Athyreus arretado Celante & Carvalho, new species (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae: Bolboceratinae: Athyreini) is described from Casa Nova, Bahia, Brazil. An updated identification key to males in the Athyreus aeneus species group is provided. Distribution maps of some Bolboceratinae species with new records in northeastern Brazil for Athyreus tuberifer Felsche, 1909 from Sergipe; Neoathyreus (Neoathyreus) anthracinus (Klug, 1843) and Neoathyreus (Neoathyreus) lanuginosus (Klug, 1843) from Paraíba; Athyreus vavini Boucomont, 1902, Neoathyreus (Neoathyreus) braziliensis Howden, 1985, and Neoathyreus (Neoathyreus) centromaculatus (Felsche, 1909) from Pernambuco; and Bolbapium caesum (Klug, 1843) from Bahia are provided.