Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) strigata LeConte, 1859

Bílý, Svatopluk & Kubáň, Vítězslav, 2010, A study on the Nearctic species of the genus Anthaxia (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Buprestinae: Anthaxiini). Subgenus Melanthaxia. Part I, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 50 (2), pp. 535-546 : 542

Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) strigata LeConte, 1859 species-group

( Figs. 6, 10, 14 , 20, 28 )

Diagnosis. Medium-sized (3.8–6.5 mm), dark bronze, flattened species; frons flat, slightly grooved medially; vertex 1.2–1.4 times as wide as width of eye; pubescence of head combined: anterior portion of frons with white, posterior portion and vertex with brown or black pubescence; pronotum 1.7–1.8 times as wide as long, regularly convex with nearly indistinct lateroposterior depressions; pronotal sculpture consisting of rather rough polygonal cells with well-developed central grains; cells on lateral sides of pronotum longitudinally more elongate forming typical, longitudinal rugae or fine carinae ( Fig. 28 ); elytra 1.7–1.8 times as long as wide, with fine, dense and nearly regular punctation; apical third of elytral margins finely but distinctly serrate; elytral pubescence short, brown to black, semi-erect; ventral surface lustrous, metallic green-bronze or blue-green with sparse but rather long, recumbent white pubescence; anal ventrite with fine, sharp lateral serration, male meso- and metatrochanters with long, sharp spine on posterior margin ( Fig. 14 ); male meso- and metatibiae with fine, sharp, inner preapical serration ( Fig. 10 ); aedeagus rather long and robust, parameres somewhat narrowed at posterior half ( Fig. 6 ).

Species of this group resemble in habitus those of the A. (M.) aeneogaster species-group but they differ by the characteristically more elongate pronotal sculpture with large, welldeveloped central grains, sharp, long spines on the male meso- and metatrochanters, welldeveloped lateral serration of elytral apex and anal ventrite and by the metallic colouration of ventral surface.

Species included. Anthaxia (M.) strigata LeConte, 1859 , A. (M.) hatchi Barr, 1971 , A. (M.) barri Bílý, 1995 .

Figures

Figs. 6–14. 6–8 – Male genitalia: 6 – Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) strigata LeConte, 1859, California, Mt. Diabolo (NMPC); 7 – A. (M.) californica Obenberger, 1914, California, San Diego (NMPC); 8 – A. (M.) aeneogaster Gory & Laporte, 1839, syntype, California (Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris). 9–11 – male left metatibiae: 9 – A. (M.) oregonensis Obenberger, 1942, syntype, Oregon, Aspen Lake (NMPC); 10 – A. (M.) strigata, California, Mt. Diabolo (NMPC); 11 – A. (M.) aeneogaster, syntype, California (Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris). 12–14 – male metatrochanters: 12 – A. (M.) aeneogaster, syntype, California (Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris); 13– A. (M.) prasina Horn, 1882, California, Shingletown (NMPC); 14 – A. (M.) strigata, California, Mt. Diabolo (NMPC).

Figs. 23–30. Pronotal sculpture. 23 – Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) neofunerula Obenberger, 1942, holotype, New Hamp-shire, Charlestown; 24 – A. (M.) nanula Casey, 1884, California, Palomar Mts.; 25 – A. (M.) prasina Horn, 1882, California, Shingletown; 26 – A. (M.) leechi Cobos, 1958, California, near Hemet; 27 – A. (M.) oregonensis Obenberger, 1942, California, Riverside; 28 – A. (M.) strigata LeConte, 1859, California, E of Stockton; 29 – A. (M.) californica Obenberger, 1914, California, Palomar Mts.; 30 – A. (M.) aeneogaster Gory & Laporte, 1839, California, Mukelumne River.