Merocratus Bílý, 1989

Bílý, Svatopluk, 2019, Subgeneric classification of the genus Anthaxia Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Anthaxiini), Zootaxa 4568 (2), pp. 261-278 : 267

Subgenus Merocratus Bílý, 1989

Type species: Anthaxia insulaecola Obenberger, 1944 ; original designation.

Relatively small group of medium-sized to large (4.5–10.0 mm), multicolorous species with typical elytral pattern ( Fig. 17 ); ventral surface always metallic from violet to bright red-orange; frons flat or very deeply depressed; pronotal sculpture rather complicated: long, transverse rugae on posterior half often combined with small, fine, polygonal and concentric cells on anterior half, and longitudinal rugae along lateral margins ( Fig. 50 ); elytral apices widely rounded; anal sternite of female apically deeply notched often with S-shaped lateral margins; antennae of male very long, always overlapping midlength of lateral, pronotal margins ( Fig. 17 ), very often reaching posterior, pronotal angles when laid alongside; parameres often laterally enlarged or with lateral teeth or spines ( Fig. 74 ), median lobe not serrate laterally. Dorsal surface usually asetose but in a few species elytra with rather long and dense pilosity (e.g. A. (M.) longipilis Bílý, 1998 ).

BIONOMY. Almost nothing is known about the bionomy of this subgenus; adults are flower-visitors often collected on flowers of Castanopsis (Fagaceae) . I reared A. (M.) barbieri Descarpentries, 1958 from branches of Mangifera indica L. ( Anacardiaceae ) in Thailand.

DISTRIBUTION: south-east Asia from India (Aruchanal Pradesh) to the Philippines.

SPECIES INCLUDED: Anthaxia (M.) barbieri Descarpentries, 1958 , A. (M.) beesoniana Gebhardt, 1926 , A. (M.) bellissima Bílý, 1990, A. (M.) castanopsivora Bílý, 1998 , A. (M.) deyrollei Bílý, 1998 , A. (M.) insulaecola Obenberger, 1944 , A. (M.) jakli Bílý, 1996 , A. (M.) karati Obořil & Bílý, 2003 , A. (M.) longipilis Bílý, 1998 , A. (M.) miranda Deyrolle, 1864 , A. (M.) pyropyga Bílý, 1998 , A. (M.) tamdaoensis Bílý, 1998 , A. (M.) tricolor Kerremans, 1912 , A. (M.) vietnamica Bílý, 1998 , A. (M.) violaceiventris Deyrolle, 1864 .

Figures

FIGURES 13–24. Anthaxia, dorsal aspect. 13—Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) kochi Obenberger, male, 6.5 mm; 14- A. (Richteraxia) angustipennis (Klug), male, 6.1 mm; 15—A. (R.) congolana Kerremans, male, 11.0 mm; 16—A. (R.) marginifera metallescens Bílý, male, 9.1 mm; 17—A. (Merocratus) miranda Deyrolle, female, 8.0 mm; 18—A. (Thailandica.) rondoni Baudon, 5.5 mm; 19—A. (Capanthaxia) capensis Kerremans, lectotype, 3.9 mm; 20—the same, male, blue form, 4.5 mm; 21—A. (Cap.) hilaris Gory, female, 4.8 mm; 22—A. (Cap.) aterrima Kerremans, male, 7.1 mm; 23—A. (Cap.) sulcicollis Obenberger, male, 4.0 mm; 24—the same, female, 5.8 mm.

FIGURES 40–54. Anthaxia, pronotal sculpture (not in scale). 40—Anthaxia (Anthaxia) fulgurans (Schrank); 41—A. (A.) salicis salicis (Fabricius); 42—A. (A.) manca (Fabricius); 43—A. (Melanthaxia) nigrojubata nigrojubata Roubal; 44—A. (Cratomerus) hungarica hungarica (Scopoli); 45—A. (Haplanthaxia) cichorii (Olivier); 46—A. (H.) kneuckeri zabranskyi Bílý; 47—A. (H.) pumila (Klug); 48—A. (Richteraxia) angustipennis (Klug); 49—A. (R.) marginifera metallescens Bílý; 50— A. (Merocratus) tamdaoensis Bílý; 51—A. (Thailandia) rondoni Baudon; 52—A. (Capanthaxia) capensis Kerremans; 53—A. (Cap.) aterrima Kerremans; 54—A. (Cap.) sulcicollis Obenberger.

FIGURES 55–76. Anthaxia, aedeagi (not in scale). 55—Anthaxia (Anthaxia) candens (Panzer); 56—A. (A.) kmoniceki Bílý; 57—A. (Melanthaxia) nigrojubata incognita Bílý; 58—A. (M.) helvetica Stierlin; 59—A. (M.) obesa Abeille; 60—A. (Cratomerus) hungarica hungarica (Scopoli); 61—A. (Richteraxia) angustipennis (Klug); 62—A. (R.) crassa Obenberger; 63—A. (R.) imperatrix Obenberger; 64—A. (Haplanthaxia) elaeagni Richter; 65—A. (H.) nigroaenea Bílý; 66—A. (H.) pseudocongregata Descarpentries; 67—A. (H.) kneuckeri zabranskyi Bílý; 68—A. (H.) deimos Bílý; 69—A. (H.) dispar Kerremans; 70—A. (H.) loebli Bílý; 71—A. (H.) thailandica Bílý; 72—A. (H.) occulta Bílý; 73—A. (H.) duodevicesima Bílý; 74—A. (Merocratus) longipilis Bílý; 75—A. (Thailandica) rondoni; 76—A. (Capanthaxia) capensis Kerremans.