Paragrilus aeraticollis Waterhouse

Hespenheide, Henry A., 2002, A review of North and Central American Paragrilus Saunders, 1871 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Agrilinae), Zootaxa 43, pp. 1-28 : 18-19

Paragrilus aeraticollis Waterhouse

( Figs. 14 , 30 )

Paragrilus aeraticollis Waterhouse, 1889: 127 .

Paragrilus costaricensis Obenberger, 1919: 21 (synonymy: Hespenheide1979: 117). Paragrilus costaricensis var. hoscheki Obenberger, 1924: 149 (synonymy: Hespenheide1979: 117).

Diagnosis: Broadly agriliform, moderately flattened above and somewhat convex in side view, strongly shining, black throughout, except head and pronotum golden; glabrous, except front densely setose in male, epistoma sparsely short setose in female, 3.25­5.5 mm long. Head with front very convex, very deeply, narrowly impressed along midline on upper 2/3, impression widening beneath; ventral margin of epistoma very shallowly emarginate; surface finely punctate, shagreened. Pronotum flattened, widest near apex; prehumeral callosity narrow but strongly indicated by broad lateral depressions; prehumeral callosity produced outward and anteriorly to form ridge above and roughly parallel to marginal carina; anterior angles rounded­angulate; disc narrowly depressed along basal margin before scutellum to base of lateral depressions, surface very finely punctate, shagreened. Elytra with fine posthumeral carina extending somewhat beyond hind coxae, surface obsoletely rugose, regularly convex; apices slightly flared, broadly rounded. Posterior angles of hind coxae rounded, depressed. Anterior process of first abdominal segment with short carina posterior to hind coxae. Male genitalia black, with narrow transparent margins to tips lateral lobes ( Fig. 30 ).

Type: México: “Teapa, Tabasco, Feb. H.H.S.” (BMNH; Hespenheide 1979); of P. c o s ­ taricensis, Costa­Rica, Surrubres, 300’, A. Heyne (NMPC); of P. costaricensis var. hoscheki , “ Costarica ” (NMPC).

Distribution: Relatively common ­ 133 specimens examined, México to Panamá, Venezuela.

Specimens examined: Costa Rica: Heredia Pr., La Selva Biol. Sta., 3 km S Pto. Viejo, 10° 26’ N 84° 01’ W, 0 5.04.1980, 10, 13.07.1982, 0 8.04.1987, 15.08.1996, H.A. Hespenheide, at Byttneria aculeata Jacq. (INBC, CHAH). Venezuela: Aragua, Pto. de Cata, 8.VI.1983, Clark & Clark (AUEC).

Host: Adults of this widespread species are typically associated with the liana Byttneria aculeata Jacq. in the Sterculiaceae ( Hespenheide 1983, 1985). Although it has not been reared, Byttneria is almost certainly the larval host.

Discussion: Kerremans (1903) lists this species from Texas, but no material of this species has been seen from there.

Figures

FIGURES 13 ­ 18. North and Central American Paragrilus, dorsal view­ P. trifoveolatus group, cotd. ­ 13. P. fallorum n. sp.; P. aeraticollis group ­ 14. P. aeraticollis Waterhouse; 15. P. akersorum n. sp.; 16. P. burkei n. sp.; 17. P. heliocarpi n. sp.; P. 18. moldenkei n. sp.

FIGURES 19 ­ 34. North and Central American Paragrilus, dorsal and lateral views of aedeagi ­ P. rugatulus group ­ 19. P. lesueuri Waterhouse; 20. P. vicinus Waterhouse; 21. P. transitorius Waterhouse; 22. P. exiguus (Chevrolat); 23. P. modicus (Solier); 24. P. rugatulus Thomson; P. trifoveolatus group ­ 25. P. tenuis (LeConte); 26. P. impressus (Chevrolat); 27. P. azureus n. sp.; 28. P. trifoveolatus Waterhouse; 29. P. fallorum n. sp.; P. aeraticollis group ­ 30. P. aeraticollis Waterhouse; 31. P. akersorum n. sp.; 32. P. burkei n. sp.; 33. P. heliocarpi n. sp.; 34. P. moldenkei n. sp.