Acmaeodera audreyae Westcott and Barr

Westcott, Richard L. & Barr, William F., 2007, Resurrection and review of the genus Knowltonia Fisher, with description of a new subspecies of Chrysobothris Eschscholtz and new species of Acmaeodera Eschscholtz from North America (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), Zootaxa 1481, pp. 49-58 : 56-57

Acmaeodera audreyae Westcott and Barr , new species

( Fig. 3 )

Holotype male: length 7.97 mm, width 3.08 mm, widest at base of elytra across umbones, subequal in width across pronotum; shining black with small yellow elytral markings as in figure 3, several of which either reach or occur on margin, where the left apical—and right apical and subapical—spots are vaguely suffused with orange; setae on dorsum long, mostly black, especially on head above and anterior portion of pronotum, with some mixture of white, below white and moderately dense, more densely placed than above, especially at sides.

Head shallowly convex, flattened above, coarsely densely punctate; clypeus depressed at base, front margin broadly deeply arcuately emarginate; antennae sharply serrate from 5th antennomere, extending to procoxae. Pronotum broadly shallowly convex, shallowly transversely depressed immediately behind front margin, shallowly depressed on base at middle and obliquely so on each side anterior to deep basal foveae; punctures of disk coarse, shallower on middle, becoming deep and reticulately placed on sides; anterior margin broadly shallowly emarginate, indistinctly lobed at middle; posterior margin subtruncate; lateral margins well defined, except narrowly at base, visible from above only from apex to short distance behind, shallowly evenly arcuate; front angles subquadrate; hind angles quadrate, poorly defined. Elytra subflattened, strongly depressed at base between strongly raised 3rd intervals, these intervals elevated for only short distance behind base; umbones extremely bold; humeral angles moderately, broadly triangularly projecting ventrad; lateral margins distinctly, moderately coarsely serrate on about apical 1/2; suture distinctly elevated along apical 2/3; punctures of discal area as in figure 3, much coarser and more closely placed laterad of strongly elevated 5th intervals; 9th intervals wider, strongly elevated from behind umbones to about apical 1/5, 10th intervals flattened, marginal intervals slightly raised from base to about middle. Underside with front margin of prosternum having well developed blunt tooth on either side of subtruncate middle and sides transverse, ending well behind front angles of pronotum; abdomen with surface clearly visible throughout, not obscured by setae, punctures small to moderate on middle, becoming larger and more dense at sides; last visible sternite sparsely, evenly punctate, broadly rounded apically and with a very well developed preapical plate, the narrowly rounded apex of which almost attains the apical margin.

Specimens examined: holotype (EMEC) labeled “ 5 mi NW Ocotillo, Imperial Co. Calif, April 8 1956, R. R. Snelling/ HOLOTYPE Acmaeodera audreyae Westcott and Barr. ” One male paratype (RLWE) with same data except taken on Larrea divaricata (creosote bush; family Zygophyllaceae ).

Variation: The paratype is 8.87 mm long, 3.34 mm wide, the only notable difference otherwise is that the preapical plate of the 5th visible abdominal sternite does not so nearly attain the apical margin; nonetheless, it is very well developed.

Remarks: This species seems closest to A. inopinata Barr , a species that breeds in Haplopappus pinifolius ( Barr, 1972) . However, that beetle is less robust, not so black—usually exhibiting a slight metallic reflec-tion—and the 3rd, 5th and 9th intervals are not so strongly elevated. Like A. inopinata , we suggest that the larva of A. audreyae works in one of the similar or unrelated low growing desert shrubs which at the type locality are very sparsely interspersed among the dominant plant, Larrea tridentata . It seems most likely that the association of A. audreyae with that plant is as a flower visitor, rather than it reflecting a larval host.

Etymology: We take special pleasure in dedicating this species to Audrey K. Barr, loving wife of the junior author and longtime inspirational friend of the senior author.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Dorsal habitus. 1, Knowltonia calida (Knull), female; 2, Chrysobothris socialis socialis Waterhouse, male; 3, Acmaeodera audreyae sp. nov., holotype.