Bothynus ascanius

Identification key to the species of the Bothynus ascanius View in CoL species group

Note: the key only permits the identification of physically complete and unworn specimens. Unfortunately, incomplete or abraded specimens may be impossible to identify when the requisite characters are missing.

1. Surface of elytra glabrous ( Fig. 10 View Figure 10 (a, b)) ....................................................................................... 2

- Surface of elytra bearing conspicuous yellowish setae ( Fig. 10 View Figure 10 (c)). Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil............................................................................................................ Bothynus trix Hardy

2. Elytral epipleura with distinct and complete margin ( Fig. 10 View Figure 10 (e)) ....................................... 3

- Elytral epipleura either lacking margin, or with incomplete margin when present ( Fig. 10 View Figure 10 (d))................................................ ................................................ Bothynus arriagadae sp. n.

3. Surface of elytra bearing deep, well-impressed punctures, ranging in size from small to large ( Fig. 10 View Figure 10 (b)) .................................................................................................................................. 4

- Surface of elytra nearly smooth, with only minute or shallow, poorly-impressed punctures ( Fig. 10 View Figure 10 (a)). Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay................................................ .............................................................................................................. Bothynus laevipennis Arrow

4. Outer mandibular teeth distinctly separated from each other by deep interval in dorsal view ( Fig. 5 View Figure 5 (b, d, e))................................................................................................................................ 5

- Outer mandibular teeth nearly fused with each other, separated only by a shallow interval in dorsal view ( Fig. 5 View Figure 5 (c)). Argentina and Paraguay...................................... ................................................................................................................... Bothynus minor Steinheil

5. Apical tooth of mandible acuminate or narrowly rounded at apex, in dorsal view ( Fig. 5 View Figure 5 (b, d))........................................................................................................................................................ 6

- Apical tooth of mandible diagonally truncated apex ( Figs. 5 View Figure 5 (d))..................................... 10

6. Medial tooth of mandible posteriorly produced or forming a right angle with the plane of mandibular orientation in lateral view ( Fig. 5 View Figure 5 (f)).................................................................. 7

- Medial tooth of mandible anteriorly produced at an oblique angle to the plane of mandibular orientation in lateral view ( Fig. 5 View Figure 5 (g)) ...................................................................... 8

7. Protarsomere 5 of male abruptly expanding toward apex ( Fig. 11 View Figure 11 (b)); tergite 8 of female covered by strong rugopunctures on disc ( Fig. 20 View Figure 20 (a)). Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.................................................................................... Bothynus cyclops (Burmeister)

- Protarsomere 5 of male gradually expanding toward apex ( Fig. 11 View Figure 11 (i)); tergite 8 of female with fine punctures on disc ( Fig. 20 View Figure 20 (b)). Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay..... ...................................................................................................................... Bothynus gisae sp. n.

8. Outer apex of metatarsomere 1 lacking angular projection ( Fig. 18 View Figure 18 (e)); sides of tergite 8 with distinct cavity in female ( Fig. 20 View Figure 20 (d)).................................................................................. 9

- Outer apex of metatarsomere 1 with long angular projection ( Fig. 18 View Figure 18 (d)); sides of tergite 8 flattened in female, lacking distinct cavity ( Fig. 19 View Figure 19 (c)). Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. .............................................................................. Bothynus deiphobus (Burmeister)

9. Clypeus glabrous or bearing a few small setae in both sexes ( Fig. 5 View Figure 5 (e)); sternite 8 of female with glabrous disc ( Fig. 21 View Figure 21 (d)). Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay............................................................................................................... Bothynus fabius (Fairmaire)

- Clypeus bearing moderately dense yellowish setae ( Fig. 5 View Figure 5 (a)); sternite 8 of female with setose disc ( Fig. 21 View Figure 21 (a)). Male unknown. Argentina............ ............ Bothynus bentoi sp. n.

10. Teeth of anterior clypeal margin each bearing a longitudinal carina ( Fig. 6 View Figure 6 (d, f)). 11

- Teeth of anterior clypeal margin lacking longitudinal carinae ( Fig. 6 View Figure 6 (b)).................. 12

11. Inner protarsal claw lacking incision; Pronotum with a broad and distinctly deep cavity ( Fig. 17 View Figure 17 (e)). Male unknown. Brazil.................. .................. Bothynus moroni sp. n.

- Inner protarsal claw of male incised (such in the Fig. 11 View Figure 11 (a)); pronotal cavity shallow in female ( Fig. 17 View Figure 17 (k))............................. ............................. Bothynus scutellopunctatus sp. n.

12. Pronotal cavity rounded in shaped in both sexes, usually small, shallow and confined to the anterior region ( Fig. 8 View Figure 8 (b)), if broad and deep, then not transversely produced ( Fig. 8 View Figure 8 (a)); usually small to medium sized species, rarely attaining 30.0 mm in length.............................................................................................................. 13

- Pronotal cavity oval in shape in both sexes, deep, broad and transverse ( Fig. 8 View Figure 8 (c, d)); larger species, from 31.5 to 34.5 mm in length................................................................... 19

13. Dorsal surface distinctly shining, not opaque; ventral surface of the metafemur with glabrous disc in both sexes ( Fig. 18 View Figure 18 (a, c)).............................................................................. 14. Dorsal surface with opaque aspect, not distinctly shining in both sexes; ventral surface of the metafemur entirely covered by setae in both sexes ( Fig. 18 View Figure 18 (b)). Brazil.................................................................................................... Bothynus cribrarius (Fairmaire)

14. Dorsal surface of body with reddish brown or dark reddish color; interocular width about 3.8–4.5X transverse diameter of eye; maxilla bearing three teeth (subequal or not) arranged on the apex of galea ( Fig. 7 View Figure 7 (b, d))................................................................ 15

- Dorsal surface of body with dark color ( Figs. 3 View Figure 3 (l), 16(b)); interocular width about 5.3– 5.4X transverse eye diameter; maxilla bearing five asymmetric teeth arranged on the apex of galea ( Fig. 7 View Figure 7 (c)). Argentina and Paraguay....... ....... Bothynus ovalatus sp. n.

15. Punctures on the posterior sides of male pronotum small to large in size, either contiguous or separated by three puncture diameters ( Fig. 9 View Figure 9 (c, d, g, k, l)); tergite 8 of female glabrous ( Fig. 20 View Figure 20 (i, l)) or if setose, pronotum with conical tubercle and deep concavity ( Fig. 17 View Figure 17 (i))........................................................................................................................ 16

- Punctures on the posterior sides of male pronotum minute ( Fig. 9 View Figure 9 (a, b)); pronotal concavity of female shallow ( Fig. 17 View Figure 17 (a)); tergite 8 densely setose ( Fig. 19 View Figure 19 (e))................ ............................................................................................................... Bothynus ascanius (Kirby)

16. Male pronotum with a small and gibbose anterior tubercle ( Fig. 9 View Figure 9 (c, g)); female with sternites 4–8 glabrous or weakly setose on discal region ( Fig. 21 View Figure 21 (b)) ....................... 17

- Tubercle of male pronotum conical and acuminate at apex ( Fig. 9 View Figure 9 (k)); female with sternites 4–8 having dense setae on discal region ( Fig. 21 View Figure 21 (c)). Argentina....................... ................................................................................................................ Bothynus rufipennis sp. n.

17. Pronotal cavity with posterior margin complete or with an indistinct interruption in both sexes ( Fig. 9 View Figure 9 (g))...................................................................................................................... 18. Pronotal cavity with posterior margin distinctly interrupted at middle in both sexes ( Fig. 9 View Figure 9 (c)). Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay............ ............ Bothynus cylindricus Arrow

18. Inner protarsal claw of male with outer branch clearly shorter than inner one ( Fig. 11 View Figure 11 (e, f)); tergite 8 of female with discal area covered by shallow and transverse punctures ( Fig. 20 View Figure 20 (c)). Argentina and Brazil........ ........ Bothynus laticifex Burmeister Inner protarsal claw of male with outer branch subequal in length to inner one ( Fig. 11 View Figure 11 (k)); tergite 8 of female with densely rugopunctate discal region ( Fig. 20 View Figure 20 (e)). Paraguay.......................................................................................................................... Bothynus sapukai sp. n.

19. Protasomere 5 of male with a ventroapical process ( Fig. 11 View Figure 11 (j)). Female unknown....... .................................................................................................................. Bothynus robustus sp. n.

- Protarsomere 5 of male without ventroapical process (such as in the Fig. 11 View Figure 11 (h)); female with a transverse tubercle on posterior margin of pronotal cavity ( Fig. 17 View Figure 17 (g)). Bolivia....................................................................................................................... Bothynus nyx Ratcliffe