Brachycoraebus basilanensis, Bellamy, C. L., 2005

Bellamy, C. L., 2005, The Philippine Coraebini Bedel, 1921 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Agrilini) Part 6: new and resurrected genera and new species, Zootaxa 1038, pp. 23-40 : 34-35

Brachycoraebus basilanensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 11, 14 )

Description of male holotype. Size: 3.3 mm length from frontovertex to elytral apex x 1.4 mm wide across widest portion of pronotum; color nitid black, frontovertex with strong blue­green reflection, blue­green tint on antennomeres, on pronotum narrowly along anterior margin, lateral margins and along lateral third of posterior margin, anterior margin of scutellum and on legs, faintly so on medial portion of thoracic ventrites; surface of head, pronotum, thoracic and abdominal ventrites nearly without sculpture except very shallow, widely separated imbrication; hypomeron with nearly longitudinal strigae; elytra with imbrications more closely spaced, rugose between; pubescence sparse, white, recurved setae on dorsal and ventral surfaces, slightly more dense, semi­erect in longitudinal depression on head, elytra with stout white setae in slightly more dense concentrations of partially oblique fasciae and nearly invisible thin black (or translucent) setae between fasciate portions ( Fig. 11 ), ventral abdominal setae shorter, adpressed; head with longitudinal depression between large eyes, inner margin of eyes subparallel, very feebly converging dorsad; frontoclypeus closely constricted between antennal cavities; distal margin feebly triangularly emarginate; gena with oblique­angled tooth ventral to eye; antennae triangularly serrate beginning with antennomere 5; 1 elongate, angled; 2 more robust, longer than 3 or 4; 11 oblong; pronotum 2.0x as wide as long, widest medially; disc evenly transverse, depressed around posterolateral margin of disc, explanate laterally; one short, pre­lateral, sinuate carina on either side; anterior margin straight laterally, convex medially; posterior margin bisinuate; lateral margin broadly arcuate, widest anterad of middle, margin evenly denticulate; scutellum broadly cordiform, wider than long; elytra 1.71x as long as wide, widest opposite humeri, approximately same width as pronotum; lateral margin straight, very gradually narrowing from humerus to posterior 2/5, then more steeply converging to separately oblique apices; lateral margin more finely denticulate than pronotal margin, marginal dentation extends to posterolateral angle; very fine denticulation around sutural angle of elytral apex; epipleuron widest from anterior margin, narrowing opposite anterior margin of metacoxal plate, then narrow, parallel to posterolateral rounded angle before oblique apex, apex feebly emarginate; disc more or less evenly transverse; prosternum with feeble, widely separated bilobed mentonniere; prosternal process with margins subparallel, gradually narrowing between procoxae, apex acuminate; posterior margin of metacoxae dilated; abdominal ventrites short, 1 longer than 2, 2–4 subequal, 5 longer than 4, broadly arcuate, with premarginal groove and wide medial arcuate emargination; pro­, mesofemora subfusiform, metafemur fusiform; tibiae straight; tarsi with tarsomere 1 longer than 2, 2–4 subequal, progressively longer ventral pulvilli on tarsomeres 1–4; claws bifid. Genitalia as in Fig. 14 .

Variation. ɗ (n = 1), 3.1 mm length x 1.3 mm width; ΨΨ (n = 2), 3.1–3.3 mm length x 1.3–1.4 mm width; the only other noted variation is that the female paratypes have green reflections, instead of the blue­green color of the holotype and male paratype.

Specimens examined. Holotype ɗ (USNM): [ Philippine Islands] Island of Basilan, Baker / CFBaker Collection 1927; 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ paratypes (USNM): same data except / 23713 (h); 1 Ψ paratype (CLBC): same first label as on holotype only.

Etymology. This new species is named for the island of Basilan.

Remarks. Brachycoraebus basilanensis is close to B. mindanaoensis and differs by being smaller, with more blue­green to green tints distributed on the dorsal surface, a difference in the color and sculpture of the hypomeron, the pronotal proportions, the wider emargination of the last visible abdominal ventrite and the aedeagus ( Figs. 13, 14 ). These species are relatively close geographically since Basilan lies due south of the southwestern apex of the Zamboanga Peninsula of Mindanao.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 14, Brachycoraebus spp.; Fig. 9, B. luzonicus Obenberger, holotype; Figs. 10, 13, B. mindanaoensis, sp. nov., Fig. 10, dorsal habitus; Fig. 13, aedeagus; Figs. 11, 14, B. basilanensis, sp. nov., Fig. 11, dorsal habitus; Fig. 14, aedeagus; Fig. 12, B. minutus, sp. nov., dorsal habitus; scale bars for Figs. 10 – 12 = 1.0 mm, Figs. 12 – 14 = 0.5 mm.