New taxonomic and distributional data on the Bothynus ascanius (Kirby, 1819) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) species group in Argentina

The Argentine fauna of the Bothynus ascanius (Kirby, 1819) species group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini) is revised based on: 1) description of Bothynus indiosolari Favier Dubois, Ibarra Polesel, & Urcola sp. nov. from Chaco and Misiones provinces, 2) first description of the male of Bothynus bentoi Duarte, Dupuis, & Grossi, 2025, 3) new country record of Bothynus sartorei Ratcliffe & Cave, 2024 for Argentina, and 4) critical reassessment of previously published records. Examination of recently collected and museum specimens indicates that the Argentine records of Bothynus cribrarius (Fairmaire, 1878), Bothynus cyclops (Burmeister, 1847), Bothynus deiphobus (Burmeister, 1847), and Bothynus laevipennis Arrow, 1937 cannot presently be confirmed and should be regarded as doubtful, pending the examination of reliably identified voucher specimens. Of the 22 currently recognized species of the B. ascanius species group, 17 have been previously reported from Argentina; however, the exclusion of four doubtful records and the addition of B. sartorei and B. indiosolari indicate that 15 species can currently be confirmed from Argentina. An updated identification key to the species group, new distributional data, and illustrations of diagnostic characters are provided.