Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) prasina Horn, 1882

Bílý, Svatopluk & Kubáň, Vítězslav, 2010, A study on the Nearctic species of the genus Anthaxia (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Buprestinae: Anthaxiini). Subgenus Melanthaxia. Part I, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 50 (2), pp. 535-546 : 539

Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) prasina Horn, 1882 species-group

( Figs. 3 , 13 , 17, 25 )

Diagnosis. Medium-sized (3.6–6.1 mm), convex, stout, matt species with silky lustre; dorsal surface bronze, blue, blue-green, rarely dark bronze; frons convex, rarely flat, always with dark, erect pubescence; vertex about twice as wide as width of eye; pronotal sculpture nearly homogenous, consisting of polygonal cells without or with poorly developed central grains; elytra 1.6–1.8 times as long as wide; elytral sculpture consisting of sparse, simple punctures; elytral pubescence well-developed or elytra mostly asetose except for very short, indistinct pubescence at apical third; male meso- and metatrochanters unarmed or with very small spine ( Fig. 13 ); male meso- and metatibiae with fine, inner preapical serration; posterior third of lateral elytral margins and lateral margins of anal ventrite very finely serrate; aedeagus moderately long, parameres usually weakly widened at basal half or nearly subparallel ( Fig. 3 ).

Species included. Anthaxia (M.) aenescens Casey, 1884 , A. (M.) prasina Horn, 1882 , A. (M.) subprasina Cobos, 1958 .

Figures

Figs. 1–5. Male genitalia. 1 – Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) neofunerula Obenberger, 1942, holotype, New Hampshire, Charlestown (NMPC); 2 – A. (M.) nanula Casey, 1884, California, Palomar Mts (NMPC).; 3 – A. (M.) prasina Horn, 1882, California, Shingletown (); 4 – A. (M.) leechi Cobos, 1958, holotype, Califormia, Riverside (California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco); 5 – A. (M.) oregonensis Obenberger, 1942, syntype, Oregon, Aspen Lake (NMPC).

Figs. 6–14. 6–8 – Male genitalia: 6 – Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) strigata LeConte, 1859, California, Mt. Diabolo (NMPC); 7 – A. (M.) californica Obenberger, 1914, California, San Diego (NMPC); 8 – A. (M.) aeneogaster Gory & Laporte, 1839, syntype, California (Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris). 9–11 – male left metatibiae: 9 – A. (M.) oregonensis Obenberger, 1942, syntype, Oregon, Aspen Lake (NMPC); 10 – A. (M.) strigata, California, Mt. Diabolo (NMPC); 11 – A. (M.) aeneogaster, syntype, California (Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris). 12–14 – male metatrochanters: 12 – A. (M.) aeneogaster, syntype, California (Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris); 13– A. (M.) prasina Horn, 1882, California, Shingletown (NMPC); 14 – A. (M.) strigata, California, Mt. Diabolo (NMPC).

Figs. 23–30. Pronotal sculpture. 23 – Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) neofunerula Obenberger, 1942, holotype, New Hamp-shire, Charlestown; 24 – A. (M.) nanula Casey, 1884, California, Palomar Mts.; 25 – A. (M.) prasina Horn, 1882, California, Shingletown; 26 – A. (M.) leechi Cobos, 1958, California, near Hemet; 27 – A. (M.) oregonensis Obenberger, 1942, California, Riverside; 28 – A. (M.) strigata LeConte, 1859, California, E of Stockton; 29 – A. (M.) californica Obenberger, 1914, California, Palomar Mts.; 30 – A. (M.) aeneogaster Gory & Laporte, 1839, California, Mukelumne River.