Oxysternon (Oxysternon) festivum festivum

• (Oxysternon)
• festivum
• festivum
• Oxysternon
• Brazil
• French Guyana
• Guyana
• Surinam
• Linnaeus

 Oxysternon
  (Oxysternon)
      festivum
        festivum
Linnaeus, 1767

Biology: Copronecrophagous, diurnal
Habitat: Mesic and moist forest, savanna, savanna-forest. An abundant species in much of its range.
Size: 18-25mm
Active Period: All year

                                                            

Found in the following countries: Surinam, Guyana, French Guyana & Brazil

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[from Edmonds 2004]
Diagnosis. Dorsum (except black head) coppery red (Figs 39, 40, 43, 44), yellowish red (Fig. 48), green (Figs 41, 42, 45) or black (Figs 49, 50); venter black (Fig. 59). Pronotum smooth under moderate magnification (x 15), sparsely micro-punctured under high magnification (x 50). Head of large male with nearly erect thick horn extending height of prothoracic horns (Figs 20, 39-42, 46, 50); small male with weakly bituberculate transverse carina (Figs 47, 48); female with tridentate transverse carina (Figs 43-45, 49). Clypeal process spiniform (as in Fig. 3). Pronotum of large male with lateral and anterior angles quadrate, never lobate, anterior angles not hollowed beneath. Disc with pair of laterally compressed, erect, acute processes, whose tips are separated by distance greater than width of head; processes separated by two conspicuous ovoid cavities themselves separated by prominent median hump (Figs 39, 42, 46). Pronotum of small male broadly convex, with two rounded tubercles near anterior margin. Pronotum of female broadly convex, with broadly V-shaped carina near anterior margin (Figs 47, 48); carina lacking median tubercle. Ascending posterolateral portion of circumnotal carina effaced, replaced by thick black ridge extending onto disc. Protibia tridentate, two apical teeth carinate on dorsolateral surface; ventral surface lacking distinct carina, at most with dense, elongate cluster of rugosities confined to apical one-half. Metatibia with weak, subapical, tooth-like carina on outer edge (Fig. 11); spur truncate. Outer edge of mesocoxal cavity forms wide ridge. Fifth abdominal sternum (Fig. 60) smooth and black, only rarely with any distinct puncturing or metallic color.
This species is distinguished most easily from O. conspicillatum and its relatives by its completely black venter (Fig. 59) and lack of a ventral carina on the protibia; and from O. macleayi and O. durantoni by its color and smooth, black fifth abdominal sternum. It comprises two subspecies as follows:
...1 Entire body weakly shining black, no trace of metallic color anywhere (Figs 49, 50). Known only from Trinidad O. (O.) festivum nigerrimum Arnaud
...1' Dorsum weakly shining red (Figs 39, 40, 43, 44), sometimes with yellowish of greenish reflections; rarely shining emerald green (Figs 41, 42, 45), never wholly black. Widely distributed in mainland South America north of Amazon River O. (O.) festivum festivum (Linné)

Subspecific Diagnosis
Pronotum (except for black areas of variable size and shape), elytra (except for black striae) and pygidium bright red, coppery red (Figs 39, 40, 43, 44) or bright emerald green (Figs 41, 42, 45); red form sometimes with green or yellowish-green highlights (Figs 46, 48), especially on pronotum, very rarely nearly black with very weak red overtone (Fig. 47). Widely distributed in northern South America.