Melobasis propinqua subsp. porteri, (Hope)

Levey, Brian, 2012, 3464, Zootaxa 3464, pp. 1-107 : 60-61

M. propinqua porteri (Hope)

Buprestis porteri Hope 1846a:63 ; 1846b:215; Saunders 1868:15; Gemminger & Harold 1869:1383; Saunders 1871:44; Kerremans 1892:105; 1903:158; Carter 1923:80; 1929:284; Obenberger 1930:430; Cowie 2001:29; Bellamy 2002:161; 2008:1330.

Type Locality: Victoria, Port Phillip .

Type specimen examined. Holotype ♂ ( OUMNH) P. Philip/ Verified as Type by W. Holland / porteri Hope (red label)/ porteri Hope (white label)/ Type Col: 935, Buprestis porteri Hope.

Other specimens examined. Victoria: Bendigo; Buchan South; 20 mls W. of Cann River; Cranbourne; Eaglehawk; Eltham; Frankston District; Grampians; Gypsum; Heathmont; Inglewood; Lower Tarwin; Melbourne; 11.3 mls N.W. of Orbost; Pakenham; Ringwood; Rushworth State Forest; Warburton; Warneet; Wilsons Promontory National Park; 29 mls S. of Wodonga; Tasmania: Bridport; Hobart, Goat Hill, Glenlusk; Kingston; 1 m W. of Lady Barron, Flinders Isle; Vinegar Hill, Flinders Isle; A.C.T.: Canberra. Material in AMSA, ANIC, BMNH, BPBM, GBC, ZMHB, IRSNB, MVMA, NMWC, SAMA, UQIC.

Diagnosis: length 7.3–10.6 mm. This subspecies is characterised by having the inner half of the elytra relatively uniformly punctured with little trace of seriate punctation or costate intervals. From M. p. verna it also differs in having stronger elytral microsculpture and from M. p. propinqua in not having the central line of the pronotum depressed or more densely punctured than the adjacent areas.

Bionomics. Adults collected from October–December. Adults have been collected on Dillwynia sp. (Fabaceae) and other Fabaceae ( Cowie, 2001) . Larval hosts unknown.

M. propinqua verna (Hope) stat. rev. (not synonym of propinqua (Laporte & Gory) 1837 )

(Fig. 126, 186)

Buprestis verna Hope 1846a:63 ; 1846b:214; Saunders 1868:14; Gemminger & Harold 1869:1384; Saunders 1871:44; Masters 1886: 75; Kerremans 1892:107; 1903:158; Carter 1923:80; 1929:284; Obenberger 1930:430; Bellamy 2002:161; 2008:1330. Type locality: South Australia, Adelaide.

Buprestis suaveola Germar 1848:176 ; Lacordaire 1857:47; Gemminger & Harold 1869:1384; Saunders 1871:44; Masters 1886: 75; Blackburn 1887:240; Kerremans 1892:107; 1903:158; Carter 1923:80; 1929:284; Obenberger 1930:430; Bellamy 2002:161; 2008:1330. Type locality: South Australia, Adelaide.

Melobasis prasina Thomson 1879:17 ; Blackburn 1890:146; Kerremans 1892:107; 1903:158; Carter 1923:80; 1929:284; Obenberger 1930:430; Bellamy 2002:161; 2008:1330.

Type specimens examined. Buprestis verna Holotype ♂ ( OUMNH) Adelaide/ verified as Type by W. Holland / verna Hope / Type Col: 934 Buprestis verna Hope.

Buprestis suaveola Holotype ♂ ( BMNH) suaveola Ger. Adelaide / Adelaide 63/ suaveola Germ. Type/ Saunders 74.18.

Melobasis prasina Holotype ♂ ( MNHN) Th. Type / Prasina (Laf.) Th. Type Ap. 1./ EX. MUSAEO JAMES THOMSON.

Other specimens examined. Victoria: Ashworth; Broken Bucket, Big Desert; Saddle, Big Desert; Gerang Gerung; Grampians; Gypsum; Hattah; Kiata; Kyabram; Lake Hattah; Nurcoung, Little Desert; Murrayville, Big Desert; Traralgon; S. Australia: Adelaide; Adelaide Hills, near Cherry Gardens; Alligator Gorge National Park; Black Hill Scrub, Albulstone; 20 mls W. of Bordertown; Gawler; Granite Knoll, 20 m S.E. of Keith; Kangaroo Island, N.E. River Crossing; Kangaroo Island, 10 ml W. of Vivonne Bay; 1 km W. of Kimba; Kuitpo Forest, Ferries - McDonald National Park; 3 mls S. of Monarto South; north boundary, Parra Wirra National Park; Pinkawillanie National Park, Kimba. Reedy Creek; Reynella; Yorktown. Material in ANIC, BMNH, CLBC, EEAC, GBC, GHNC, ZMHB, IRSNB, MMSA, MVMA, NMWC, SAMA, SWCA.

Diagnosis. length 8.8–15.3 mm. This subspecies differs from M. p. propinqua in often having the pronotum unpunctured for most of its length in the midline, and in having the interstriae between the lines of partly seriate punctation of the inner half of the elytra almost flat, not costate. Also males of M. p. verna have green elytra with the apices of the elytra crimson or reddish violet, the female elytra being entirely green. This colour dimorphism is not seen in M. p. propinqua . From M. p. porteri it differs in the weak microsculpture of the elytra and the presence of extensive seriate punctation in the inner half of the elytra, and the elytral colour dimorphism mentioned above.

Comments: Many specimens of M. propinqua sens. lat. from Victoria and S. Australia have characteristics intermediate between M. p. verna and M. p. porteri . It seems likely that there is extensive introgression between these two subspecies in this area. The use of molecular techniques would be helpful in resolving this. I have seen what are subspecifically indeterminate specimens from Victoria; Bendigo; Colac; Inglewood; Big Desert, 12 km N. of Broken Bucket Well; Little Desert, 11 km S. of Kiata; S. Australia: Borossa Reservoir; north boundary Parra Wirra National Park.

Bionomics. Adults collected from September to December, but mainly in October and November. Adults commonly collected on Pultenaea spp. , ( Fabaceae ) with a few records from Platylobium sp. , ( Fabaceae ); Leptospermum sp. , ( Myrtaceae ); Baeckea behrii (Schltdl.) , ( Myrtaceae ); Aotus ericoides (Vent.) , ( Fabaceae ) and Acacia spp. , ( Fabaceae ). Larval hosts unknown.