S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 55. (Budapest, 1994)

Nimbus proximus sp. n. In general appearance similar to Nimbus affinis (Panzer, 1823). Body moderately convex, elongate oval, moderately broadening posteriorly; slightly shining (with weak metallic lustre), pitch-black in colour, elytra transparently yellowish brown, with dark spots, clypeal and pronotal margins narrowly yellowish brown, antennae and palpi fuliginous, legs ferrugineous. Head transverse quadrangular, moderately convex, surface strongly punctuated, with setiferous punctures and long setae. Anterior clypeal margin barely emarginate, anterior angles broadly rounded. Genae almost rectangular. Pronotum transverse quadrangular, moderately convex, arcuately narrowing anteriorly, posterior angles broadly rounded. Lateral and basal margin distinctly bordered, lateral margins fringed with relatively short, rather sparsely and irregularly distributed hair-like setae. Surface finely microreticulated, disc strongly and densely punctuated, lateral sides very densely punctuated (with short setae in intact specimens). Elytra transparently yellowish brown with obscure spots: 2nd-4th intervals with two spots each, forming a short transversal stripe, 5th interval with one small basal spot, 6th— 8th intervals with longitudinal stripe; surface finely microreticulated. Striae superficially punctuated, elytral intervals moderately convex, strongly punctuated along striae, distinctly pubescent. Lateral margins fringed with short, hair-like setae at humeral region only. Scutellum triangular. Lower terminal spur of middle tibiae mutilated (male) or incisive (female). Upper terminal spur of hind tibiae a little shorter than first tarsal segment. Apical setae of middle and hind tibiae short and unequal in length. Length: 5-6 mm. Holotype (male): [France], Fontainebleau. The type is deposited in the Department of Zoology of the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. This species may be distinguished from the similar Nimbus affinis (Panzer, 1823) by the smaller size, by the pronotal sides which are fringed with relatively short setae, and by the presence of fine pronotal and elytral microsculpture. This species has been named as Aphodius affinis by most of the recent authors (e. g. Chromy and Krai 1988, Dellacasa 1983, Pittino 1982). However, the pronotal sides of Aphodius affinis Panzer, 1823 are fringed with relatively long setae and their size is larger than that of Aphodius affinis auct. These have been shown in Fig. 1 in Panzer's work (1823), from which it may be known that this is a quite different beetle. It is, on the other hand, distributed in Central and East Europe (the type locality is "Austria"), while Aphodius affinis auct. distributed in West and Southwest Europe. Aphodius dorbignyi Clouèt des Pesruches, 1896, treated as a subspecies of Aphodius affinis auct. (e. g. Pittino 1982), is also a distinct species according to my opinion, distributed in North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia). Aphodius hoberlandti Tesar, 1945, described from South Ural, is identical with Aphodius affinis Panzer, 1823. There are no available synonyms for the species Aphodius affinis auct., so I have described it as a new species.