Sphenoptera (Chrysoblemma) bellamyi, Kalashian, M. Yu., 2014

Kalashian, M. Yu., 2014, A New Species ofSphenopteraDejean, 1833 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from Ararat Valley, Armenia, The Coleopterists Bulletin 1833 (1), pp. 44-46 : 44-45

Sphenoptera (Chrysoblemma) bellamyi , new species

( Figs. 1–2 )

Description of Male Holotype. Body elongate, 3.05X as long as wide, slightly convex, coloration dark bronzy with slight greenish reflection, clypeus and frons along anterior margin metallic dark green, supraantennal carinae coppery red; sides of ventral surface with traces of white wax-like coating. Dorsal surface glabrous with few very short white setae near anterior portion of frons, ventral surface with moderately dense short white setae. Body length 8.25 mm, width 2.7 mm. Head: Rather broad, slightly wider than pronotum anteriorly; eyes large, convex, distinctly projecting outward the head contour; vertex about 1.8X as wide as transverse diameter of eye. Clypeus narrow crescent-shaped. Frons with almost straight sides, very weakly diverging posteriorly, slightly convex, feebly elevated above clypeus, with pair of slightly separated reliefs approximately at the level of midlength of eyes, with strong supraantennal carinae posteriorly not reaching inner margins of eyes. Frons anteriorly with dense, coarse, occasionally confluent macropunctures, toward vertex smoothed and less dense; micropunctation very sparse and inconspicuous. Antennae 1.9X as long as vertical diameter of eye, serrated from antennomere 4 which is distinctly longitudinal, following antennomeres nearly equilateral. Pronotum: Narrow, 1.35X as wide as long, widest approximately at middle, with sides slightly incurved behind anterior angles, then very slightly irregularly arcuate toward obtuse basal angles. Lateral carinae extending approximately to anterior 1/4 of pronotal length, visible from above approximately to mid-length of pronotum. Anterior margin distinctly bisinuate, bordered with thin entire sulcus; basal margin bisinuate, its median projection rather broad with almost straightly truncated apex. Pronotal disc moderately convex, flattened along the middle; macropunctures laterally rather dense, formed by relatively large flat rounded punctures, on disc distinctly smaller and sparser; micropunctures rather dense, but superficial and inconspicuous. Scutellum: Transversely pentagonal, convex with single indistinct micropuntures. Elytra: Length 2.15X width, widest at humeri; sides nearly parallel to posterior 2/5, then very slightly arcuately converging to apex. Apices tridentate, with lateral and sutural teeth acute, narrow and short, and middle one broad, obtuse. Elytra moderately convex, with distinct entire striae, intervals slightly convex, bearing rather sparse, small, superficial macropunctures and inconspicuous micropunctures. Venter: Prosternal process slightly convex, laterally and apically bordered with deep entire sulcus, covered with few coarse punctures on the disc. Prosternum laterally with flat, very large oval punctures, the remaining part of sternum bearing very dense and coarse punctures, slightly smoothed and less dense medially. Abdominal ventrites with asperate punctures, rather dense and coarse anteriorly, smoothed and less dense posteriorly. Anal ventrite slightly irregularly rounded distally. Legs: Metacoxae with hind margin shallowly emarginate medially and laterally. Protibiae nearly straight, slightly incurved apically, meso- and metatibiae straight, with weakly curved inner margin. Genitalia: Aedeagus as in Figs. 2–3 .

Specimens Examined. Holotype, male ( IZAY): ARMENIA, Ararat prov., 6 km N Surenavan , 14– 15.07.2004, Kalashian leg.

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to the blessed memory of Dr. Charles (Chuck) Bellamy.

Comments. The new species is closely related to Sphenoptera (Chrysoblemma) amoena Jakovlev, 1901 from Turkmenistan and North Iran and to Sphenoptera (Chrysoblemma) jakowlewi Reitter, 1895 known only from two female lectotypes: S. jakowlewi Reitter, 1895 (deposited in MNHN) and its synonym, Sphoptera apta Jakowlew, 1903 (deposited in ZIN), both originating from “Caucasus, Araxesthal” (Arax river valley in Armenia or Nakhichevan). Both differ from S. bellamyi by weak supraantennal carinae, denser and coarse macropunctures and rather dense and distinct micropunctures of frons and pronotum, and macropunctures of elytral intervals distinctly smaller but denser. Additionally, the male of S. amoena is characterized by having the brightly golden green anterior half of the frons and supraantennal carinae, and by the structure of the male genitalia ( Figs. 2–3 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Sphenoptera (Chrysoblemma) bellamyi, holotype.

Figs. 2–3. Sphenoptera (Chrysoblemma) species, male genitalia. 2) S. bellamyi, holotype; 3) S. amoena. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.