Svatactesis, Volkovitsh, 2016

Volkovitsh, Mark G., 2016, Svatactesis gen. nov., a new genus for Polyctesis johanidesi with notes on the tribe Polyctesini (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Polycestinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 56 (1), pp. 5-15 : 6

Svatactesis gen. nov.

Type species. Polyctesis johanidesi Bílý, 1997 , here designated.

Description. Medium sized, metallic, iridescent, golden-green or bluish-green dorsally, elytra with indistinct golden-bronze marginal stripe along entire length; frons distinctly narrowing towards vertex, clypeus with narrow deep emargination anteriorly, antennal sockets open, antennae bicoloured; pronotal disk with deep medial depression, covered with very coarse transversely rugose sculpture, posterior angles of pronotum sharply protruding outward; scutellum absent; subhumeral lobe of elytra narrow, not covering entire metepisternum; lateral margin nearly smooth in apical half of elytra, apices obtusely bidentate; 2 nd stria of elytra very short reaching only 1/4–1/5 of elytral length; pro- and mesotibiae dimorphic; penis with short (about 1/3 of entire length), sclerotized apical part and very long (about 2/3 of entire length) basal apophyses (see also under S. johanidesi ).

Differential diagnosis ( Table 1 ). Svatactesis gen. nov. is easily distinguished from other members of Polyctesis generic-group by frons distinctly narrowing towards vertex, pronotum with deep medial depression and strongly protruding outward posterior angles, absence of scutellum, unique penis structure, and larval host plant (see below). It shares some character states with Polyctesis and Bellamyina (metallic iridescent coloration, subhumeral lobe of elytra narrow) on the one hand, and with Schoutedeniastes (clypeus with deep and narrow anterior emargination, antennal sockets open, and some other characters within the speciesgroups) on the other hand.

Etymology. Generic name is derived from Polyctesis (feminine: BELLAMY 2008). It is dedicated to Svatopluk (Sváťa for friends) Bílý in honor of our 40-year friendship and collaboration.