Eurysternus foedus Guérin-Méneville, 1830

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 : 833

Eurysternus foedus Guérin-Méneville, 1830

Materials examined. COLOMBIA • 2, 18.82 mm (mean); Meta, Villavicencio, Vereda Buenavista, “El Triunfo” Farm ; 04°08ʹ44.51″N, 073°41ʹ11.35″W; 1179 m a.s.l.; 14 Oct. 2018; Cárdenas Johann and Parada Jenny leg.; open pasture; Bvplt8; UPTC-In-00075 . • 2, 18.82 mm (mean); Meta, Villavicencio, Vereda Buenavista, “El Porvenir” Farm ; 04°08ʹ37.17″N, 073°41ʹ04.71″W; 1177 m a.s.l.; 11 Feb. 2019; Cárdenas Johann and Parada Jenny leg.; wooded pasture; Bvpat6; UPTC-In-00076 . • 4, 18.82 mm (mean); Meta, Villavicencio, Vereda El Carmen, “La Manigua” Farm ; 04°08ʹ18.17″N, 073°40ʹ12.79″W; 816 m a.s.l.; 15 Feb. 2019; Cárdenas Johann and Parada Jenny.; High secondary forest; Crbt2; UPTC-In-00077 .

Identification. This species can be distinguished from other Eurysternus species by the clypeus without strong dilatation in the middle part; pronotum with narrow margins near the anterior angle and has the width of regular margin; middle lobe of the sternum is covered by dots of regular size over the entire surface, dots are generally separated by several times their diameter with a thin bristle; the male’s anterior tibia with a spur and in the fe- males the posterior tibia without a tooth in the basal third of the internal border ( Génier 2009).

Distribution. In Colombia, it has been recorded in the departments of Amazonas, Chocó, Guaviare, Meta, Norte de Santander, Santander, and Valle del Cauca ( Génier 2009; Camero-R 2010). The species has been reported between 50–520 m a.s.l. ( Medina et al. 2001; Génier 2009; Medina and Pulido 2009) and is associated with humid forests, primary and secondary forests, and highly degraded habitats ( Génier 2009). In the study area, the species was found in all the sampled habitats (high secondary forest, riparian forest, wooded grassland and open grassland), between 700 to 1200 m a.s.l. It is a generalist species with greater representation in open areas of wooded grassland (153 individuals), open grassland (47 individuals), followed by areas with tree cover such as riparian forest (52 individuals) and high secondary forest with 50 individuals collected.