Calosoma (Callitropa) atrovirens Chaudoir, 1869

Length 22-28 mm. Like C. viridisulcatum, C. atrovirens is easily identified among other species of the subgenus by the wide and flattened lateral margin of the pronotum at its base, with deep elongated dimples near its hind angles. It can be distinguished from C. viridisulcatum by its smooth elytra and shorter hind angles of the pronotum, which hardly extend beyond the basal line. In some cases, the smooth elytra and bright green color of the upper body make it easy to recognize. When the color varies to dark without colored reflections, it can still be easily sorted out among other Callitropa species of similar color and body shape by observing, in a closer examination, the presence of large dots on its head, from the vertex towards the eyes.
Jeannel (1940:218) initially distinguished three subspecies: (atrovirens, obscurum and explanaticolle. Gidaspow (1959: 282) considered explanaticolle superfluous because synonym of obscurum and clarified the geographic distribution of the species. While most later authors agreed on the identity of the two remaining subspecies, the name obscurum was replaced by explanaticolle for priority reasons.
Eastern populations, considered typical, are characterized by a slender body and dark green coloration. Western populations, attributed to explanaticolle, are found in the central western part of the Sierra Madre Occidental and are distinguished by a black or reddish-black color with very faint greenish reflections on the margins of the pronotum and elytra. They also tend to have a more squat shape.
However, the color variation observed from eastern to western populations is the only consistent characteristic. Body shape varies significantly within populations and is not a reliable diagnostic feature. Considering that the progressive loss of color indicates an ongoing evolutionary process, as noted by Jeannel (1940:218), we believe that these populations can be treated at the subspecific level for the purposes of this discussion.

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Calosoma (Callitropa) atrovirens atrovirens Chaudoir, 1869

Calosoma atrovirens Chaudoir, 1869: 372 (described from: interieur du Mexique); type material: 2♂♂ and 1♀; originally in colls Chaudoir et Sallé; 1 syntype in Museum and Institute of Zoology, Warsaw (Mroczkowski, 1960: 377); lectotype ♂ (no locality label) designated by Deuve (1978: 251) in Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris [examined].
Calosoma laeve ab. atrovirens Breuning, 1928: 44
Blaptosoma (s. str.) laeve atrovirens Lapouge, 1932: 393
Callitropa (Blaptosoma) atrovirens Jeannel, 1940: 217
Callitropa (Blaptosoma) atrovirens Gidaspow, 1959: 282
Callitropa (Blaptosoma) atrovirens Erwin, 2007: 88

Length 25-30 mm. C. atrovirens atrovirens is characterized by the dark green colour of the upper side of the body and, on average, by a slender shape.
The label of the lectotype shows no locality details and the author in the description gives generically “interieur du Mexique” as the origin of the specimen. In the past most of the known specimens came from Hidalgo. However, according to more recent data, C. atrovirens atrovirens has a larger distribution area and the populations that would be considered typical are the oriental ones (Eastern Guanajuato, Hidalgo Puebla, Queretaro, Tapaulimas (on the border between San Luis Potosi and Tapaulimas).

Examined specimens and literature’s data
Mexico. interieur du Mexique (lectotype MNHN); Guanajuato: 10 km NW of Leon, 58 km S of San Luis de La Paz (UASM), San Luis de la Paz, Cortijos de la Gloria, Pénjamo, Atarjea, Xichú, Xoconoxtle, Maconí, Ciudad Manuel Doblado 1850m., San Miguel de Allende, Irapuato, Silao de la Victoria (www.inaturalist.org/); Hidalgo: Tula (SB), Eloxochitlán, Ixmiquilpan, Zimapán, El Devisadero, Pachuca de Soto, Itztayatla, San Agustín Metzquititlán (www.inaturalist.org); Mexico: Teotihuacan (UASM), Tepotzotlán (www.inaturalist.org); Morelos: Tepoztlán (UASM); Querétaro: Santiago de Querétaro, Pie de Gallo, Huimilpan, Sierra de los Agustinos (www.inaturalist.org), Landa de Matamoros (UASM), Colón, San Juan del Río, Tolimán, Cadereyta de Montes (www.inaturalist.org); San Luis Potosí: Lagunillas (UASM), Charcas, Guadalcázar, Ciudad del Maíz, Armadillo de los Infante, San Nicolás Tolentino, Ciudad Fernández, Santa María del Río (www.inaturalist.org); Tapaulimas: NW of Ciudad del Maiz (Gidaspow, 1959: 282); Tlaxaca (UASM).

Notes: Brachypterous. Lives on oak forests on midlands between 1100 and 1300m (Erwin, 2007: 88). Adults have been observed active almost year-round, with a peak at the end of the spring rains, between June and October.

Calosoma (Callitropa) atrovirens atrovirens
Chaudoir, 1869
interieur du Mexique (lectotype)
(coll. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris)
Calosoma (Callitropa) atrovirens atrovirens
Chaudoir, 1869
Hidalgo, Tula


Calosoma (Callitropa) atrovirens explanaticolle Bates, 1891

Calosoma (Blaptosoma) atrovirens var. obscurum Géhin, 1885: 65 note 68 (distribution: Mexique inter.) type material 1♂, presumably in coll. Géhin; lectotype ♂ (from Oaxaca) designated by Deuve (1978: 252) in Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris [examined] (preoccupied by Calosoma auropunctatum var. obscurum Letzner, 1850)
Calosoma laeve var. explanaticolle Bates, 1891: 225 (described from: Tupataro, in Guanajuato) Type material: ♂♀, deposited in British Museum of Natural History, London (Jeannel, 1940: 217)
Calosoma laeve ab. atrovirens Breuning, 1928: 44
Calosoma laeve ssp. explanaticolle Breuning, 1928: 44
Blaptosoma (s. str.) laeve explanaticolle Lapouge, 1932: 393
Callitropa (Blaptosoma) atrovirens explanaticolle Jeannel, 1940: 217
Callitropa (Blaptosoma) atrovirens obscurum Jeannel, 1940: 217
Callitropa (Blaptosoma) atrovirens obscurum Gidaspow, 1959: 282
Callitropa (Blaptosoma) atrovirens explanaticolle Erwin, 2007: 88
Calosoma (Blaptosoma) atrovirens obscuroides Lassalle & van den Berghe, 2013: 163 (nomen novum pro obscurum Géhin, 1885).

Length 22-28 mm. Unlike the populations attributable to the typical form, those of C. atrovirens explanaticolle have the upper side of the body black at most with very faint green reflections at the edges, and sometimes with the elytra entirely devoid of metallic lustre showing a reddish black colour.
These populations are found in some States of the Sierra Madre Occidental (Aguascalientes, Durango, Jalisco, Michoacan, Zacatecas). It should be noted, however, that in Western Guanajuato the two populations come into contact and mix and it is therefore possible to encounter specimens with the characteristic colouring of one or the other supposed subspecies in very close places.
Recently, Lassalle & van den Berghe (2013: 163), came back to the distinction between obscurum and explanaticolle and, based on the morphological characteristics of the holotype of C. obscurum, especially the considerable width of the pronotum and the stronger marks on the head, they have reassessed it at subspecies level and renamed obscuroides. The holotype is the only known specimen and its provenance from Oaxaca is dubious.

Examined specimens and literature’s data
Mexico. Aguascalientes: around the city (Lassalle & van den Berghe, 2013:163), Villa Hidalgo (www.inaturalist.org); Durango: Alemán, reserva La Michilia (sub atrovirens, Ball & Shpeley, 1991: 43); Guanajuato: around Guanajuato city, Jerecuaro (Lassalle & van den Berghe, 2013:163), Tupataro (Breuning, 1928b: 46), Leon, Tarimoro (www.inaturalist.org); Jalisco: Lagos de Moreno (UASM),Tepatitlan (AMNH), Chapala (Gidaspow, 1959: 283), Huiscuilco (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31033897); Michoacán: nearby Moralia (EM, GP, SB), Epitacio Huerta, Jesus del Monte (www.inaturalist.org), Zitacuaro (UASM), Sahuayo de Morelos (Lassalle & van den Berghe, 2013:163), Jiquilpan (AMNH), Tzintzuntzan, Villamar, Lake Cuitzeo, Colonia Félix Ireta (www.inaturalist.org); Oaxaca (holotype of obscurum, MNHN); Zacatecas: 17 km S Villanueva (AVT), Laguna Balderama (= Valderrama) (Gidaspow, 1959: 283).

Notes: Brachypterous. It has been found in decidous forests and pastures, walking in the grassland or under stones, between 1100 and 2400m (Erwin, 2007: 89). Active adults were observed at the beginning and at the end of the main rainy season, from April to July and in September-October, respectively.

Calosoma (Callitropa) atrovirens explanaticolle
Bates, 1891
Mexique, Oaxaca (lectotype of Calosoma obscurum Géhin, 1885)
(coll. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris)
Calosoma (Callitropa) atrovirens explanaticolle
Bates, 1891
Mexico, Michoacan, env. Moralia, VII.2008, Lassalle leg.
Calosoma (Callitropa) atrovirens explanaticolle
Bates, 1891
Mexico, Michoacan, env. Moralia, VII.2008, Lassalle leg.

updated January 20 2025

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