Isocopris Pereira and Martínez, 1960

Rossini, Michele & Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z., 2017, A taxonomic review of the genus Isocopris Pereira and Martínez, 1960 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), with description of a new Brazilian species, Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 51 (19 - 20), pp. 1091-1117 : 1093-1095

Genus Isocopris Pereira and Martínez, 1960

Type species: Copris inhiata Germar, 1824 , by original designation ( Pereira and Martínez 1960, p. 52).

Diagnosis of the genus

Large- to medium-sized species (length 12 – 36 mm), body completely black to brownish, elytra either completely black and shining or sericeous with bluish and whitish iridescences, antennal club yellow to orange, antennal segments and mouthparts brownish. Head: Clypeus elongated forward and narrow at middle, clypeus evenly curved, strongly sinuate or truncate at middle, clypeal margin weakly to distinctly reflexed at middle, clypeo-genal junction notched to obtusely angulated. Fronto-clypeal region with a conical horn either flanked by two small tubercles or basally connected to two sloped carinae, one species with a transversal carina, apex straight or elevated at both sides, frons strongly to slightly depressed at middle. Antennae with eight segments, third segment distinctly elongated (about as long as the first two antennomeres). Thorax: pronotum robust and convex, anterior and superior region abruptly vertical above the head or simply and evenly convex, if vertical above the head then anterior pronotal surface either with fine wrinkles or coarse and shallow punctures, anteromedial region either without protuberances or with two small humps separated by a median depression and flanked by two concavities. Pronotal surface either normal or posteromedial region with a longitudinal sulcus, punctuation of the pronotal disc very fine and inconspicuous or punctures deeper and evenly distributed. Elytral striae well impressed, interstriae feebly convex, either with simple and sparse punctures or interstriae completely smooth. Metasternum normal or with a central and longitudinal sulcus, metasternal surface setiferous, entirely covered by long and orange setae, or setae only distributed along the inner margin of the mesocoxae, some species with metasternal surface completely bare. Abdomen: pygidium either completely bordered or without border at the apex, surface evenly and finely punctuated. Legs: fore tibiae with apical margin obliquely truncate, inner angles normal or with a distinct tooth-like protrusion directed either forward or inward. Apical spur of the fore tibiae with tip always acuminated and directed inward, apical margin of the spur either simply curved or bifid on the posterior side. Hind tibiae with major apical spur truncate to bifurcate at the apex, tarsi simple or fifth tarsomeres apically distinctly expanded, tarsal claws either weakly curved or strongly folded. Male genitalia: parameres and endophallic lamellae as represented in Figures 1 – 7 . Species known from Peru, Brazil and northern Argentina ( Figure 8 ).

Key to the species of the genus Isocopris

1. Pronotum abruptly vertical above the head, superiorly with a pair of transverse humps. Male with a cephalic horn always flanked by two low and transverse carinae; female with a cephalic carina tuberculate at middle. Large-sized species, body length> 22 mm ................................................................................................................................... 2.

1' Pronotum simply convex, never with distinct humps on the superior side. Male either with a simple and conical horn or with a transverse and strong carina; female with either a cephalic horn or carina, but never tuberculate at middle. Medium-sized species, body length <22 mm ..................................................................................................... 3.

2. Clypeus wide and evenly curved, slightly sinuated at middle, male with cephalic horn cylindrical to conical (from above), frontal side of the horn always finely wrinkled; female with cephalic carina on the fronto-clypeal region, anteromedial region of pronotum feebly excavated, pronotal protuberance very weak ( Figure 1 (a – b)). Anterior pronotal bead simple, metasternal surface completely covered by long and straight orange hairs. Brazil, Argentina.................... .................... I. inhiatus (Germar) .

2' Clypeus elongated forward and clearly narrower at middle, lateral margins straight, male with cephalic horn rectangular and transversally elongated, frontal side of the horn smooth to finely punctuated; female with cephalic carina between eyes, anteromedial region of the pronotum distinctly excavated, pronotal humps distinct ( Figure 2 (a – b)). Anterior pronotal bead slightly concave at the middle of the posterior margin, metasternum with long hairs along the inner side of mesocoxae, metasternal disc bare. Brazil............................................................................ ................................................................................. I. hypocrita (Lucas) comb. nov., stat. rev.

3. Both sexes with a strong fronto-clypeal carina flanked by two hump-like weak tubercles, carina acuminated on both sides in male, straight in female, frons deeply depressed ( Figure 5 (a – b)). Margin of the head distinctly notched at the clypeo-genal junction, body completely black, head and pronotum shining, elytra more opaque. Brazil................................................... ................................................... I. foveolatus (Luederwaldt) .

3' Both sexes with a conical cephalic horn, margin of the head either notched or angulated (genal margin wider than clypeus) at the clypeo-genal junction, frons either depressed or normal, clypeus weakly to distinctly reflexed at middle ............................................................................................................................................... 4.

4. Fore tibia with an inner-apical projection, tooth-like and directed inward, last protarsal segment strongly enlarged at the apex, tarsal claws very long and strongly folded ( Figure 6 (a – b, e)). Brazil............................ ............................ I. tarsalis (Luederwaldt) .

4' Fore tibia either normal or with an inner-apical projection directed forward, last protarsal segment normal and never strongly enlarged, tarsal claws short and weakly curved....................................................................................................................................... 5.

5. Clypeus acuminate and sides feebly curved, weakly reflexed and distinctly sinuated at middle, with two obtuse teeth, head of both sexes with three conical tubercles, central tubercle stronger, lateral ones slightly backward, frons not depressed. Apical spur of the fore tibia with superior margin normal. Body black, elytra opaque to feebly shining and completely sericeous. Brazil (only known of north of Minas Gerais), dry forest.............................................................................................. I. xacriaba sp. nov.

5' Clypeus with sides sinuated, strongly reflexed at middle, either transversally truncated or weakly sinuated, both sexes with a central conical horn flanked by two weak hump-like tubercles, frons slightly to distinctly depressed. Apical spur of the fore tibia with superior margin bifid ( Figure 3 (h)). Body completely shining, black to brownish. Known of Amazon and dry forests ........................................................................ 6.

6. Pronotum and elytra with a dense and shallow punctuation evenly distributed ( Figure 3 (b – c)). Size of 15 – 22 mm. Brazil...................... I. imitator (Felsche) comb. nov.

6' Pronotum and elytra with a very fine and inconspicuous punctuation ( Figure 4 (b – c)). Size of 12 – 18 mm. French Guiana, Brazil and Peru.................................................................... .............................................................................. I. nitidus (Luederwaldt) comb. nov., stat. rev.

Figures

Figure 1. Isocopris inhiatus. (a–b) Dorsal habitus of male and female. (c–d) Dorsal and lateral side of the parameres. (e–f) Lamella copulatrix and secondary accessory lamella.

Figure 2. Isocopris hypocrita. (a–b) Dorsal habitus of male and female. (c–d) Dorsal and lateral side of the parameres. (e–f) Lamella copulatrix and secondary accessory lamella.

Figure 3. Isocopris imitator. (a, d) Dorsal habitus of male and female. (b–c) Details of the pronotal and elytral punctuation. (e–f) Dorsal and lateral side of the parameres. (g) Lamella copulatrix. (h) Apical spur of the fore tibia.

Figure 4. Isocopris nitidus. (a, d) Dorsal habitus of male and female. (b–c) Details of the pronotal and elytral punctuation. (e–f) Dorsal and lateral side of the parameres. (g) Lamella copulatrix.

Figure 5. Isocopris foveolatus. (a–b) Dorsal habitus of male and female. (c–d) Dorsal and lateral side of the parameres.

Figure 6. Isocopris tarsalis. (a–b) Dorsal habitus of male and female. (c–d) Dorsal and lateral side of the parameres. (e) Tarsal claw.

Figure 7. Isocopris xacriaba. (a–b) Dorsal habitus of male and female. (c–d) Dorsal and lateral side of the parameres.

Figure 8. Distribution maps of the genus Isocopris. (a) I. foveaolatus and I. xacriaba. (b) I. imitator and I. tarsalis. (c) I. hypocrita and I. nitidus. (d) I. inhiatus.