Transfer of three species of Namakwanus Scholtz & Howden to Versicorpus Deschodt, Davis & Scholtz or to Namaphilus gen. nov., with descriptions of two new species (Coleoptera : Scarabaeidae : Scarabaeinae)

Abstract

Taxonomic changes are made in the Byrrhidium group of Canthonini dung beetles. The genera Versicorpus Deschodt, Davis & Scholtz, 2011 and Namakwanus Scholtz & Howden, 1987 currently comprise one and four species, respectively. Re-examination of the type material of Namakwanus irishi Scholtz & Howden, 1987 indicates that the holotype and paratypes from mountains near Windhoek, Namibia, differ from the paratype from the Kuiseb River near Gobabeb in the Central Namib, warranting description of a new species, Namakwanus scholtzi spec. nov. Other species included in the genus, Namakwanus davisi Deschodt & Scholtz, 2007 and Namakwanus endroedyi Deschodt, Davis & Scholtz, 2011, differ sufficiently to warrant removal to a new genus, Namaphilus gen. nov. A further new species, Namaphilus ameibensis spec. nov., is added to the new genus. Namakwanus streyi Frolov, 2005 is transferred to Versicorpus. Lastly a new, updated key and some notes on all the known Byrrhidium group species are provided.