Gyascutus (s. str.) jeanae (Nelson) Nelson, 2000

Nelson, G. H., 2000, A revision of the subtribe Hippomelanina, part II: Gyascutus (Gyascutus) LeConte (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), Journal of Natural History 34 (12), pp. 2251-2292 : 2287-2288

12. Gyascutus (s. str.) jeanae (Nelson) , comb. nov.

(®gures 14, 42, 50)

Hippomelas (Gyascutus) jeanae Nelson, 1988: 279 .

Hippomelas metallicus Helfer, 1970: 102 (M. Genit.) , not Casey.

Diagnosis. Colour shiny blue to blue-green, some with brassy tint; males average 21.7 mm long, females 24.2 mm; width between eyes 1.7 Ö width of eye in dorsal view; antennae reaching to or beyond posterior angles of pronotum when laid alongside in male, to posterior sixth in female; pronotum widest at posterior margin; pronotal disc with large irregular feebly raised smooth areas and moderately large punctures; elytra without costae; male genitalia elongate lanceolate (®gure 42).

Redescription, holotype male. Head width between eyes 1.7 Ö width of eye in dorsal view; front ¯attened strongly depressed between eyes; irregularly punctate rugose, punctures smaller medial to eyes and near antennal sockets; punctate areas with long, semi-erect, white, hair-like setae; clypeal margin broadly, shallowly, arcuately emarginate; antennae reaching to just beyond posterior margin of pronotum when laid alongside; antenna serrate from antennomere 4±11, subtruncate on outer margin, 11 notched at outer angle.

Pronotal width 1.6 Ö length, widest at posterior border; laterally carinate on posterior half, slightly constricted just before posterior angles, then arcuately converging to narrowest at anterior angles; anterior margin broadly, shallowly, arcuately lobed at middle; posterior margin with slightly emarginate median lobe; disc with impunctate area medially, punctures moderately coarse, more dense anteriorly and laterally with irregular, smooth, raised areas and inconspicuous, short, curved, white, hair-like setae. Scutellum small, transversely oval, surface glabrous, impunctate.

Elytra as wide as pronotum at base; lateral margins gradually narrowing from humeri to just past middle, then more strongly so to bidentate, emarginate apices, with few lateral serrulations on apical sixth; disc with series of inconspicuous, ®nely punctate striae, intervals with larger punctures more sparse medially, becoming more dense laterally; clothed by sparse, short, recumbent, white, hair-like setae.

Ventrally, clothed with moderately long, semi-recumbent, white, hair-like setae that are more dense laterally, especially along lateral and vertical parts of abdominal sterna; prosternum with anterior margin feebly lobed laterally, disc transversely impressed behind anterior margin; prosternal process with single midline row of large punctures and ®nely punctate marginal sulcus; metasternum smooth medially with distinct midline sulcus and ®ne sparse punctures becoming irregularly dense laterally and on metepisternum; protrochanter with distinct, acute apical tooth; protibia slender, arcuate, with several small teeth on inner margin toward apex; mesotibia weakly arcuate, metatibia straight, both unarmed; metatarsomer e 1 shorter than 2 1 3, but longer than 5; abdominal sterna 1±4 with mixture of ®ne and coarse scalloped punctures becoming denser laterally; last visible abdominal sternum moderately densely punctate, with serrate submarginal ridge; apex weakly, roundly truncate with posterolateral angles produced. Length, 24.5 mm; width, 8.5 mm.

Male genitalia (®gure 42).

Redescription allotype female. DiOEers from male as follows: slightly more robust; antennae shorter, reaching posterior sixth of pronotum when laid alongside; antennomeres of serrate portion more triangular; protibia less arcuate without teeth on inner margin. Length, 25.5 mm; width, 9.0 mm.

Type locality: California, Kern Co., 10 miles NW Inyokern, Grapevine Canyon, 1.8 miles W Hwy. 395.

Type material. The holotype lof Hippomelas (Gyascutus) jeanae Nelson (CASC) is labelled as follows: California: Kern Co. G. H. Nelson (p) 23-VII-(h) 19 (p) 83 (h)/Grapevine Cnyn. 10 mi NW Inyokern 1.8 mi W. Hwy. 395 (h)/on Salix lasiandra (h)/(red label) HOLOTYPE Hippomelas (Gyascutus) jeanae G. H. Nelson (p).

Variation. In the 77 males and 62 females examined, most are a distinctive bluegreen colour, but some have a brassy tint. The males vary from 17.0 to 27.0 mm long (mean 5 21.7 mm, n 5 50) and 6.0±9.0 mm wide (mean5 7.5 mm, n 5 50); females from 17.5 to 28.5 mm long (mean 5 24.2 mm, n 5 37) and 6.0± 10.1 mm wide (mean 5 8.7 mm, n 5 37).

Distribution (®gure 50). This species is known from the following localities in California ÐFresno Co., Firebaugh; Mendota. Kern Co., China Lake; 16 km NW Inyokern, Grapevine Canyon, 2.9 km W Hwy. 395. Los Angeles Co., Lancaster; Vincent.

Biology. The larval habits are unknown. One adult was taken on Juniperus californicus Carr , two on Populus fremontii Wats. , but the majority were taken from the upper parts of Salix lasiandra Benth. Adults were collected from late June to early August.

Comparisons. In general appearance, G. jeanae resembles G. fulgida (Barr) , but the sculpturing of G. fulgida , especially on the pronotum, is coarser with the raised areas much more distinct. In the form of the male genitalia, G. jeanae belongs to a diOEerent part of the subgenus that includes G. dianae (Helfer) , G. carolinensis Horn and G. allenrolfeae (Verity) . It is easily distinguished from these by its bright iridescent blue-green colour, larger general size, more uniform sculpturing, and by the shape of the male genitalia.