Dung Beetle (Jasman)

Copris acephalus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), an enigmatic new species of dung beetle from the Bolivian Altiplano

keywords: Copris, Scarabaeidae, new species

Abstract. Copris acephalus Mathison, new species is described from the Bolivian Altiplano. The new species possesses a series of bizarre autapomorphies not previously seen in the genus Copris, the family Scarabaeidae, or even the order Coleoptera.

Introduction. The genus Copris is a large, nearly cosmopolitan genus of tunneling dung beetles. Over 250 species have been described. Most species are coprophagous. The genus was revised by E. G. Matthews for the Western Hemisphere in 1961. In 2023, and entomological expedition to the Bolivan Altiplano revealed a new species of Copris that possesses a unique set of autapomorphies not previously seen in any related beetles. The species is described new herein from a unique male specimen.

Diagnosis. Copris acephalus can be distinguished from other members of the genus Copris by 1) a reduced head with no evidence of mouthparts, eyes, or antennae, 2) elytra fused to the body, 3) forelegs originating from the mesothorax (rather than the prothorax).

Description. Holotype, male, deposited in the BAMC, labeled: “BOLIVIA: Oruro Department/Lake Poopo/27.IX.2024; barrier pitfall trap/I. P. Freely, leg.//Copris acephalus Mathison HOLOTYPE”.
Body ovoid, convex. Length (excluding cephalic horn) 13.5 cm. Tegument glabrous, color black dorsally with red infuscations on the elytral humeri and on the posterior angles of pronotum, venter brown; vestiture lacking.
Head strongly reduced, no visible signs of eyes, mouthparts, or antennae; a large shield-like plate covers most of the front part of the head; pronotal horns lacking; a single large cephalic horn present curving out and directly upwards.
Pronotum with large shield-like plate concealing most of the head and possibly the eyes, mouthparts, and antennae (the specimen was not dissected as to not risk damaging this unique specimen); posterior part of pronotum smooth, glabrose.
Meso- and metasternum fused; all three pairs of legs appear to be arising from this single sclerite, and presumably the sclerite also contains a portion of the prothorax. Elytra fused together and to the sides of the body, striae impunctate. Scutellum impunctate. Legs lacking armature, tarsal formulae normal (5-5-5).
Aedeagus not examined. Female undescribed.

Distribution. The species is currently known only from environs surrounding Lake Poopo in the Bolivian Altiplano.

Etymology. The species is derived from the Latin a– (lacking) and cephalus (the head), referring to the apparent lack of a head.

Discussion. Copris acephalus represents an extremely unusual and highly derived species of dung beetle. The female is unknown, but based on the apparent lack of sensory organs, it is presumed the species finds mates through casual acquaintance rather than through chemical communication (pheromones). The fused elytra indicates the species is flightless, so individuals of the species probably have a small range. The biology of this species is unknown but it probably provisions its brood with the guano of local birds, such as flamingoes and the Andean condor. It might also use carrion, as does the condor. It is assumed adults do not feed due to an apparent lack of mouthparts. The female is still unknown so it is possible the lack of mouthparts and other cephalic structures could be unique to the male. Further collecting should be done in the area to find additional specimens to learn the full extent of its morphological variation and sexual dimorphism.

OK, now that the April Fools stuff is over (you guys did pick up on that, right?), time to talk about the figure itself. I first encountered this figure in late 1998 at a mall in Tempe, Arizona. It was being sold alongside merchandise for the Disney-Pixar film, A Bug’s Life, which had just released (or was about to). I am not sure if Jasman produced this figure for the film, or the retailer selling it just bought random insect figures to sell along film merchandise. I had it in my collection for years, but during one of my moves, it got lost. Luckily I was able to find the one shown today on eBay a few years ago. I don’t consider this figure part of my ‘main’ collection (i.e., you’ll never see it in my daily ‘Museum’ posts on the fora), but I keep it for nostalgic purposes, as it was one of my earliest purchases when I started collecting insect toys (and back then, I focused on scarabaeoid beetles since that was also my taxonomic area of interest). Jasman figures remain an enigma to me; I have had several over the years but I don’t know the full range of their collections.

With the 2023 Bandai Copris ochus, the only figure of a ‘true’ Copris I am aware of as a toy or figure: