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Ateuchus fedescobari -a new dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) species

from Colombia, and redescription of the rare A. punctatissimus (Génier, 2010)
from Brazil

Article  in  Journal of Natural History · May 2021

DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2021.1895348

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 JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY
2021, VOL. 55, NOS. 1–2, 115–124
https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2021.1895348

Ateuchus fedescobari – a new dung beetle (Coleoptera:

Scarabaeinae) species from Colombia, and redescription of
the rare A. punctatissimus (Génier, 2010) from Brazil
Santiago Montoya-Molina a, Arturo González-Alvarado b
, Carolina Giraldo-Echeverric
and Fernando Z. Vaz-de-Mello d
a
Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Praha-Suchdol, Czech Republic;
b
Programa de Pos Graduacao em Ecologia e Consevacao da Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociencias,
Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil; cCentro para la Investigación en Sistemas Sostenibles
de Producción Agropecuaria – CIPAV, Cali, Colombia; dDepartmento de Biologia e Zoologia, Instituto de
Biociencias, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiaba, Brazil

ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY

Here, a new species from Colombia A. (Lobidion) fedescobari sp. nov. Received 21 June 2020
is described based on a single male and two females. Additionally, Accepted 19 February 2021
the species Ateuchus (Lobidion) punctatissimus Génier (2010) is KEYWORDS
re-described based on new morphological characters. Among Scarabaeidae; Ateuchini;
Ateuchus, Lobidion species share a unique character, namely the dung beetles; Neotropical
sixth ventrite bearing one or two posterior processes. Based on the
above the subgenus Lobidion is re-described.

Introduction
Lobidion was described as a genus by Génier in 2010 based on a single female collected from
the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Despite being closely related to the genus Deltorhinum
Harold, 1867, they mainly differ in some characters: anterior modification of the pronotum
lobate or bilobate in Deltorhinum, unmodified in Lobidion; and the median clypeal emargina-
tion in the males of Lobidion not emarginated in males of Deltorhinum. Other characters, such
as the presence of the well-developed frontoclipeal carina in females, are commonly observed
on other species of Ateuchini such as Ateuchus mutilatus (Harold, 1867) A. rispolii Martínez,
1952, A. hypocrita (Balthasar, 1939) and Deltorhinum. Due to the presence of these shared
characters, the position of Lobidion within Ateuchini is still uncertain. Génier and Cupello
(2018) recently lowered Lobidion subgenus under Ateuchus Weber, 1801 based on the
presence of reduced genitalic sclerites in the male and the morphology of the head, stating
that the genus ‘Lobidion is simply a highly modified Ateuchus and other characters such as
flattened body and striated pseudoepipleuron are adaptations of its natural history’.
Very little is known about the biology of Lobidion. To date, the only described species,
A. punctatissimus (Génier, 2010), is known to be a resident of Acromyrmex aff. subterraneus
(Forel, 1893) nests in the Brazilian Amazon. This paper aims to describe a new species
based on three specimens, two of them recently collected by the first author, and which
inhabits the Caribbean dry forests of Colombia. Male of A. punctatissimus is also here

CONTACT Santiago Montoya-Molina horomo@gmail.com

© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any med-
ium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.

Published online 28 May 2021

116 S. MONTOYA-MOLINA ET AL.

described. Finally, important morphological information is provided for the diagnosis of

the subgenus.

Material and methods

All photographs and measurements were taken using a Leica stereomicroscope M205C,
employing the image stacking software (Leica Application Suite (LAS), version 4.9.0).
Images were edited using the Adobe Photoshop CC2015.
Measurements of the specimens used were taken from the anterior margin of the
clypeus to the posterior margin of the abdomen. Terminology of morphological struc-
tures follows Vaz-de-Mello et al. (2011) and Edmonds (1972). Nomenclature of the genital
structures follows Génier (2019). Distribution maps were made using the SimpleMappr
web page (http://www.simplemappr.net) (Shorthouse 2010).
Specimens examined in this work are deposited in the following collections. The names
of the curator are in brackets:
CEMT Setor de Entomologia da Coleçao Zoológica da Universidade Federal de Mato
Grosso, Departamento de Biologia e Zoologia, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil (Fernando
Z. Vaz-de-Mello).
IAvH Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Villa
de Leyva, Boyacá, Colombia (Jhon Cesar Neita).
CJAN Jorge Ari Noriega personal collection, Bogotá, Colombia.
Dried specimens were hydrated and cleaned by immersing them in hot water within an
ultrasonic cleaner. The extraction of the male genitalia was carried out following the widely
utilised method described by Tarasov and Genier (2015). Using a stereomicroscope, entomo-
logical forceps and needles, the aedeagus was removed through the opening of the apical
portion of the pygidium. The endophallus was extracted by pulling the apical part
of the sac gently. To entirely visualise the endophallites, the endophallus was clarified
in 10% KOH heated in small beakers.
Type specimen label information is cited ipsis litteris. Labels are separated by a slash ‘/’.
Curly brackets ‘{}’ are used to describe the general aspect of the labels, using the following
abbreviations: {hw}for handwriting; {p} for printed and {phw} for partially handwritten.
In the lists of the non-type material examined, country names are written in capital
letters and bold letters (e.g. COLOMBIA), the names of the provinces or departments are
in bold (e.g. Mato Grosso) followed by municipality, geographic coordinates (when
available), other complementary information, date and collector (usually called ‘leg.’).
Finally, number of specimens examined and depository collections are mentioned after
each label description in brackets; when sexed, this information is provided (e.g.
[29 CEMT]).

Results
Key to the species of Ateuchus (Lobidion)

1. Sixth ventrite lacking posterior process ............................................................... Ateuchus s. str.

- Sixth ventrite bearing one or two posterior processes..................... 2 Ateuchus (Lobidion)
 JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 117

2. Body black. Head and pronotum with deep punctures separated by once the diameter of
a puncture. Pronotal posterior edge not marginated. Posterior area of pronotum display-
ing rounded punctures (Figure 1(a,c)). Sixth ventrite with a single acute dentiform process
directed posteriorly (Figure 1(a)). Anterior margin of metafemora unmodified in males.
Amazon, Brazil ....................... ....................... Ateuchus (Lobidion) punctatissimus (Génier, 2010).
- Body copper. Head and pronotum microsculptured, not heavily punctate. Pronotal
posterior edge marginated. Posterior surface displaying scattered ocellate and ‘U’-
shaped punctuation separated by once the diameter of a puncture (Figure 3(d)). Sixth
ventrite with two acute process directed posteriorly (Figure 2(d)). Male anterior margin
of metafemora with dentiform process resembling a ‘hook’ (Figure 2(b,d)) in males.
Caribbean coast of Colombia ................................ Ateuchus (Lobidion) fedescobari sp. nov.

Systematics
Ateuchus Lobidion (Génier, 2010)
Lobidion Génier 2010: 44–47 [original description]Ateuchus (Lobidion) Génier & Cupello
2018: 2–3 [new rank, new combination]

Ateuchus (Lobidion) Génier, 2010

Diagnosis
Body black to copper, oval and elongate. Head subtriangular, genae obtusely angular. Eyes
narrow, almost imperceptible in dorsal view. Frontal edge of the head displaying two under-
developed rounded protuberances in males, females with well-developed horizontal cephalic
carina curved anteriorly. Anterior clypeal margin distinct, with wide central emargination in
males, females feebly emarginate and upturned. Hypomeral surface with fine microsculpture,
glabrous. Mesometasternal suture prominent and feebly curved, joining medial and external
margins. Protibiae carinate longitudinally in ventral view; male protibial spur flat and spatu-
late, females spiniform. Ventrites narrowed medially, sixth ventrite widest and displaying one
or two dentiform processes directed posteriorly. Pygidium truncate apically.

Ateuchus (Lobidion) punctatissimus (Génier, 2010)

(Figures 1(a–h) and 4)
Lobidion punctatissimum Génier 2010: 46 Ateuchus (Lobidion) punctatissimus Génier &
Cupello 2018: 3 [new combination]

Diagnosis
Ateuchus punctatissimus can be separated from A. fedescobari sp. nov. by the presence of
a black, heavily punctate, body surface (Figure 1(a,c)), and sixth ventrite with a single
acute dentiform process pointing posteriorly (Figure 1(b,d)).
118 S. MONTOYA-MOLINA ET AL.

Figure 1. Ateuchus (Lobidion) punctatissimus male. (a) habitus; (b) ventral view; (c) head frontal view;
(d) elytra and pseudoepipleura lateral view; (e) aedeagus lateral view; (f) aedeagus dorsal view; (g)
internal sac of the aedeagus; (h) endophallus.
 JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 119

Redescription
Male. Dorsal and ventral surface black, shiny. Length: 8 mm. Head subtriangular,
unarmed. Surface heavily punctate, punctation separated by twice the diameter of
a puncture; surface of disc and basal third heavily microsculptured; apical third punctua-
tion rugose (Figure 1(a,c)). Pronotum gibbous, wider than long. Pronotal disc shiny and
smooth, with deep microsculptured punctures separated by once the diameter of
a puncture; pronotal anterior angle obtuse and directed towards front, medial angle
protruded. Margin between anterior and medial angles curved. Anterior and lateral
margins shiny and not punctate, margination absent posteriorly (Figure 1(a)).
Hypomeral surface finely microsculptured, glabrous; hypomeral carina complete, joining
medial and external margins. Metasternal disc covered by microsculpture and simple
well-impressed punctures; lateral edges covered by rugose sculpture (Figure 1(b)).
Abdomen sixth ventrite widest, with acute dentiform process directed posteriorly
(Figure 1(b)). Elytra interstriae smooth, with fine randomly separated punctures. Striae
strongly marked, punctures wider than striae, punctures separated by twice the diameter
of a puncture on elytral disc. Seventh stria not reaching the elytral base, eighth and ninth
striae punctures widest, resembling rugosity on apical portion. Elytral epipleuron expla-
nate viewed laterally, with irregular transverse rugulae (Figure 1(a,d)). Legs anterior edges
of profemora and posterior edges of mesofemora and metafemora coarsely microsculp-
tured. Protibial spur flattened. Pygidium surface covered by large microsculptured punc-
tation, apical edge truncate.
Aedeagus parameres subtriangular and symmetric, basal edge straight. Phallobase
twice as long as parameres (Figure 1(e,f)). Other characters of aedeagus and endophallus
as represented in Figure 1(g,h).

Sexual dimorphism
Females differ from males as follows: Length: 7.5 mm. Head triangularly shaped. Cephalic
carina horizontally arcuate in dorsal view, clypeus feebly emarginated and upturned
medially. Pronotum noticeably more gibbous than in males. Pronotal medial angle
rounded. Legs protibial spur spiniform.

Remarks
All known individuals of the species where collected from the same ant nest of
Acromyrmex aff. subterraneus (Forel 1893) by FZVM, Francois Génier and Patrick Arnaud
(Génier and Cupello 2018).

Type locality
Brazil, state of Mato Grosso, Mun. Cotriguaçu, Fazenda São Nicolau, 09°50 25 ’ S, 058°
15 9’’ W.

Type material examined

Holotype female at CEMT labelled: BRAZIL • , BRAZIL: Mato Grosso, Mun. Cotriguaçu,
Fazenda São Nicolau, mata nordeste, 09°50 25 ’S, 058°15 9’’W, 6.X.2009, coll. F.Z. Vaz-de-
Mello, in Acromyrmex aff. subterraneus nest {white, p}/WORLD SCARAB DATABASE,
120 S. MONTOYA-MOLINA ET AL.

WSD00017748 {white with black margins, p}/Holotype , Lobidion punctatissimum sp.

nov. dés. F. Génier 2010 {red, p}; CEMT.

Non-type material examined

BRAZIL. Mato Grosso: Cotriguaçu, Fazenda São Nicolau, Matinha, 09°50´19” S; 058°15´03”
W, Coleta Manual. Ninho de Acromyrmex, 08-10.XII.2009, F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello leg., [ CEMT];
Cotriguaçu, Faz. São Nicolau, Matinha, 09°50´27” S; 58°15´12” W. X.2014, F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello
leg. [1 ,2 CEMT]; Cotriguaçu, Faz. São Nicolau, Matinha, 09°50´27” S, 58°15´12”W. 22.
X.2012, F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello leg. [3 ,1 CEMT].

Ateuchus (Lobidion) fedescobari sp. nov.

(Figure 2(a–h), 3(a–d) and 4)

Diagnosis
A. (Lobidion) fedescobari sp. nov. can be distinguished from A. punctatissimum by having
a coppery-coloured body surface (Figures 2(a–d), 3(a–d)). Pronotal disc microsculptured,
with scattered ocellate punctuation, posterior area displaying dense ‘U’-shaped punctua-
tion (Figures 2(a), 3(a,d)). Sixth ventrite with two parallel medial acute dentiform processes
directed posteriorly (Figures 2(b,d), 3(b)). In males, anterior margin of metafemora with
a dentiform process resembling a hook (Figure 2(b,d)).

Description
Holotype male. Dorsal and ventral surface coppery, opaque. Length: 7.8 mm. Head sub-
triangular. Anterior third of clypeal surface smooth, glossy and rugose sculpturing, reaching
margin of genae; medial and basal third, surface microsculptured, with fine well-delimited
glossy punctures (Figure 2(a,c)). Pronotum gibbous, wider than long (Figure 2(a)). Pronotal
disc microsculptured, with scattered ocellate punctuation; posterior area with ‘U’-shaped
punctuation (Figure 2(a)), separated by the diameter of a puncture. Anterior pronotal angle
obtuse directed towards front, pronotal medial angle feebly protruded and directed
ventrally. Margin between anterior and medial angles curved. Anterior and lateral margins
shiny and impunctate, posterior margin thinnest. Metasternal disc surface covered by
microsculpture and simple well-impressed punctures. Lateral edges covered by rugose
sculpture (Figure 2(b)). Abdomen sixth ventrite widest, with two parallel medial acute
dentiform processes, directed posteriorly (Figure 2(b,d)). Elytra interstriae microsculptured,
with fine scattered lustrous punctures. Striae strongly marked; punctures as wide as the
stria, punctures separated by twice the diameter of a puncture on the elytral disc. Seventh
stria not reaching the elytral base (Figure 2(a)). Elytral epipleuron smooth. Legs anterior
edge of profemora flat. Anterior edge of metafemora bearing a medial excavation; anterior
margin with dentiform process hook-shaped (Figure 2(d)). Pygidium surface microsculp-
tured with fine punctation, apical edge truncate (Figure 2(d)).
Aedeagus parameres subtriangular and symmetric, basal edge rounded. Phallobase
twice as long as the parameres (Figure 2(e,f)). Other characters of the aedeagus and
endophallus as represented in Figure 2(g,h).
 JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 121

Figure 2. Ateuchus (Lobidion) fedescobari sp. nov. male holotype. (a) habitus; (b) ventral view; (c) head
frontal view; (d) ventrites and metafemora, arrow pointing the metafemora dentiform process; (e)
aedeagus lateral view; (f) aedeagus dorsal view; (g) internal sac of the aedeagus; (h) endophallus.
122 S. MONTOYA-MOLINA ET AL.

Figure 3. Ateuchus (Lobidion) fedescobari sp. nov. female paratype. (a) habitus; (b) ventral view; (c)
head frontal view; (d) pronotal microsculpturation and posterior ‘U’-shaped punctuation.

Sexual dimorphism
Females differ from males as follows: Head cephalic carina horizontal and arcuate in
dorsal view, clypeus not emarginated, strongly upturned (Figure 3(a,b)). Pronotum
medial pronotal angle rounded (Figure 3(a)). Pronotal posterior surface with denser ‘U’-
shaped punctuation (Figure 3(d)). Legs anterior margin of the metafemora not modified.

Etymology
fedescobari, named after Federico Escobar Sarria, friend and great scientist who has
contributed to the study of Scarabaeinae in Colombia and worldwide. Federico is also
the collector of one of the three know specimens of the species.
 JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 123

Figure 4. Known distribution of Ateuchus (Lobidion) punctatissimus (Génier) (red triangle) and Ateuchus
(Lobidion) fedescobari sp. nov. (pink circle).

Type material
Holotype. Male at CEMT labelled: COLOMBIA, Fonseca, GUAJIRA. 211M, 10º49.488
N 72º49.476 W, viii.2014, Montoya-M, S. {white, p}/CEMT CUIABÁ 00059667 {white, p}
(Figure 2(a–h)); Paratype female at CEMT labelled: COLOMBIA: Fonseca, GUAJIRA. 211M,
10º49.488 N 72º49.476 W, viii.2014, Montoya-M, S. {white, p}/CEMT CUIABÁ 00059666
{white, p} (Figure 3(a–d)); Paratype at IAvH labelled: COLOMBIA, MAGDALENA. Isla de
Tierra Bomba, coll. Escobar, F. {white, p}; Paratype female at CJAN labelled: COLOMBIA:
Atlántico: Piojó [secondary dry forest], 10º44 11.03” N, 75º06 26” W, 450 m, VII.2003
[pitfall with human faeces], Jorge A. Noriega leg. {white, p}/Ateuchus sp. 1 Det:
J. Noriega. {white,p}/CJAN 00221. {white,p}.

Distribution
Northern Caribbean coast of Colombia. La Guajira and Magdalena departments.
Specimens found in tropical dry forest.

Natural history
The author collected the specimens using pitfall traps baited with human faeces.

Acknowledgements
To the Alexander von Humboldt Institute-Villa del Leyva Colombia and the Biology program of
Universidad del Valle for providing access to laboratory facilities. Thanks to Jorge Ari Noriega
 124 S. MONTOYA-MOLINA ET AL.

and Juan Pablo Botero for providing the female specimen of A. fedescobari. We are grateful to
Mario Cupello and the anonymous reviewer for helping to improve the manuscript.

Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding
SMM and CGE received founding from Colciencias and the Patrimonio Autónomo Fondo Nacional
de Financiamiento para la Ciencia, la Tecnología y la Innovación Francisco José de Caldas (Grant No.
527-2011, and 80740-424-2019), and by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Government
of UK through the project ‘Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Sustainable Cattle Ranching in Colombia’.
AGA receives a PhD fellowship from CNPq-TWAS (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico
e Tecnológico-The World Academy of Sciences) [Process No.190752/2015-7]. FZVM is a CNPq fellow,
and parts of this research were funded by CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico
e Tecnológico, 484035/2013-4, 405697/2013-9, 400681/2014-5) Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do
Estado de Mato Grosso (FAPEMAT PRONEM 568005/2014) and INCT-CENBAM/CNPq.

ORCID
Santiago Montoya-Molina http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5658-6109
Arturo González-Alvarado http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0343-3704
Fernando Z. Vaz-de-Mello http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9697-320X

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