Agrilus percaroides, Hespenheide, Henry A., 2012

Hespenheide, Henry A., 2012, New Mexican and Central American species of Agrilus Curtis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) mimetic of flies, Zootaxa 3181, pp. 1-27 : 26

Agrilus percaroides , new species

(Figs. 61–63)

Description. Holotype Male: Relatively robust, in cross-section flattened above, convex below, 4.60 mm long, 1.20 mm wide; front, antennae and profemora green, vertex of head and anterior 2/3 of pronotum red, basal 1/3 of pronotum and basal depressions of elytra greenish-blue, apical 2/3 of elytra reddish-coppery, more golden at anterior margin; rest of elytra black, beneath black with various reflections: metepimera and sides of metasternum greenish blue, metacoxal plate darker blue, prosternum, midline of metasternum, and abdomen with golden reflections, meso- and metafemora greenish-golden; narrow area on front above epistoma and basal elytral depressions with few sparse silvery setae, otherwise head and pronotum glabrous; elytra with short, recumbent golden setae in reddish-coppery area; setae short and semi-erect on anterior portion of prosternum, recumbent on prosternal process and anterior portion of metasternum, setae short, dense and white in elongate patch on posterior dorsal 1/2 of metepisternum, otherwise inconspicuous beneath except slightly more conspicuous on sides of abdominal ventrites 3–5 and longer on posterior margin of abdominal ventrite 5.

Head with front very convex from above, with very weak medial depression on vertex, surface weakly rugose, shagreened; epistoma 1/3 as wide as distance between inner margins of eyes, concave, transversely linearly depressed above antennal insertions, ventral margin slightly emarginate, eyes oval; antennae serrate from antennomere 4, antennomeres 4–11 triangular.

Pronotum slightly narrower than elytra at posterior margin, with sides weakly, regularly rounded, widest just behind middle; when viewed from side marginal carina nearly straight, submarginal carina narrowly diverging for anterior 3/4; from above anterior margin produced as broadly rounded lobe; basal margin undulate, emarginate at middle of each elytron, more shallowly so before scutellum; strong transverse depression at basal 1/3, deeper anterior to scutellum and broadening at margins to middle; prehumeral carinae lacking; disc rugose, red areas weakly shagreened. Scutellum pentagonal, acuminate behind, with fine transverse depression.

Elytra broadest at humeri and beyond middle, lateral margins weakly emarginate between, then narrowing to separately rounded, denticulate apices; each elytron with oblique oval depression at base and short flattened area along suture posterior to basal depression, disc costate behind humeri, strongly for short distance then more weakly so for 1/2 of length with moderately strong depressions between costae and suture at basal 1/3; surface finely imbricate throughout.

Prosternal lobe nearly transverse, prosternal process widening slightly behind forecoxae, rounded-truncate at apex. Metacoxal plate with posterior margin nearly straight, upper exterior angle subquadrate or slightly obtuse. Abdomen with suture between ventrites 1 and 2 obsolete, ventrite 5 slightly depressed along midline for apical 1/2, apex nearly transverse. Metatarsomere 1 shorter than 2–3 combined; tarsal claws cleft with short, blunt inner tooth. Genitalia with parameres punctate, aedeagus truncate with dorsal medial longitudinal ridge and lateral micropunctations (Fig. 63).

Allotype Female: Like male but 5.20 mm long, 1.45 mm wide; front red, strongly shagreened, antennae and femora black; antennae serrate from antennomere 5, antennomeres 5–11 triangular; setae longer and denser on elytra and on sides of abdominal ventrites 2–5 than in male, apex of abdominal ventrite 5 broadly rounded.

Type material. Holotype: Costa Rica: Alajuela, Penas Blancas, 14.IV.1987, E. Cruz M[alaise] T[rap] ( CMNC). Allotype: Costa Rica: Prov. Punta[renas], San Luis, Monteverde, 1000–1300 m, L N 449250_ 250850, Abr 1994, Z. Fuentes #2845 ( INBC, INBIOCRI 001796114). Paratypes: Costa Rica: Prov. Alaju[ela], Sect. San Ramon de Dos Rios, 620m, L N 318100 381900, 20 FEB–5 MAR, F.A. Quesada #4401( INBC, INBIOCRI 002138961); Heredia Pr: La Selva Biol. Sta., 3 km S Pto. Viejo, 10o 26’ N 84o 01’ W, 17.vii.1992, H.A. Hespenheide ( CHAH); Guan[acaste Pr.], 3 km SE R. Naranjo, 1992, F.D. Parker ( EMUS).

Etymology. This species is named for its resemblance to Agrilus percarus .

Discussion. Very similar to Agrilus percarus , but male of A. percaroides has a densely shagreened front with a narrow band of sparse white setae above the epistoma and antennal insertions, narrowly separated marginal and submarginal carinae on the pronotum, short recumbent setae on the prosternum, weak golden green reflections on the abdominal ventrites, truncate epipleura on abdominal ventrite 5, and different genitalia; A. percarus has a less densely shagreened front with a broad triangle of sparse white setae above the epistoma, longer semi-erect setae on the prosternum, broadly separated marginal and submarginal carinae on the pronotum, strong coppery reflections on the abdominal ventrites, and broadly notched epipleura on abdominal ventrite 5.