O. Merkl szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 67. (Budapest, 2006)
Remarks - First record for Syria. Some authors, e.g. D'ORBIGNY (1898) and BALTHASAR (1963) regarded Onthophagus (Palaeonthophagus) formaneki REITTER, 1897 as a junior synonym of Onthophagus basipustulatus . This was not the conclusion of IABLOKOV-KHNZORIAN (1967), who considered the taxon as a valid species on the basis of external morphology, and this is the opinion of S. ZlANI (pers. comm.), too. Onthophagus bifenestratus REITTER, 1898 is regarded as junior synonym of Onthophagus formaneki REITTER (ZUNINO, 1978). The type locality of Onthophagus formaneki is Araxes valley, Armenia, that of Onthophagus bifenestratus is Zeytun (now Süleymanli), Turkey. Onthophagus formaneki REITTER has never been reported from Syria. The picture shown in Fig. 1 was taken from a specimen from Uzbekistan (Tien Shan, 1200 m, Silvestral Reserve of Tshatkal, steppe meadow, from horse dung, 3. VI. 1981, leg. O. MERKL), because the Syrian specimen lacks the right foreleg. In all other respects it is identical with the Syrian specimen. Onthophagus (Palaeonthophagus) fissicornis (STEVEN, 1809) Type locality - Iberia, Georgia. Distribution - South-Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, Middle East (BALTHASAR 1963), Israel (CHIKATUNOV & PAVLICEK 1997). Male genital armature - ZlANI & GUDENZI (2000). Material examined - Prov. Latakia, Jabal An Nusayrîyah, Slunfeh, -1100 m, 19.V.2004 (2, CLN); prov. Latakia, Jabal An Nusayrîyah, Kansabba, -800 m, 20.V.2004 (5, CLN); prov. Hama, Jabal An Nusayrîyah, Jourin, -650 m, 20.V.2004 (5, CLN; 2, HNHM). Onthophagus (Palaeonthophagus) hermonensis BARAUD, 1982 Type locality - Mount Hcrmon, Israel. Distribution - Israel (BARAUD 1982), Syria (ZlANI & GUDENZI 2001). Male genital armature - BARAUD (1982). Material examined - Prov. Hama, Jabal An Nusayrîyah, Kansabba, -800 m, 20.V.2004 (22, CLN; 2, HNHM; 4, CSZ). Onthophagus (Palaeonthophagus) lemur (FABRICIUS, 1781) Type locality - Leipzig, Germany. Distribution - Central and South Europe, Caucasus, Asia Minor (BALTHASAR 1963), Syria (ZlANI & GUDENZI 2001), Iran (BARAUD 1968) to Mongolia (ZlANI 1995).
