The Afro-Asian Bolboceroides validus group (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae)

Five species are placed in the Bolboceroides validus group, which is diagnosed. Four of the species are transferred from Bolboceras, viz. Bolboceras serripes Fairmaire, B. validum Klug (= rollii Müller), Β. carinicolle Laporte (= Β. capitatum Westwood, syn. nov.), B. scotti (Paulian); Bolboceroides kubaricus sp. nov. (Yemen) and B. serripes tsavoensis subsp. nov. (East Kenya, Somalia) are diagnosed. An illustrated key to the males is given. For Bolboceras carinicolle Laporte and B. capitatum Westwood lectotypes are designated. New records are given. In a footnote the synonymy of the names Bolboceras and Odonteus is briefly discussed.