parada-Alfonso, Jenny Andrea & Carvajal‑Cogollo, Juan E., 2020, Dung beetles (Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae) of the Foothills-Andean Forest strip of Villavicencio, Colombia, Check List 16 (4), pp. 821-839 : 834

Eurysternus mexicanus Harold, 1869

Materials examined. COLOMBIA • 1, 11.22 mm (mean); Meta, Villavicencio, Vereda El Carmen, “Las Pesebreras” Farm ; 04°08ʹ24.60″N, 073°39ʹ40.89″W; 648 m a.s.l.; 17 Oct. 2018; Cárdenas Johann and Parada Jenny leg.; open pasture; Crplt4; UPTC-In-00081 . • 1, 11.22 mm (mean); Meta, Villavicencio, Vereda El Carmen, “Las Pesebreras” Farm ; 04°08ʹ22.73″N, 073°39ʹ22.73″W; 692 m a.s.l.; 10 Oct. 2018; Cárdenas Johann and Parada Jenny leg.; wooded pasture; Crpat5; UPTC-In-00082 . • 1, 11.22 mm (mean); Meta, Villavicencio, Vereda El Carmen, “La Manigua” Farm ; 04°08ʹ11.57″N, 073°40ʹ13.86″W; 918 m a.s.l.; 15 Feb. 2019; Cárdenas Johann and Parada Jenny leg.; high secondary forest; Crbt8; UPTC-In-00083 .

Identification. This species can be distinguished from other Eurysternus species , by the pronotum with eleven more or less clear calluses, some of the calluses of the middle region are not very shiny; metaventrite with a foveolate in the middle in males; posterior aspect of the male metafemur has a small tooth located towards the middle, and in the females there may or may not be a tooth ( Génier 2009).

Distribution. In Colombia it has been reported from Antioquia, Bolívar, Boyacá, Cesar, Magdalena, Meta, Norte de Santander, and Tolima ( Génier 2009; Camero-R 2010). It is found in dry and humid habitats, both forest and open habitats ( Génier 2009), at elevations between 100–1050 m a.s.l. ( Medina et al. 2001). In the Colombian Orinoco region, the species is restricted to elevations between 200 to 600 m a.s.l. ( Medina and Pulido 2009). This rare species was found between 700–900 m a.s.l. in the study area, and was represented by 17 individuals, predominantly open areas of wooded grassland (13 individuals), and less abundant in open grassland (three individuals) and in the high secondary forest (one specimen). The species was observed during times of both greater and lesser precipitation.

Tribe Onthophagini

Onthophagus Latreille 1802