Catharsius molossus ( Linnaeus, 1758 )

Cheung, Kahong, Bai, Ming, Leung, Manhin, Lee, Yingming, Chan, Kinfung & Yang, Xingke, 2018, Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from Hong Kong, Zoological Systematics 43 (3), pp. 233-267 : 238-239

3.2.1 Catharsius molossus ( Linnaeus, 1758)

Scarabaeus molossus Linnaeus, 1758 , Syst. Nat. (ed. 10): 347 (LSLC).

Scarabaeus abbreviatus Herbst, 1789 , Nat. Kafer, 2: 53, t.8, f.10; Gillet, 1911a, Col. Catalog. Pars. 38, Scarabaeidae : Coprinae I: 69 (Syn.).

Scarabaeus berbiceus Herbst, 1789 , Nat. Kafer, 2: 227, t.16, f.1.2; Gillet, 1911a, Col. Catalog. Pars. 38, Scarabaeidae : Coprinae I: 69 (Syn.).

Catharsius janus Olivier, 1789 , Ent., 1(3): 101, t.26, f.227; Gillet, 1911a, Col. Catalog. Pars. 38, Scarabaeidae : Coprinae I: 69 (Syn.).

Copris ursus Fabricius, 1801 , Syst. Eleuth., 1: 43; Castelnau, 1840, Hist. Nat. Col., 2: 77 (Syn.).

Catharsius molossus: Harold, 1877 , Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, 10: 44.

Catharsius davidis Deyrolle & Fairmaire, 1878 , Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr., 8(5): 95. Syn. nov.

Catharsius timorensis Lansberge, 1879 , Com. Séa. Soc. Ent. Belg., 22: 148; Balthasar, 1963, Monogr. Scarab. Aphod. Palaearkt. Orient. Reg., 1: 307 (Syn.).

Catharsius dayacus Lansberge, 1886 , Tijdschr. Entom., 29: 6; Balthasar, 1963, Monogr. Scarab. Aphod. Palaearkt. Orient. Reg., 1: 307 (Syn.); Ochi & Kon, 1994, Elytra, 22(2): 283 (removal from Syn.).

Catharsius dubius Paulian, 1936 , Treubia, 15: 396.

Catharsius borneensis Paulian, 1936 , Treubia, 15: 396.

Catharsius kangeanus Paulian, 1936 , Treubia, 15: 395; Balthasar, 1963, Monogr. Scarab. Aphod. Palaearkt. Orient. Reg., 1: 307 (Syn.).

Copris davidis: Kabakov & Shokhin, 2014 , Cau. Ent. Bull., 10(1): 48. Syn. nov.

Material examined. [ AFCD] China, Hong Kong, Shing Mun, 1♂, 2009.X.7, coll. Y. M. Lee ; Grassy Hill , 2♀, 2010. VI.14, coll. unknown; Kwai Chung , 2♂, 2010. VIII.20, coll. K.H. Cheung; Ng Tung Chai , 1♀, 2013. VI.7, coll. unknown; Wu Kau Tang , 1♂ 1♀, 2015. VI.16, coll. M.H. Leung & K.K. Leung; Tsui Hang , 1♀, 2015. VII.10, coll. T. H. Fung; Lai Chi Wo , 1♂, 2015.XI.19, coll. M.H. Leung ; Grassy Hill , 1♂ 1♀, 2016.IV.27, coll. M.H. Leung; Wu Kau Tang , 1♀, 2016. VI.15, coll. T. H. Fung; Tai Lam , 1♂, 2016. XII.30, coll. K.C. Wong.

[ IZAS] China, Beijing, Xiangshan, Badachu , 1937.VII.2, 1♂, coll. unknown; 1936.IV.30, 1♀, coll. unknown; Shanghai Zoo , 1950.IV.12, 6♂ 3♀, coll. Linyao Wang ; Hebei, Baoding, Yi County, Western Qing Tombs , 1972. VI.13–14, 1♂, coll. unknown; Hebei, Zhangjiakou , Chongli, 1981. V.30, 1♀, coll. Shibo Tian; Henan, Anyang , 1957.VII.29, 1♂, coll. Yunfa Han; Henan, Lin County, 1983. VI.1, 1♀, coll. unknown.

[ BMNH] Chinese Thery, 1♂ 1♀ (Type of Catharsius davidis Deyrolle & Fairmaire, 1878 ); China, Formosa, 5♂; Java , Horsfield, 1♂; China, Foochow , 1935. VI, 1♂, coll. M.S. Yang ; China, Formosa, Horisha , 1918.VIII.5, 1♂, coll. H. Kawamura ; Ceylon, 1♂ ; Ceylon, Kelani Valley , Nr. Colombo, 1♂ 1♀, coll. W. Braine ; Malaysia, Sarawak, foot of Mt. Dulit , junction of rivers, 1932.IX.8, 2♂ 2♀, coll. Tinjar & Lejok ; China, Hong Kong, 2♂ 2♀, Walker Coll., 93-58 ; China, Foochow , 3♂ 2♀, coll. C. R. Kellogg; China, Formosa, 2♂, 84-10.

[ MNHN] 1♂, Chine, Thery, Andrewes Bequest, B. M. 1922-221 (Type of Catharsius davidis Deyrolle & Fairmaire, 1878 ).

Distribution. China ( Hong Kong, Beijing, Fujian, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Shanghai, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang), Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam.

Remarks. Type specimens of Scarabaeus molossus Linnaeus, 1758 were not found in any of the museums and were more likely to be lost. Kabakov & Shokhin (2014) did not examine the type specimen of Catharsius davidis Deyrolle & Fairmaire, 1878 , and transferred the species to Copris only based on the determined specimens. We examined the type specimens of Catharsius davidis Deyrolle & Fairmaire, 1878 and considered that this species should be stay in Catharsius . Furthermore, after a detailed comparison, we think Catharsius davidis Deyrolle & Fairmaire, 1878 and Copris davidis ( Deyrolle & Fairmaire, 1878) should be the new synonyms of Catharsius molossus ( Linnaeus, 1758) .