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Topic: Dung beetle Aphodius fimetarius

This is not so much a dictionary problem as how the records have been attributed to species names. Aphodius fimetarius was split in 2001 into the true fimetarius and pedellus (Wilson, C. J., 2001. Aphodius pedellus (DeGeer), a species distinct from A. fimetarius (Linnaeus) (Coleoptera: Aphodiidae). Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 144: 137-143.) The NBN dictionary has the required fimetarius/pedellus aggregate, but it contains no records. All Aphodius fimetarius records have been allocated to Aphodius fimetarius s. str.

John Bratton

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Re: Dung beetle Aphodius fimetarius

Hi John

I've had a look at this and I was wondering if the problem was that the junior synonym "Aphodius fimetarius (Linnaeus, 1758)" (the Recorder 3.3 name created in 1999) has been made a junior synonym of "Aphodius (Aphodius) fimetarius (Linnaeus, 1758)" (presumed s.s.) created in 2006. I suspect that if I move the R3.3. name to the aggregate then the records will follow. Does that sound logical?

Best wishes,
Chris R.

Chris Raper, Manager of the UK Species Inventory, Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity,
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD.  (tel: 020 7942 5894)
also Tachinid Recording Scheme (http://tachinidae.org.uk/)

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Re: Dung beetle Aphodius fimetarius

I'm pretty sure that any name created before the 2001 split will be relating to the agg. so I have moved it. When the Atlas gets updated let me know if that has fixed the issue :)

Chris Raper, Manager of the UK Species Inventory, Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity,
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD.  (tel: 020 7942 5894)
also Tachinid Recording Scheme (http://tachinidae.org.uk/)

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Re: Dung beetle Aphodius fimetarius

OK, I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks.
John