A chromosomal analysis of ten European species of Aphodius ILLIGER, subgenera Acrossus MULSANT, Nimbus MULSANT & REY and Chilothorax MOTSCHULSKY (Coleoptera: Aphodiidae)

The karyotypes of Aphodius (Acrossus) depressus (KUGENANN), A. (A.) luridus (F.) and A. (A.) rufipes (L.), A. (Nimbus) contaminatus (HERBST) and A. (N.) obliteratus PANZER, and A. (Chilothorax) conspurcatus (L.), A. (C.) distinctus (O.F. MÜLLER), A. (C.) lineolatus ILLIGER, A. (C.) paykulli BEDEL and A. (C.) sticticus (PANZER) are described and illustrated. In all cases the karyotypes comprise nine pairs of autosomes and sex chromosomes which are Xy (male), XX (female). The karyotypes of all the species are distinctive, but give no clues to the taxonomic groupings of the species. No chromosome polymorphism has been detected