Ataenius insculptus Horn 1887

Ataenius insculptus Horn

Ataenius sculptilis.—LeConte, 1878:402 [not Harold. 1868:86].

Ataenius insculptus Horn, 1887:70.—Schmidt, 1922:454.—Robinson, 1947:150.

DESCRIPTION.—Length 3.7 to 4.9 mm; width 1.7 to 2.3 mm. Convex, oblong, moderately shining, black, legs dark reddish brown. Head convex; clypeus finely, triangularly dentate each side of broad, shallow emargination, sides arcuate, genae sharply rounded, slightly more than right-angled, margin finely reflexed; surface slightly concave at anterior margin between teeth, elsewhere very convex with very fine, close, evenly distributed punctures, generally separated by their diameters or slightly more; frontal area densely, quite coarsely punctate, punctures practically contiguous. Pronotum about one and one-half times as wide as long, slightly wider anteriorly, sides slightly arcuate, anterior angles quite broadly rounded; posterior angles weakly emarginate, base weakly sinuate, posterior angles noticeably crenate but without noticeable fringe setae; surface closely punctate, mixed fine and moderate over central anterior disc, laterally more uniform in size, still larger in and posterior to lateral fovae where they are contiguous, midline broadly, vaguely impressed basally with punctures closer than in surrounding area, punctures very fine along anterior margin at middle. Elytra convex, sides slightly arcuate, humeri strongly dentate, seven-tenths as wide as long, pronotum about two-fifths as long; elytral striae broad and deep; strial punctures coarse, very slightly crenating sides of intervals, separated by four times their diameters; intervals narrowly flattened along each side of convex median carina, alternate intervals higher over apical declivity, 10th interval flat and finely alutaceous. Mesosternum weakly carinate between coxae. Metasternum with fine median line, disc with close, moderate punctures separated by less than their diameters, surface scabrous outward to sides, metasternal triangle not well defined, finely scabrous within. Abdominal sterna coarsely fluted along anterior margins, fluting wider on each succeeding sternum, those of 5th sternum deeper and half the length of the sternum, otherwise with scattered moderate punctures from side to side generally separated by about their own diameters, strongly alutaceous at extreme sides. Eroded areas of pygidium scabrous. Anterior femora with perimarginal groove, surface closely punctate anteriorly with disc scabrous. Middle and hind femora with close, very moderate punctures near coxae, gradually closer into scabrous surface toward knee, posterior femoral lines strong, deep, and complete. Posterior tibial fringe of eight or nine close, short setae, a short accessory spine of same length and an intervening seta between spine and spurs. First posterior tarsal segment one-third longer than long spur and one-third longer than three following segments combined. The penultimate sternum shorter at middle and the pygidium longer than in the female.

LECTOTYPE (present designation).—In Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Type No: 3604.

TYPE-LOCALITY.—Tampa, Florida.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—49.

DATES COLLECTED.—April 7 to September 11.

DISTRIBUTION (Figure 4).—Alabama: Mobile County (swamp forest, W side Mobile Bay). Florida: Dunedin, Enterprise, Highland Hammock State Park, Orlando, Tampa. South Carolina: Cayce (near Columbia). Mississippi: Red Creek Wildlife Area (George County). New Jersey: Martha.

Ataenius insculptus is a species of aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America.