Further Studies on Aphodius (Melinopterus) villarreali Baraud, 1975 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae)

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The chromosomes of Aphodius villarreali Baraud, 1975 and A. sphacelatus (Panzer, 1798) are compared in detail. Four pairs of autosomes and the X chromosomes are found to show significant Relative Chromosome Length differences between the species at the 95% confidence level. The y chromosomes of the two species are also different. The aedeagal differences figured by Baraud (1985) are found not to be true, but both species are clearly different from A. tingens Reitter, 1892. It is found that the character of the seventh and eighth elytral striae of Portuguese A. villarreali in most cases does not correspond to the A. sphacelatus pattern meaning that some specimens could be confused with A. tingens. Taxonomic characters separating these two species are given.