Dichotomius nisus (Olivier, 1789)

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 : 831

Dichotomius nisus (Olivier, 1789)

Materials examined. COLOMBIA • 1♀, 23.42 mm (mean); Meta, Villavicencio, Vereda El Carmen, “Las Pesebreras” Farm ; 04°08′21.71″N, 073°39′40.81″W; 648 m a.s.l.; 15 Feb. 2019; Cárdenas Johann and Parada Jenny leg.; open pasture; Crplt 5; UPTC-In-00056 . • 1♀, 23.42 mm (mean); Meta, Villavicencio, Vereda El Carmen, “Las Pesebreras” Farm ; 04°08′24.39″N, 073°39′39.24″W; 648 m a.s.l.; 15 Feb. 2019; Cárdenas Johann and Parada Jenny leg.; open pasture; Crplt 3; UPTC-In-00057 .

Identification. This species can be distinguished from other Dichotomius species by the head with transverse roughness, anterior edge of the clypeus margined with two rounded teeth, presence of a tubercle at the base of the eyes in the form of a large horn that is simple in males and small and forked towards the apex in females; pronotum strongly dotted with a vertical slope towards the anterior part, and a very conspicuous midline forming two small rounded protuberances ( Sarmiento-Gárces and Amat-García 2014).

Distribution. In Colombia it is found in the Orinoco region, from the flatlands to sectors of the lowland foot- hills ( Sarmiento-Gárces and Amat-García 2014). In the study area, it was observed between 650–700 m a.s.l. and detected only in open grassland habitat, so it is a rare species (seven individuals).