Athyreus aeneus, Klug, 1843

Celante, Gabriel Luiz, Carvalho, Adhan Gabriel, Jahyny, Benoit Jean Bernard, Araújo, Kaylla Brisley Silva & Santos, Paula Batista Dos, 2024, A new species of Athyreus MacLeay, 1819 (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae: Bolboceratinae: Athyreini) from northeastern Brazil, Zootaxa 5512 (3), pp. 389-401 : 396

Updated key to males in the Athyreus aeneus species group (modified from Howden & Martínez 1978)

3(2) Tubercle of anterior pronotal margin well defined, sometimes small, tip acute..................................... 4

- Tubercle of anterior pronotal margin poorly developed, obtuse or obsolete........................................ 5

4(3) Clypeal horn absent. Brazil: Bahia .............................. Athyreus arretado Celante & Carvalho , new species

- Clypeal horn present. Brazil: Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Bahia, Minas Gerais, Paraná .......... 4a

4a(4) Pronotum with seven horns, anterior horn vertical; anterior median horns slanted anteriorly; posterior median horns vertical; posterior horns with acute apex, curved toward midline. Brazil: Bahia ............................................................................................ Athyreus joseferreirai Ferreira, Grossi , & Vaz-de-Mello, 2023

- Pronotum with three horns, a central horn on the anterior margin and a pair of horns on the posterior third of the pronotum. Brazil: Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Bahia, Minas Gerais; Paraná ............................ 4b

4b(4a) Pronotal disc with anterior transverse carina reaching lateral edge; color dark bluish green with bronze caste. Brazil: Paraná ................................................................................ Athyreus aeneus Klug, 1843

- Pronotal disc with lateral carina obsolete, short, situated on posterior half; color largely testaceous or castaneous. Brazil: Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Bahia, Minas Gerais .................... Athyreus vavini Boucomont, 1902