Polycestini, Lacordaire, 1857

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 : 197

Tribe Polycestini

( Figs 26 , 38–39 , 50, 58 , 63 , 72 , 82, 90, 102–103, 111, 124–125).

Larval descriptions. Polycesta porcata (Fabricius 1775) ( BÍLÝ 1989) .

Material examined. Strigoptera bimaculata (Linnaeus, 1758) : AUSTRALIA: NORTHERN TERRITORY: Howard River, 15.vii.1983, J. A. L. Watson leg., Ceriops tagal (Perr.) C.B.Rob. (Rhizophoraceae) , 1 mature specimen ( ANIC). Strigopteroides depressa (Fabricius, 1775) : TURKEY: ANTALAYA: Kaş, 11 km N of Kemer, 20.vii.1992, R. Pettersson leg., Quercus sp. (Fagaceae) , 1 immature specimen ( ZIN). Polycesta (Polycesta) porcata (Fabricius, 1775) : THE VIRGIN ISLANDS: ST. THOMAS: Smith Bay, 4.vii.1980, M.A. Ivie leg., 4 mature specimens ( NMPC). Polycesta (Tularensia) cortezi Thomson, 1878 : MEXICO: PUEBLA: 11 km of SE Izucar de Matamoros, 4.vii.1992, M.Volkovitsh & S. Bílý leg., Bursera simaruba L. Sarg. (Burseraceae) , ex dead trunk, 4 specimens, different instars ( ZIN). Polycesta (Tularensia) cf. elata LeConte, 1858 : USA: TEXAS: Burnett Co., Tiger Mills, iii.1885, Schaupp leg.; 2 mature larvae ( USNM). Thurntaxisia alexandri (Schatzmayr, 1929) : TURKEY: MERSIN: Silifke, vi.1995, Němec leg., Quercus sp. (Fagaceae) , 2 immature specimens ( ZIN).

Diagnosis. body of buprestoid type with prothorax widest ( Figs 26 , 38–39 ), mature larvae big (more than 20 mm); epicranium of buprestoid type, epistome and mandibles completely sclerotised ( Fig. 58 ), mandibular condyles open, four epistomal sensilla arranged linearly; medial and lateral branches of palatine sclerite separated ( Fig. 63 ); apical cavity deep, situated at anterior half of terminal antennomere, sensory appendage not projecting beyond cavity* ( Fig. 50 ); basal antennomere, labrum dorsally and prementum ventrally glabrous ( Figs 63 , 72 ); labrum ventrally with two antero-lateral setae*; labrum, latero-basal sclerite of cardo and stipes with additional (up to seven) campaniform sensilla* (Figs 82, 90B); maxillary stipes with two lobes – mala and additional internal lobe* (Fig. 90A); prothoracic plates glabrous with longitudinal rugosity (Fig. 102); prothorax frontally (laterally to mouthparts), metathorax dorsally and 1 st abdominal segment ventrally with ring-shaped cuticular structures* ( Figs 38–39 , 103); mesothoracic and abdominal spiracles with branched trabeculae ( Figs 124–125 ); larvae wood-borers.

Note. The presence of ring-shaped cuticular structures of unknown origin on thoracic and 1 st abdominal segments and additional campaniform sensilla on the labrum and maxillae of all studied genera are probably the larval synapomorphies of Polycestini . In other respects all studied larvae differ in the shape of prothoracic grooves and some other structures including armament of proventriculus but we could not find reliable characters to distiguish the genera based on larval characters so far.

◄Figs 93–113. Astraeini , Xyroscelidini, Prospherini , Polycestini , Haplostethini , and Paratrachyini , armament of prothoracic plates, 1 st abdominal segment and inner armament of proventriculus. 93, 94 – Astraeus (A.) prothoracicus van de Poll, 1889: 93 – texture of pronotal plate, 94 – rudiment of mesothoracic leg; 95, 96, 99 – Xyroscelis crocata Gory & Laporte, 1839: 95 – pronotal groove, 96 – prosternal groove, 99 – microteeth on pronotal plate; 97, 98 – Xyroscelis sp. : 97 – pronotal groove, 98 – prosternal groove; 100, 101 – Prospheres aurantiopicta (Laporte & Gory, 1837) , armament of pronotal plate: 100 – along the groove, 101 – laterally; 102, 103 – Strigoptera bimaculata (Linnaeus, 1758) : 102 – pronotal groove and adjacent rugulose texture, 103 – ring-shaped cuticular structure on ventral side of 1 st abdominal segment (arrow); 104, 105 – Paratrachys (P.) hederae Saunders, 1873 , sculpture: 104 – mesothoracic plate, 105 – pronotal plate (top) and adjacent areas. 106–113 – armament of proventriculus (106, 108–113 – main fields; 107 – central stripe on ventral side): 106, 107 – Astraeus (Depollus) aberrans van de Poll, 1886 ; 108 – A. (A.) prothoracicus ; 109 – Xyroscelis crocata ; 110 – Xyroscelis sp. ; 111 – Strigoptera bimaculata ; 112 – Mastogenius texanus Bellamy, 2002 ; 113 – Paratrachys (P.) hederae . Photo M. G. Volkovitsh.

Figures

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.