Aphonus texanus

Gill & Howden, 1985

Aphonus texanus is a of rhinoceros beetle in the Scarabaeidae, described by Gill and Howden in 1985. It belongs to the Dynastinae, which includes the well-known rhinoceros and Hercules beetles. The species is native to the south-central United States.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Aphonus texanus: /əˈfoʊ.nəs tɛkˈseɪ.nəs/

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Distribution

Recorded from Oklahoma and Texas in the south-central United States. GBIF distribution records indicate occurrence in the , specifically within these two states.

More Details

Taxonomic context

Aphonus is a within the tribe Pentodontini of the Dynastinae. The genus includes several of small to medium-sized rhinoceros beetles. Aphonus texanus was described relatively recently (1985) compared to many other dynastine species, suggesting it may be a localized or cryptic species that was overlooked in earlier surveys.

Data limitations

This is poorly represented in public databases, with only 5 observations recorded in iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff. The scarcity of records may reflect genuine rarity, restricted requirements, or under-sampling of its native range.