Agamopus viridis Boucomont, 1928

Costa-Silva, Vinícius, Carvalho, Edrielly & Vaz-De, Fernando Z., 2022, A taxonomic revision of the New World genus Agamopus Bates, 1887 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae: Ateuchini), European Journal of Taxonomy 806 (1), pp. 64-89 : 79-83

Agamopus viridis Boucomont, 1928

Figs 9–10

Agamopus viridis Boucomont, 1928: 187 (original description).

Agamopus viridis — Balthasar 1938: 218 (diagnosis). — Blackwelder 1944: 203 (catalogue) — Pereira 1947: 4 (distribution records). — Halffter & Martínez 1968: 235 (diagnosis and key to species). — Marchiori et al. 2003: 175 (species of dung beetles from Goiás). — Mendes & Linhares 2006: 717, 719 (list of Coleoptera in pastures). — Nunes et al. 2012: 127 (list of species from Distrito Federal, Brazil). — Chaves et al. 2017: 187 (record from Planaltina, Brazil). — Tissiani et al. 2017: 405 (species list and key to dung beetles from Brazilian pastures). — Vaz-de-Mello et al. 2017: 2 (species list from Mato Grosso do Sul). — Uchoa & Rodrigues 2019: 21 (list of dung beetles from Midwest of Brazil).

Differential diagnosis

Agamopus viridis and A. joker sp. nov. are easily separated from other Agamopus species by the presence of two small tubercles on the frons, which are absent in all other species of the genus. The latter two species can be separated by the presence, in A. viridis , of an arched pygidial sulcus ( Fig. 9E ), which is sinuous in A. joker ( Fig. 4D ). For additional details, see description of A. joker .

Type material examined

Holotype (by monotypy) ( Fig. 9A–C ) BRAZIL • ♀; first label [green, printed]: “Jatahy / Prov. Goyas. Brésil”; second label [white, partly printed, partly in Boucomont’s handwriting]: “Boucomont det 1927 / Agamopus / viridis n. sp. ”; third label [white with black border, partly printed, partly handwritten]: “Museum Paris / Boucomont”; fourth label [red with black border, printed]: “Typus”; fifth label [white with red border, Gonzalo Halffter’s handwriting]: “TIPO / AGAMOPUS / VIRIDIS / BOUCOMONT / G.H.y A.M. DET. 76”; sixth label [red, printed]: “HOLOTYPE”; seventh label [white with black border, printed]: “ MNHN / EC10857 ” ( Fig. 9D ); MNHN .

Additional material examined (404 specimens)

BRAZIL – Bahia • 1 ♀; Boa Nova ; 14°19′ S, 40°13′ W; 28 Feb. 2015; J. Maciel leg.; human feces; CEMT • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Caetité, Uranium Concentration Unit , INB [Nuclear Industries of Brazil] ; 8‒16 Jan. 2000; Nessimian and Baptista leg.; light; CEMT • 4 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; Encruzilhada ; Nov. 1974; M. Alvarenga and A. Martínez leg.; light; CMN • 2 ♂♂; Encruzilhada ; Dec. 1980; A. Martínez and M. Alvarenga leg.; CEMT • 7 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; CMN • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Encruzilhada ; 15°31′24″ S, 40°57′52″ W; alt. 780 m; 16 Dec. 2012; J.A. Rafael and E.J. Grossi leg.; light; CEMT • 1 ♂; Encruzilhada ; 15°34′35″ S, 40°56′51″ W; alt. 850 m; 15 Dec. 2012; J.A. Rafael and E.J. Grossi leg.; light trap; CEMT • 1 ♀; Encruzilhada ; alt. 980 m; Nov. 1972; M. Alvarenga leg.; CEAH • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; CEMT • 59 specs; Encruzilhada, Fazenda Veredão ; Dec. 1997; A. Bello and F. Vaz-de-Mello leg.; CEMT • 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Maracás ; Nov. 1965; W. Bokermann and F.M. Oliveira leg.; CEMT ; • 13 specs; same collection data as for preceding; MZSP . – Goiás • 2 specs; Aragarças ; Nov. 1965; M. Alvarenga leg.; DZUP • 1 ♂; Chapada dos Veadeiros ; 14°06′33″ S, 47°42′52″ W; 6 Dec. 2015; M.V.C. Rocha leg.; CEMT • 1 ♀; Goiânia, Federal University of Goiás ; 16°36′10″ S, 49°16′19″ W; alt. 55 m; 30 Jan. 2016; M.B. Pessoa leg.; CEMT • 1 ♀; Goiânia Km 4.5 UFG [Federal University of Goiás]; 16°34′59″ S, 49°15′03″ W; alt. 763 m; 31 Feb. 2016; M.B. Pessoa leg.; CEMT • 1 spec.; Goiânia Km 581; 16°32′20″ S, 49°13′43″ W; alt. 844; 31 Feb. 2016; M.B. Pessoa leg.; pasture; CEMT • 4 specs; Rio Verde, Escola Agrotecnica Federal de Rio Verde ; 7 Apr. 2001; O.C. Sousa leg.; pasture; CEMT. – Distrito Federal • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Brasília ; Nov. 2000; N. Degallier leg.; CEMT • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Brasília ; Dec. 2000; N. Degallier leg.; CEMT • 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, 14 specs; Brasília ; alt. 1100 m; Jan. 2001; N. Degallier leg.; light; CEMT • 14 specs; same collection data as for preceding; Mar. 2001; light; CEMT • 6 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; Nov. 2000; CEMT • 8 specs; Brasília ; 15‒30 Sep. 1999; N. Degallier leg.; CEMT • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Brasília, Brasília National Park ; 15°44′09″ S, 48°00′05″ W; 29 Nov. 2018; W.L. Cunha leg.; pitfall with faeces; CEMT • 15 specs; Brasília, Região Administrativa Plano Piloto ; Dec. 1998; N. Degallier leg.; CEMT • 1 ♀, 1 spec.; Planaltina, Águas Emendadas Ecological Station; 15°32′31″ S, 47°36′49″ W; 1‒15 Nov. 2009; M.R. Frizzas leg.; pitfall trap; CEMT • 3 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀; Planaltina, Sem Três Pinheiros Farm ; 15°36′38″ S, 47°30′16″ W; 9 Dec. 2017; Y. Ferreira leg.; CEMT . – Minas Gerais • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Águas Vermelhas ; 15°45′ S, 41°27′ W; Dec. 1998; A. Bello and F. Vaz-de-Mello leg.; CEMT • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, 118 specs; same collection data as for preceding; CEMT • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; PKLC • 10 specs; Buritizeiro ; 17°01′08″ S, 45°06′19″ W; alt. 460 m; 28 Jan. 2012; R. Macedo leg.; CEMT • 1 ♂; Cordisburgo, Fazenda Pontinha ; Mar. 1992; F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello leg.; CEMT • 1 ♀ Cordisburgo, Fazenda Pontinha ; 19°08′S, 44°12′W; Dec. 1997; CEMT • 1 ♂; Cordisburgo, Fazenda Pontinha ; Dec. 1998; F.Z. Vazde-Mello leg.; CEMT • 1 ♀; Cordisburgo, Fazenda Pontinha ; 19°8′53″ S, 44°12′01″ W; alt. 700 m; 6 Jan. 2001; F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello leg. CEMT • 2 specs; Jaíba, Mocambinho ; 15°08′08″ S, 43°58′53″ W; alt. 450 m; 27 Mar. 2012; A. Fialho leg.; human feces; CEMT • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Montes Claros ; Jan. 2000; J. Louzada leg.; CEMT • 18 specs; Paracatu ; Nov. 1997; S.L. Assis Jr leg.; CEMT • 1 ♀; Pedra Azul ; alt. 700 m; Nov. 1972; Seabra and Oliveira leg.; CEAH • 2 specs; Pompéu, Pedro’s Farm ; alt. 458 m; 22 Jan. 2012; R. Macedo leg.; CEMT • 1 ♀; Três Marias ; Sep. 1999; J.C. Zanúncio leg.; CEMT • 1 ♀; Três Marias ; Oct. 1989; J.C. Zanúncio leg.; CEMT . – Mato Grosso do Sul • 1 spec.; Bataguassu, Rio Caraguatá ; Mar. 1953; DZUP • 1 spec.; Campo Grande ; 7 Jan. 1953; M. Alvarenga leg.; DZUP • 1 ♀; Campo Grande, National Beef Cattle Research Center ; 13 Jun. 1993; W.W. Koller leg.; baited with cattle dung (Nelore bovine); Brachiaria decumbens pasture; CEMT • 2 ♀♀; Dourados ; 22 Oct. 2005; M. Miloca leg.; CEMT . – São Paulo • 1 spec.; Botucatu ; 22 Feb. 1955; Werner leg.; DZUP • 1 spec.; same collection data as for preceding; MZSP • 1 ♀; Cajuru ; 9 Feb. 1964; H.M. Canter leg.; CEMT • 1 ♀; Pereira Barreto, Vale do Paraíso Farm ; 2 Jun. 1993; M.F. Aio leg.; baited with cattle dung; Brachiaria crizantha pasture; CEMT • 1 ♂; Pereira Barreto, Vale do Paraíso Farm ; 26 May 1993; M.F. Aio leg.; baited with cattle dung; Brachiaria crizantha pasture; CEMT • 17 specs; Rio Claro ; Dec. 1942; Coll. Claretiano; MZSP • 1 ♀; São Carlos ; 11 Nov. 1993; J. Mendes leg. CEMT .

Comments

As noted earlier by Halffter & Martínez (1968), Agamopus viridis is the only species of the genus with a green metallic colour. After the examination of a series of A. viridis specimens from several Brazilian states, we observed a colour variation between populations from Bahia (Boa Nova, Caetité, Encruzilhada and Maracás) and Minas Gerais states (Águas Vermelhas) ( Fig. 10 ). Specimens from these localities have a pronotum with a reddish-brown metallic colour, while the elytra are metallic-green like individuals from other localities. Moreover, the punctation in the metaventrite and pronotum seems to be variable in form (weakly or strongly marked) and scattering of punctures (sparse or dense), and different punctation patterns are found in combination with the colour phases. Male specimens of the two colours phases were dissected and exhaustively examined, but no morphological differences were found in the tegmen (parameres and phallobase) or in the structures of endophallus between the populations. For these reasons, we interpret these distinct colour phases and punctation patterns as intraspecific variations within a single species.

Geographic distribution

Agamopus viridis is common in collections. Its distribution seems to be sympatric with that of A. unguicularis , occurring in the central region of Brazil ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

Fig. 9. A‒D. Agamopus viridis Boucomont, 1928. Holotype, ♀ (MNHN). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Habitus, lateral view. D. Labels. E. Sulcus of the pygidium in an ordinary specimen (CEMT). Photographs A‒D: Christophe Rivier, MNHN.

Fig. 10. Geographical distribution map of two colour phases of the pronotum of Agamopus viridis Boucomont, 1928. Green circles represent the specimens with the pronotum green metallic; the reddishbrown circles represent the specimens with a reddish-brown pronotum; the green/reddish-brown divided circles represent the sites where both colour phases were found.

Fig. 4. Agamopus joker sp. nov. Holotype, ♂ (CEMT). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view (black arrow indicating the longitudinal keel slightly marked). C. Hind tibia (black arrow indicating the elongate apical process in the metatibia). D. Sulcus in the pygidium. E. Aedeagus, lateral view (black arrow indicating the gibbosity near base). F. Aedeagus, dorsal view. G. Labels. Scale bars = 1 mm.