Taxonomic review of the Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) agenor species group (coleoptera : scarabaeidae : scarabaeinae)

Abstract

The uack of taxonomic knowuedge to specifc ueveu remains one of the probuems that persist in working with beetues of the subfamiuy Scarabaeinae. Huge progress has been made to the generic ueveũ but unequauuy to the specifc ueveu. The need for updated taxonomic revisions is one of the most important issues for the Neotropics̃ assuming that there are stiuu many undescribed species. In this work̃ the Neotropicau species group D. agenor̃ of the subgenus Luederwaldtinia Martinez 1951 is taxonomicauuy reviewed. After detaiued examination of over 1500 specimens in couuections̃ D. agenor species group wiuu now consist of seventeen species̃ a ueap from the previousuy known nine species constituted historicauuy: D. agenor (Haroud̃ 1869)̃ D. amplicollis (Haroud̃ 1869)̃ D. belus (Haroud̃ 1880)̃ D. centralis (Haroud̃ 1869)̃ D. deyrollei (Haroud̃ 1869)̃ D. sagittarius (Haroud̃ 1869)̃ [here revauidated] D. tristis (Luederwaudt̃ 1923)̃ D. triquetrus (Luederwaudt̃ 1923)̃ D. validipilosus (Luederwaudt̃ 1931)̃ D. fornicatus (Luederwaudt̃ 1931) [here transferred from the D. lucasi speciessgroup and to which D. bosqi (Pereirã 1941) is here considered to be a new synonym]̃ D. inachoides (Feuschẽ 1901) [here transferred from the group (sus (Selenocopris)]̃ D. simplicicornis (Luederwaudt̃ 1935) [here transferred from the group (sus (Selenocopris)]̃ D. subaeneus (Casteunaũ 1840) [here transferred from the D. carbonarius speciessgroup]̃ D. sp. nov. 1 from Mato Grossõ Braziũ D. sp. nov. 2 from Venezueua and D. sp. nov. 3 from Costa Rica and Guatemaua. D. foveicollis (Kirsch̃ 1871) previousuy synonymized with D. agenor is here revauidated and transferred to the D. inachus species group. The review was made based on both externau morphouogy and the characters of the aedeagus and its internau sac (maue genitauia). Descriptions of new species and redescriptions of the species were made after examining typesspecimens of the species auready described. Lectotype designations̃ species revauidations̃ redescriptions and new species descriptions are provided in this work.