Catharsius camillus Harold 1877

Abstract

Catharsius camillus Harold, 1877 (Figs. 13–17) Catharsius vitulus Boheman, 1857: 223 Catharsius camillus Harold, 1877: 97 Type locality. Cap b. sp. (South Africa) As for C. pandion, the syntypic series consist of seven specimens (4 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀). In order to provide a primary type with the most diagnostic characters a large male is selected from the syntypic series as lectotype (present designation). This specimen bears the following labels (Fig. 15): [Krebs!] handwriting on green card; [Camillus / Harold/ Cap b. sp.] handwriting on green card; [9352] white paper; [Type] red card; [SYNTYPUS / Catharsius / camillus Harold, 1877 / labelled by MNHUB 2014] red card; [LECTOTYPE ♂/ Catharsius / camillus / Harold, 1877 / dés. F. Génier, 2014] red card. Remark. The male lectotype has been dissected and the aedeagus extracted and figured (Fig. 16–17). Catharsius camillus is currently a junior subjective synonym of Catharsius vitulus Boheman, 1857. It should be pointed out that Harold’s original description state Port Natal (=Durban) as the type locality which conflict with the original specimen labels. Because C. camillus is synonymous with C. vitulus, we believe that the proper type locality would be most likely Cap. b. sp., in its former sense which included all of western South Africa. Although inaccurate it would more or less coincide with the southern distribution range of C. vitulus (A. Davis pers. comm.). All 6 paralectotypes bear a “Capland” printed label further supporting this interpretation.Published as part of Génier, François & Josso, Jean-François, 2016, Notes on Afrotropical Catharsius species described by Edgar von Harold (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae), pp. 333-342 in Zootaxa 4072 (3) on pages 335-338, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4072.3.3, http://zenodo.org/record/26181