Zopherus uteanus (Casey 1907)

Zopherus uteanus (Casey)

Zopherodes uteanus Casey, 1907a:40.

Zopherodes mormon Casey, 1907a:40 [new synonymy].

This species is very similar in appearance to Z. opacus Horn in its uniformly dull dorsal surface luster. Some specimens also approach Z. granicollis ventriosus in elytral sculpture but may be distinguished by the fine, sparse punctation of the head. In granicollis ventriosus the punctures of the head are very coarse and dense. The elytral sculpturing consists of small, shiny tubercles separated by dull interspaces. Typically these tubercles are so densely spaced that their bases are more or less contiguous, but sometimes they are smaller and more distantly spaced, approaching the situation in opacus. It is this latter variation that Casey named mormon. Enough intermediate forms have been studied to convince me that only one species is involved. In all specimens examined the pronotum is coarsely and densely granulate-punctate.

MEASUREMENTS. — Length 14.0–22.0 mm; width 4.6–8.0 mm.

TYPES.—Zopherodes uteanus Casey. Holotype (USNM 46344), southwestern Utah.

Zopherodes mormon Casey. Holotype (USNM 46345), Utah (no specific locality).

Each of the above is represented in the Casey collection by only the unique holotype, and this is another instance in which Casey described specimens and not species.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—81 from the localities that follow. UNITED STATES. ARIZONA: Grand Canyon National Park (North Rim), Kaibab National Forest. CALIFORNIA: Granite Mountains near Cottonwood Springs (San Bernardino County). NEVADA: Baker, Ely, Kyle Canyon in Charleston Mountains (Clark County), Lee Canyon in Spring Mountains (Clark County). UTAH: Arches National Monument, Bears Ears (Elk Ridge), Beaver, Bryce Canyon, Dividend, Eureka, LaSal, Leeds, Lehi, Marysvale, Montezuma Creek (San Juan County), Natural Bridges National Monument, Nephi, Paria, Parowan, Pine Valley, Saint George, Stockton, Zion National Park. Collection dates are from 15 April to 11 September. I have collected this species under bark of dead pines in Arches National Monument and under chips of cut pine on the ground in Bryce Canyon.

Zopherus uteanus is a species of ironclad beetle in the family Zopheridae. It is found in North America.