Frolov, A. V. & Akhmetova, L. A. 2015. New data on the rare Afrotropical scarab beetles Orphnus drumonti Frolov and Delopleurus naviauxi Frolov et Cambefort (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Orphninae and Scarabaeinae). Biodiversity Data Journal, 3: e5444.
The scarab beetle genera Orphnus Macleay and Delopleurus Boheman are most speciose in the Afrotropical region. However, a number of species are only known from type specimens, sometimes only from one sex. New locality records of Orphnus drumonti Frolov (Orphninae) and Delopleurus naviauxi Frolov et Cambefort (Scarabaeinae) are given. The previously unknown female of the former and male of the latter species are described.
Akhmetova, L.A., Frolov, A.V. 2014. A review of the scarab beetle tribe Aphodiini (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) of the fauna of Russia. Entomological Review, 94, 846-879.
An annotated list of 183 species of the dung-beetle tribe Aphodiini of the Russian fauna is given. The highest species diversity is characteristic of the southern mountainous regions of the country, the richest local faunas being known from the Lower Volga area. The greatest numbers of species are known from the steppe and broadleaved forest zones and from the nemoral types of altitudinal zonation of vegetation. The bulk of the fauna is formed by the species with wide ranges; 111 species occur in two or more landscape zones or altitudinal zonation types. Six groups of faunistically similar zoogeographic provinces are distinguished within the territory of Russia.
Frolov, A.V., Akhmetova, L.A. 2008. On the synonymy of two species names of the genus Aphodius Ill. (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) described by S. M. Iablokoff-Khnzorian. Entomological Review, 87(3): 624–626.
Based on examination of the type material, names of two Aphodius species are placed in synonyms: A. edgardi Solsky, 1876 = A. sartus Iablokoff-Khnzorian, 1971, syn. n.; and A. putridus Geoffroy, 1785 = A. avetissiani Iablokoff-Khnzorian, 1964, syn. n.
Frolov, A.V., Akhmetova, L.A. 2008. On the synonymy of two names of species of the genus Aphodius Ill. (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) described from Siberia. Entomological Review, 88(8): 916-917.
Based on examination of the type material, the following new synonymy is established: A. granarius (L., 1767) = A. tomskianus Balthasar, 1973, syn. n., A. granarius (L., 1767) = A. pecirkai Balthasar, 1932, syn. n..
Frolov, A. V. & Akhmetova, L. A. 2013. A contribution to the study of the Lower Volga center of scarab beetle diversity in Russia: checklist of the tribe Aphodiini (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) of Dosang environs. Biodiversity Data Journal, 1: e979.
The field sampling of the Aphodiini scarab beetles in Dosang environs (Astrakhan Province, European Russia) in 2006–2012 resulted in the collection of 44 species. All but one of them belong to Aphodius Hellwig ( sensu lato). This is apparently the richest recorded local Aphodiini fauna in Russia. The high Aphodiini diversity in the area can be explained by the long vegetative season with high effective heat sum, large livestock providing abundant food resources throughout the year, and location in the transition belt between Volga-Akhtuba Floodplain and Desert floristic districts. The core fauna consists of mesophilous species widely distributed in the Palearctic region and confined to the intrazonal habitats. Other species have ranges mostly limited to the steppe, semidesert, and desert zones.
Akhmetova, L.A., Frolov, A.V. 2014. A review of the scarab beetle tribe Aphodiini (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) of the fauna of Russia. Entomological Review, 94, 846-879.
Frolov, A. V. & Akhmetova, L. A. 2013. A contribution to the study of the Lower Volga center of scarab beetle diversity in Russia: checklist of the tribe Aphodiini (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) of Dosang environs. Biodiversity Data Journal, 1: e979.