Astraeini, Cobos, 1980

Volkovitsh, Mark G. & Bílý, Svatopluk, 2015, Larvae of Australian Buprestidae (Coleoptera). Part 5. Genera Astraeus and Xyroscelis, with notes on larval characters of Australian polycestine taxa, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 55 (1), pp. 173-202 : 188-192

Tribe Astraeini

( Figs 1–9 , 20–21 , 28–31 , 44, 47, 53–54 , 61–62 , 70–71 , 77–78, 85–86, 93–94, 106–108, 114–117)

Larval descriptions. Astraeus (Astraeus) crassus van de Poll, 1889 ( TURNER & HAWKESWOOD 1996); Astraeus (A.) prothoracicus van de Poll, 1889 and Astraeus (Depollus) aberrans van de Poll, 1886 (described in this paper).

Diagnosis. body of buprestoid type with prothorax widest but only slightly wider than mesothorax ( Figs 1–2 , 20–21 , 28–31 ); epicranium of buprestoid type; epistome and mandibles completely sclerotised ( Figs 53–54 ); mandibular condyles open; 4 epistomal sensilla arranged nearly linearly ( Fig. 3 ); medial and lateral branches of palatine sclerite separated ( Fig. 3 ); apical cavity shallow, situated at anterior third of terminal antennomere, sensory appendage projecting beyond cavity ( Figs 7 , 47 ); basal antennomere, labrum dorsally and prementum ventrally glabrous ( Figs 3, 5, 7 , 47 , 61–62 , 70–71 ); maxillary stipes with one lobe – mala* ( Figs 6 , 85–86); prothoracic plates glabrous* (Fig. 93); mesothoracic and abdominal spiracles with branched trabeculae ( Figs 114–117 ); larvae wood-borers.

Note. Diagnostic characters distinguishing larvae of the studied species, each belonging to a different subgenus, are shown in Table 2. Nevertheless, we could not find reliable larval characters to distinguish these subgenera being unaware of their variability at the species level.

Figures

Figs 1–9. Larva of Astraeus (Depollus) aberrans van de Poll, 1886. 1 – body, dorsal view; 2 – thorax, ventral view; 3 – epistome, anteclypeus and labrum, dorsal view; 4 – right mandible, dorsal view; 5 – labio-maxillary complex, ventral view; 6 – right maxilla, ventral view; 7 – right antenna; 8 – abdominal spiracle I; 9 – mesothoracic spiracle. Drawings S. Bílý.

Figs 20–27. Astraeini, Xyroscelidini, Prospherini, Polycestini, Haplostethini, and Paratrachyini, larval habitus (dorsal view). 20 – Astraeus (Depollus) aberrans van de Poll, 1886 (Australia); 21 – A. (A.) prothoracicus van de Poll, 1889 (Australia); 22 – Xyroscelis crocata Gory & Laporte, 1839 (Australia); 23 – Xyroscelis sp. (Australia); 24 – Blepharum sainvali (Bílý, 2000) (New Caledonia); 25 – Paratrachys (P.) hederae Saunders, 1873 (Japan); 26 – Polycesta (Tularensia)?elata LeConte, 1858 (U.S.A.); 27 – Mastogenius texanus Bellamy, 2002 (U.S.A.). Photo: M. G. Volkovitsh.

Figs 28–43. Astraeini, Xyroscelidini, Prospherini, Polycestini, Haplostethini, and Paratrachyini, thoracic and basal abdominal segments (dorsal and ventral views).28, 29 – Astraeus (Depollus) aberrans van de Poll, 1886; 30, 31 – A. (A.) prothoracicus van de Poll, 1889; 32, 33 – Xyroscelis crocata Gory & Laporte, 1839; 34, 35 – Xyroscelis sp.; 36, 37 – Blepharum sainvali (Bílý, 2000); 38, 39 – Polycesta (Tularensia)?elata LeConte, 1858; 40, 41 – Mastogenius texanus Bellamy, 2002; 42, 43 – Paratrachys (P.) hederae Saunders, 1873. Photo: M. G. Volkovitsh.

Figs 44–60.Astraeini, Xyroscelidini, Prospherini, Polycestini, Haplostethini, and Paratrachyini, hypostome, epistome (details), antennae, and mandibles. 44 – Astraeus (Depollus) aberrans van de Poll, 1886, tooth-like projection of hypostome (arrow); 45 – Xyroscelis sp., lateral projection of epistome (arrow). 46–52 – antennae: 46 – Prospheres aurantiopicta Laporte & Gory, 1837; 47 – A. (A.) prothoracicus van de Poll, 1889; 48 – Xyroscelis crocata Gory & Laporte, 1839; 49 – Xyroscelis sp.; 50 – Strigoptera bimaculata (Linnaeus, 1758); 51 – Mastogenius texanus Bellamy, 2002; 52 – Paratrachys (P.) hederae Saunders, 1873. 53–60 – mandibles (left): 53 – Astraeus (D.) aberrans; 54 – A. (A.) prothoracicus; 55 – Xyroscelis crocata; 56 – Xyroscelis sp.; 57 – Prospheres aurantiopicta; 58 – Strigoptera bimaculata; 59 – Mastogenius texanus; 60 – Paratrachys (P.) hederae. Photo: M. G. Volkovitsh.

Figs 61–68. Astraeini, Xyroscelidini, Prospherini, Polycestini, Haplostethini, and Paratrachyini, labrum dorsally: 61 – Astraeus (Depollus) aberrans van de Poll, 1886; 62 – A. (A.) prothoracicus van de Poll, 1889; 63 – Strigoptera bimaculata (Linnaeus, 1758) (arrows show campaniform sensilla); 64 – Xyroscelis crocata Gory & Laporte, 1839; 65 – Xyroscelis sp.; 66 – Prospheres aurantiopicta Laporte & Gory, 1837; 67 – Mastogenius texanus Bellamy, 2002; 68 – Paratrachys (P.) hederae Saunders, 1873.

Figs 69–76. Astraeini, Xyroscelidini, Prospherini, Polycestini, Haplostethini, and Paratrachyini, labium ventrally: 69 – Prospheres aurantiopicta Laporte & Gory, 1837; 70 – Astraeus (D.) aberrans van de Poll, 1886; 71 – A. (A.) prothoracicus van de Poll, 1889; 72 – Strigoptera bimaculata (Linnaeus, 1758) (arrows show campaniform sensilla); 73 – Xyroscelis crocata Gory & Laporte, 1839; 74 – Xyroscelis sp.; 75 – Paratrachys (P.) hederae Saunders, 1873; 76 – Mastogenius texanus Bellamy, 2002. Photo: M. G. Volkovitsh.

Figs 114–129. Astraeini, Xyroscelidini, Prospherini, Polycestini, Haplostethini, and Paratrachyini, mesothoracic (114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128) and abdominal (115, 117, 119, 121, 123, 125, 127, 129) spiracles: 114, 115 – Astraeus (Depollus) aberrans van de Poll, 1886; 116, 117 – A. (A.) prothoracicus van de Poll, 1889; 118, 119 – Xyroscelis crocata Gory & Laporte, 1839; 120, 121 – Xyroscelis sp.; 122, 123 – Prospheres aurantiopicta Laporte & Gory, 1837; 124, 125 – Strigoptera bimaculata (Linnaeus, 1758); 126, 127 – Mastogenius texanus Bellamy, 2002; 128, 129 – Paratrachys (P.) hederae Saunders, 1873. Photo M. G. Volkovitsh.