Chrysobothris marskeae Maier and Ivie

Maier, Crystal A. & Ivie, Michael A., 2013, New Species and Records of Chrysobothris Eschscholtz (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from Montserrat, Saba, and Anguilla, with a Key to the Chrysobothris thoracica Species-Group in the West Indies, The Coleopterists Bulletin 67 (2), pp. 81-88 : 85-86

Chrysobothris marskeae Maier and Ivie , new species

( Figs. 4 , 6 )

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from all others in the C. thoracica species-group by the pronotal blue spot anterior to the scutellum (a character shared with C. guadeloupensis ) and the robust aedeagus, which is 2.2 times as long as wide. This is the only species in the group that occurs on the island of Montserrat.

Description. Male ( Fig. 4 ); length 4.0– 6.3 mm, width 2.0– 2.8 mm at widest point; brilliant metallic scarlet and olive green dorsally; ventrally metallic blue-black to metallic green; evenly covered with heavy, confluent punctation. Head green dorsally, golden green ventrally and surrounding occiput, with dense, recumbent setae ventrally. Head with micropuncturing and larger punctures, costulate ventrally. Frons green to bluegreen metallic, with dense, recumbent white setae above epistoma. Setae on frons set into deep pits, cuticle of frons areolate. Eyes large, covering approximately 1/3 of total head surface area, converging narrowly at vertex and widely at antennal insertions. Antennal cavities twice as wide as long, widely separated. Head with weak inverted “Y” shaped median carina on vertex. Antennae weakly serrate, green with sparse setae. First 3 antennomeres not significantly dilated apically. Pronotum metallic scarlet dorsally, anterior margin and anterior angles green, with brilliant metallic cyan macula at middle of posterior margin; almost 2 times as wide as long, laterally arcuate, widest in anterior third; anterior margin very weakly bisinuate, emarginate; posterior margin strongly bisinuate, approaching angular. Pronotal disk evenly covered with deep punctation and micropunctation. Scutellum blue-black. Leg metallic blue-black, rugulose, with scattered punctation. Profemur with broad serrate tooth, bordered with 7 small teeth. Protibia with small tooth on interior face. Mesotibia with row of spines on interior face. Prosternal process evenly, deeply punctate and evenly rugulose, expanded behind procoxae. Elytra 2 times longer than wide, parallel in basal third, then gradually expanding to reach widest point at apical third; bronzy black, with slight purple sheen, turning faintly blue-green at apex; entire base of elytron bordered with a thick band of metallic cyan, cyan extending posteriorly to first third of elytral suture turning dull blue-green along elytral suture to apex. Elytron with 2 dull, diffuse blue-green transverse maculae, 1 each at one-third and two-thirds of distance to apex; evenly punctate; distinctly serrate in apical third, with sparse white recumbent setae near serration. Elytral suture bordered with carina. Elytral apex broadly rounded and weakly serrate. Ventrally blue-black, with sparse white, recumbent setae; ventrites evenly punctate. Abdomen metallic violet dorsally. Last ventrite with 3 wide, weak teeth posteriorly. Aedeagus ( Fig. 6 ) robust, 2.2 times as long as wide. Median lobe granulate and with weak median carina dorsally; angle of apex wide (30°). Parameres sclerotized and serrate laterally; completely surrounding median lobe; bordered with carina ventrally.

Female. Generally larger than male, with yelloworange to orange frons, and lacking protibial spine.

Distribution. This species is apparently a single island endemic limited to the island of Montserrat, in the West Indies.

Etymology. The species name is a patronym in honor of Katharine A. Marske, who was instrumental in the collection and study of beetles on Montserrat.

Type Material Examined. HOLOTYPE: ♂ – MONTSERRAT: Woodlands ; Riverside House; 16°45.99′N, 62°13.34′ W; 20–23 AUG 2005; WIBF Group / WIBF 059321 (from WIBF, deposited in NMNH) . PARATYPES: 1 – MONTSERRAT: Woodlands ; Nancy’ s House; 20–24 JUNE 2003; M.A. & L.L. Ivie / WIBF 059322 ( WIBF). 1 – MONTSERRAT: Woodlands ; 16°45′44.8″ N, 62°12′;56.2″W.; 21MAR-04APR2001, M. Stevens; & B. Beattie, Malaise / WIBF 059323 ( WIBF). 1 – MONTSERRAT: Beattie House; Cassava Ghaut,

632 ft.; 16° 45.91′N, 62°12.95′W; 30 MAY – 12 JUNE 2002; Malaise trap, M.A. Ivie / WIBF 059324 ( WIBF). 2 – MONTSERRAT: N. Cedar Ghaut; Furlong , 170ft; 16°46.546′N, 62°10.333′W; 04-09 AUG 2005; M. A. Ivie colr/ WIBF 059325 ( BMNH). 1 – MONTSERRAT: Cassava ; Ghaut, Beattie House; 16°45.91′N, 62°12.95′W; 17–30 MAY 2002, 632ft; A. Krakower, Malaise / WIBF 059327 ( WIBF). 1 – MONTSERRAT: Hope Ridge ; 16°45.17′N, 62°12.74′W; 01 AUG 2003, 1051 ft; J. Boatswain & J. Martin; Canopy fogging at dawn/ WIBF 059328 ( WIBF). 1 – MONTSERRAT: Woodlands; Duryea’ s Parr. 420′; 16°45.799′N, 62°13.210′W; 16–29 JUNE 2000, in pool; M.A. Ivie & K.A. Guerrero / WIBF 059329 ( WIBF) .

Biology. Nothing is known about the biology of this species.

Figures

Figs. 1–4. Chrysobothris species, dorsal habitus. 1) C. sabae; 2) C. hispaniolae; 3) C. thoracica; 4) C. marskeae.

Figs. 5–7. Chrysobothris species, male genitalia. 5) C. sabae; 6) C. marskeae; 7) C. thoracica.