Dichotomius (Selenocopris) speciosus
Creators: name: Maldaner, Maria Eduarda
name: Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Scarabaeidae
Dichotomius
Dichotomius speciosus

description: Identification key to species of the Dichotomius (Selenocopris) speciosus species group.
Figure numbers in italics refer to figures in Maldaner et al. 2015
The following key allows the identification of the five species currently included in the speciosus species group. Identification of females can be confusing if no males or localities are associated with them (e.g. green females of D. speciosus and females of D. alvarengai; Figs. 4, 6). When not specified, the characteristics fit both males and females. This key is modified from the one presented by Maldaner et al. 2015, and most characters referring to steps 3 to 5 are illustrated in that paper.
0. Clypeus with two well-defined central teeth, each tooth margined and with rounded to obtuse tips; clypeal border straight or uniformly rounded laterally, with no angles from clypeal teeth to lateral parts of genae (these latter characters identify species of the subgenus Selenocopris). Metaventrite disc posteriorly widely concave, discrimen visible in the bottom of concavity. Size small, less than 15 mm. At least some metallic/ sericeous sheen on elytra, pronotum and metaventrite. High-elevation areas in southeastern and southern Brazil ... Dichotomius speciosus species group ........................ 1
0’. Different combination of characters... other Dichotomius species groups (check Nunes and Vaz-de-Mello (2013, 2019)
1. Clypeofrontal region with rounded knob, or tubercle, or transversally carinate (female only: carina with two close tubercles and narrower than one-fifth of interocular distance). Dorsum and venter dark, with strong to faint blue metallic reflections. Known only from Minas Gerais state (one doubtful report from São Paulo with no locality data)................................................................................................................................... 2
1’. Clypeofrontal region with transverse carina, carina wider than one-third of interocular distance, trilobed, trituberculated (tubercles poorly indicated in females) or with horns or lobe at both extremities (males). Dorsum and venter coloured, with very strong green, red or blue metallic sheen. Rio Grande do Sul to southern Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro ............................................................................................................... 3
2. Males with pronotal disc anteriorly bearing an anteromedial protuberance with a depression at each side; clypeus with a few feeble punctures in the posterior half; clypeofrontal tubercle laterally compressed. Females with clypeofrontal transverse bilobate elevation. Southern Espinhaço range in Central Minas Gerais ........................... ................................................ Dichotomius (Selenocopris) geraldimi sp. nov. (Figure 2)
2’. Males without anteromedial pronotal projection; clypeus densely punctured posteriorly; frontoclypeal tubercle conical. Females with a single conical frontoclypeal elevation, sometimes reduced to a rounded tumosity. Campos Altos, Minas Gerais, Brazil ................. ..... Dichotomius (Selenocopris) malyi Maldaner, Nunes and Vaz-de-Mello 2015 (Fig. 5)
3. Pronotum of males with anteromedial projection triangular. In laterofrontal view, male pronotum strongly excavated at anterior declivity. Clypeofrontal carina straight to broadly curved (Fig. 1 (d–g)), with one horn at each end (Fig. 1 (h)). Body surface red or with red reflections (may be very weak on green specimens) (Figs. 1–2, 6). Serra da Mantiqueira mountain range: São Paulo (Campos do Jordão), Minas Gerais (Aiuruoca), and Rio de Janeiro (Itatiaia), Brazil ............................................................... ............................................ Dichotomius (Selenocopris) speciosus (Waterhouse, 1891)
3’. Pronotum of males with anteromedial projection rectangular or rounded (Figs. 3A, 4A), apically slightly emarginate and bearing a pair of tubercles. Pronotum excavated below anteromedial projection. Clypeofrontal carina straight, with one tubercle on extremities. Body surface blue or dark with blue reflections. Serra da Bocaina Mountain Range (state of São Paulo, Brazil) and Serra Geral mountain range (states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)................................................................... 4
4. Pronotum of male medially and longitudinally sulcate, anteromedial projection emarginate apically. Clypeofrontal carina with one acute tubercle at each end. Elytral striae feebly marked, and defined by fine punctures. Dark blue – some individuals with light brown elytra. Serra Geral mountain range (states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) .................................. Dichotomius (Selenocopris) opalescens (Felsche, 1910)
4’. Pronotum of male with weak, medial and longitudinal sulcus, anteromedial projection weakly emarginated. Male clypeofrontal carina bearing a tubercle on each end, while female cephalic carina lacks them. Elytral striae deeply impressed, and defined by distinct punctures. Green to blue. Restricted to the Serra da Bocaina Mountain Range, state of São Paulo, Brazil .... Dichotomius (Selenocopris) alvarengai Maldaner, Nunes and Vaz-de-Mello 2015
description: Published as part of Maldaner, Maria Eduarda & Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z., 2022, New data and species for the Dichotomius speciosus (Waterhouse, 1891) species group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), pp. 2999-3006 in Journal of Natural History 55 (47 - 48) on pages 3000-3001, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2022.2025941, http://zenodo.org/record/6351834