Systematics of South African forest-endemic dung beetles : new genera and species of small Canthonini (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

Abstract

Study of very small dung beetles, less than 5 mm long, belonging to the tribe Canthonini from Afrotemperate forests in South Africa revealed four new genera, three monotypic and one with two new species, and one new species of Peckolus Scholtz & Howden. We describe the new taxa here. They are: Aliuscan thoniola similaris gen et sp. n., Dwesasilvasedis medinae gen et sp. n., Parvuhowdenius harrisoni gen et sp. n., Nebulasilvius gen. n. with new speciesNebulasilvius insularis sp. n. and N. johani sp. n., and Peckolus poenskopius sp. n. We provide an updated key to all the African genera in the tribe Canthonini and keys to the species in the genera Nebulasilvius and Peckolus.