Agrilus chrysobothroides Hespenheide, 2009

Hespenheide, Henry A. & Bellamy, Charles L., 2009, New species, taxonomic notes, and records for Agrilus Curtis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) of México and the United States, Zootaxa 2084, pp. 50-68 : 62-64

Agrilus chrysobothroides Hespenheide , New Species

( Figs. 12, 13 , 23 )

Description. Holotype male: Broad, in cross section weakly convex above, more strongly so below, 6.60 mm long, 1.95 mm wide; pronotum black with reddish-coppery reflections along midline and margins, elytra black with reddish-coppery reflections in setose areas, dark bluish reflections on raised glabrous areas, below, legs and front dark reddish-coppery; setae short, silvery and recumbent, sparse and relatively inconspicuous on head and pronotum, sparse in small irregular patches on each elytron, four patches somewhat more conspicuous - a small spot at lateral margin before middle, and patches along suture at 2/3, 5/6, and at apex - denser and uniform beneath, somewhat more dense on lateral portions of abdominal ventrites, posterior coxae, metasternum and epimeron, nearly glabrous on prosternum and anterior portion of metasternum.

Head with front weakly convex, but broadly, shallowly depressed along midline, surface rugose; epistoma between antennal insertions 1/3 width of distance between inner margins of eyes, arcuately emarginate below, eyes oval, slightly emarginate on inner margins above middle; antennae reaching posterior margin of pronotum when laid alongside, serrate from segment 5, segments 5–11 rounded-triangular, almost obliquely oval.

Pronotum slightly narrower than elytra at posterior margin, with sides slightly expanded outward to before middle then nearly straight and converging slightly to narrowly rounded apex; marginal and submarginal carinae slightly undulate, converging 0.25mm from base when viewed from side; from above anterior margin slightly produced as arcuately-rounded lobe; basal margin weakly angulately emarginate at middle of each elytron, nearly transverse before scutellum; disk weakly convex, with weak linear depression along midline and oblique depressions interior to and in front of prehumeral carinae to lateral margins; prehumeral carinae strong, nearly straight, at acute angle to lateral margin, 1/3 length of pronotum; surface transversely rugose, rugae broad an polished on disc. Scutellum pentagonal, polished with depression behind middle.

Elytra subequal in width at humeri and just beyond middle, lateral margins indistinctly emarginate between, apices nearly angulate, narrowly, separately rounded, distinctly toothed; disk weakly convex, each elytron with rather strong oval depression at base and rather broad costa along suture from basal 1/4 to apical 3/4, basal 2/3 of costa with weak medial ridge and shorter indistinct sutural ridge and two short weak ridges behind humerus; surface with series of alternating small transverse raised polished areas and slightly depressed shagreened.

Prosternum with sides of prosternal process parallel between coxae, narrowing and narrowly rounded at apex, prosternal lobe nearly transverse with narrow, indistinct emargination at middle. Posterior coxae with posterior margin nearly straight, upper exterior angles somewhat produced and nearly quadrate. Abdomen with suture between ventrites 1 and 2 weakly indicated on sides, not depressed along midline of ventrite1 and 2, ventrite 5 with narrow, indistinct emargination at apex. Hind legs with first metatarsal segment equal in length to next three combined, anterior tarsal claws cleft with slender, subequal inner tooth, anterior and middle tibiae with short tooth on inner margin at apex, meso- and metatarsal claws cleft with short, blunt inner tooth. Genitalia as in Figure 23 .

Allotype female: As male except 7.80 mm long, 2.30 mm wide; antennae shorter, reaching only middle of pronotum when laid alongside, anterior and middle tibiae without teeth, tarsal claws similar on all feet, cleft with short, blunt inner tooth.

Type material. Holotype. México: Oaxaca, N of Hwy 190, 7 km NW Diaz Ordaz, 17.07.1992, G.H. Nelson, on Cassia sp. ( UNAM). Allotype. Same data as holotype ( FSCA). Paratypes. México: Oaxaca, same data as holotype (2M, 1F, 1?, FSCA), 7 km N Diaz Ordaz, 17.07.1992, G.H. Nelson, on Cassia (3M, 3F, DSVC), D.S. Verity (9M, 3F, DSVC), 8 km NW Diaz Ordaz, 2400 m, 15.06.1979, H & A Howden, (1M, 1F, CHAH), 7.0 km NW Diaz Ordaz, Rd to Villas Alta, 7060’, 17˚01’18” N 96˚28’20” W, 26.07.2005, T.C. MacRae, beating Senna cf. polyantha (Moc. & Sessé ex Collad.) Irwin & Barneby (10M, 7F, TCMC), 7.0 km NW Diaz Ordaz, Rd to Villas Alta, 2,295m, 17˚02.027’ N 96˚28.331’ W, 26.07.2005, T.C. MacRae, beating Senna cf. polyantha (Moc. & Sessé ex Collad.) Irwin & Barneby (22M, 28F, TCMC), 7 km NW Diaz Ordaz, 2200m, N17.00 W96.26, 11.07.1992, C.L. Bellamy (1M, CLBC), 7 km NNW Diaz Ordaz, 1667m, 17.02 N 96.27 W, 30.06.1996, Bellamy, Barrera, Brailovsky (CLB:552) (3M, 2F, CLBC), 7 km NW Diaz Ordaz, 2200m, 17˚00’, 96˚26’, 11.07.1992, R.L. Westcott, beating Senna cf. polyantha (4M, 11F, RLWE), Sierra de Zempoaltepetl 7.1 km NW Diaz Ordaz, 6400’, 4.07.1989, J. Rifkind, beating oak/thorn (1F, WFBM), 8.8 km NW Diaz Ordaz (road to Villa Alta), 2295 m, 17˚02.027’ 96˚28.331’, 18.07.2003, R.L. Westcott, beating Senna cf. polyantha (4F, RLWE), 7.1 km NW Diaz Ordaz, 6400’, 4.07.1989, J. Rifkind (1M, CLBC), 7 km NE Teotitlan del Valle, 9.07.1992, D.S. Verity, on Mimosa (1F, DSVC); Puebla, 6 km S Teontepec, 1890 m, 18˚28’34” N, 97˚34’30” W, 14.07.1999, R.L. Westcott, beating Cassia sp. (2M, 7F, RLWE), 6 km S Teontepec, 1890 m, 18. 28.34 N, 97. 34.30 W, 25.06.1997, R.L. Westcott, beaten from Cassia sp. (1M, RLWE), 5 mi N Tehuacan, 6000’, 4/5.07.1982, R.L. Aalbu, Acacia scrub (1F, CLBC), 5 km SSW Nopala, 2075 m, 18˚26’N, 97˚40’W, 15.07.1996, R.L. Westcott, beaten from Cassia sp. (1F, RLWE), Chapulco, 2100 m, 18˚37’, 97˚24’, 18.06.2000, R.L. Westcott, beating Cassia sp. (3M, 7F, RLWE), near Chapulco, 2015 m, 18˚37’N, 97˚24’, 18.06.1996, R.L. Westcott, beaten from Senna sp. (5M, 12F, RLWE). Paratypes also to be deposited in BMNH, CHAH, UNAM.

Hosts. Adults have been collected on “ Cassia sp.,” Mimosa sp., and Senna cf. polyantha (Moc. & Sessé ex Collad.) Irwin & Barneby. Earlier collections labeled as having been collected on “ Cassia sp.” were all probably collected on Senna cf. polyantha (R.L. Westcott, in litt.).

Etymology. This species is named for its superficial resemblance to smaller species in the buprestid genus Chrysobothris in being dorsoventrally flattened and having the irregular sculpture of the elytra.

Discussion. This species is the most frequently collected of a group of perhaps as many as five similar undescribed species. All have the irregular elytral sculpture, but differ in size, color, form of the prehumeral carinae, shape of the elytral apices, and male genitalia. Agrilus chrysobothroides differs from the others in being overall black in color, including the front of males, having narrowly carinate prehumeral carinae, narrowly rounded elytral apices, and an aedeagus in the male tipped with a short, abrupt point. Other species in the group have elytral apices distinctly flared, extended and spinose on the outer angles; in this characteristic they are somewhat similar and may be related to the very differently colored and sculptured A. furcillatus Chevrolat. Males from the type series measure 5.95–8.00 mm long (mean = 6.98 mm for 90 specimens), and females measure 5.60–8.70 mm long (mean = 7.41 mm for 104 specimens).

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 17. Habitus views of Agrilus spp.; scale bars = 1 mm: 10 – 11., holotype, A. leucaenae, dorsal and lateral views; 12 – 13., holotype, A. chrysobothroides, dorsal and lateral views; 14 – 15., holotype, A. paramacer, dorsal and lateral views; 16 – 17., holotype, A. parkinsoniae, dorsal and lateral views.

FIGURES 18 – 25. Male genitalia of Agrilus spp.; scale bars = 1 mm: 18., holotype, A. rifkindi; 19., holotype, A. obrienorum; 20., holotype, A. giesberti; 21., holotype, A. anthaxioides; 22., holotype, A. leucaenae; 23., holotype, A. chrysobothroides; 24., holotype, A. paramacer; 25., holotype, A. parkinsoniae.