Ataenius cognatus
(LeConte, 1858)
slender dung beetle
Ataenius cognatus, commonly known as the slender dung beetle, is a of aphodiine dung beetle in the Scarabaeidae. First described by LeConte in 1858, this small scarab beetle has a broad geographic distribution spanning North America, Central America, and Oceania. It belongs to the tribe Eupariini within the Aphodiinae, a group often associated with and decaying organic matter.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Ataenius cognatus: /əˈtiːniəs kɒɡˈneɪtəs/
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Distribution
Recorded from the Nearctic region (United States: Arizona, California, Indiana, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas) and Neotropical region (Mexico: Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tamaulipas). Also reported from Central America and Oceania.
More Details
Taxonomic history
Originally described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1858, this has remained within the Ataenius. The genus Ataenius is part of the tribe Eupariini, a group of small scarab beetles that are frequently encountered in and decomposing plant material.
Etymology
The specific epithet 'cognatus' is Latin for 'related' or 'kindred', possibly alluding to similarity with other in the .