Abstract
Parataenius simulator (Harold, 1868) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Eupariini), a small dung beetle native to South America, is reported for the first time in Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile. This new insular record is based on adult specimens that were intercepted at the Mataveri International Airport, and so far, there is no evidence that self-sustaining populations exist in other places on the island. A brief diagnosis for recognition of the species, adult photographs, distribution, and natural history data extracted from the literature are provided. The possible route of entry of this aphodiine into the island is discussed.
References
- Branco T. 2011. The Eupariini (Coleoptera, Aphodiidae) of Portugal, including the first record of Ataenius spretulus (Haldeman, 1848) from outside North America. Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa (S.E.A.) 49: 145–148.
- Campos S. L. & Peña L. E. 1973. Los insectos de Isla de Pascua (resultados de una prospección entomológica). Revista Chilena de Entomología 7: 217–229.
- Cartwright O. L. 1974. Ataenius, Aphotaenius, and Pseudataenius of the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 154: 1–106. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00810282.154
- Cotoras D. D. & Yancovic Pakarati S. 2023. Detection of the large white butterfly Pieris brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera, Pieridae) in Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Nota Lepidopterologica 46: 31–35. https://doi.org/10.3897/nl.46.98421
- Hunt T. & Lipo C. 2012. Ecological catastrophe and collapse: the myth of “ecocide” on Rapa Nui (Easter Island). PERC Research Paper No. 12/3. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2042672
- Jerath M. L. 1960. Notes on larvae of nine genera of Aphodiinae in the United States (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Proceedings of the United States National Museum 111: 43–94. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.111-3425.43
- Mondaca J. 2023. A checklist of the Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) of Chile with exemplar live- photographed. Zootaxa 5285(1): 201–251. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5285.2.1
- Ramírez Aliaga J. M. 2003. Rapa Nui: manual de arqueología e historia. Ediciones Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile. Centro de Estudios Rapa Nui. 48 pp.
- Schoolmeester P. 2023. World Scarabaeidae Database. In: O. Bánki, Y. Roskov, M. Döring, G. Ower, D. R. Hernández Robles, C. A. Plata Corredor, T. Stjernegaard Jeppesen, A. Örn, L. Vandepitte, D. Hobern, P. Schalk, R. E. DeWalt, K. Ma, J. Miller, T. Orrell, R. Aalbu, J. Abbott, R. Adlard, E. M. Adriaenssens, et al., Catalogue of Life Checklist (Version 2023-12-04). Available at: https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/8RYQ6. https://doi.org/10.48580/dfgnm-38g
- Smith A. B. T. & Skelley P. 2007. A review of the Aphodiinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of southern South America. Zootaxa 1458: 1–80. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1458.1.1
- Stebnicka Z. 2001. Aphodiinae (Insecta: Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Fauna of New Zealand. Vol. 42. Manaaki Whenua Press, Landcare Research; Canterbury, New Zealand. 64 pp.
- Stebnicka Z. & Skelley P. 2009. Taxonomic redefinition of the genera Parataenius Balthasar and Pseudataenius Brown, with descriptions of three new species (Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Eupariini). Insecta Mundi 66: 1–18.
- Verdú J. R. & Galante E. 1999. Larvae of Ataenius (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae): Generic characteristics and species descriptions. European Journal of Entomology 96: 57–68.
- Wynne J. 2017. Endemics insects of Rapa Nui. Explores Journal 95(1): 14–25.