Chalcophora georgiana (LeConte, 1857)

Maier, Crystal A. & Ivie, Michael A., 2013, Reevaluation of Chalcophora angulicollis (LeConte) and Chalcophora virginiensis (Drury) with a Review and Key to the North American Species of Chalcophora Dejean (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 67 (4), pp. 457-469 : 465

Chalcophora georgiana (LeConte, 1857) ( Figs. 4 , 9 , 21, 22 )

Buprestis liberta (not Germar, misidentification); Laporte and Gory 1836: 11 (Sometimes treated as a primary junior homonym of Buprestis liberta Germar, 1824 , see Bellamy 2008).

Buprestis georgiana LeConte, 1857: 191 (Replacement name for Buprestis liberta Laporte and Gory 1836: 11 ).

Chalcophora iridescens Casey, 1909: 82 (synonymized by Casey 1914).

For complete synonymy, see Bellamy (2008).

Diagnosis. This coppery green species can be easily separated from all other species of NANM Chalcophora by the acute elytral apex, with a strong sutural spine ( Fig. 9 ), and aedeagus with narrow parameres which do not wrap around the median lobe ( Figs. 21–22 ). This species is distributed throughout southeastern North America.

Redescription. M al e. L e n g t h 2 0–2 9 m m, width 10–14 mm at widest point. Metallic copper to light metallic green dorsally; ventrally shiny bronze to metallic green. Head deeply incised medially, heavily punctate, sparsely setose. Antenna cupreous; arising just inside inner margin of eye; antennomeres with sparse setae apically. Pronotum widest at base; lateral borders subparallel; with fringe anteriorly; anterior angles acute, projecting forward around head; dorsal surface heavily sculptured, with depressed patches of very dense, convergent punctation interspersed with smooth, coppery elevations; pronotal elevations wide; elevation pattern variable. Protibia with broad tooth apically, lacking prominent longitudinal ridges posteriorly or with two very weak ridges; with two short apical spines. Tibiae and femora sparsely, evenly punctate and lightly setose, with tuft of setae apically, line of setae extends along length of tibia. Prosternal process expanded posterior to procoxae, with two longitudinal grooves. Elytra subparallel, narrowing in apical one-third. Elytron heavily sculptured, with shallowly depressed patches of dense punctation interspersed with smooth coppery elevations; elytral elevations wide, shallow; elytral sculpturing variable; posterolateral border crenulate to weakly serrate. Elytral apex acute, with prominent sutural spine. Ventrally setose; ventrites evenly punctate, posterior border smooth; apical ventrite with deep V-shaped notch posteriorly. Aedeagus with parameres narrow, not wrapping around median lobe, with tuft of setae apically; tegmen deeply incised medially; median lobe narrow, apex strongly acute (20°), with two lateral ridges dorsally.

Female. Generally larger; last ventrite rounded posteriorly, notch absent.

Variation. When compared to other species in the genus, C. georgiana displays very little variation. The size, color, and density of setae ventrally vary only slightly, though sculpturing patterns vary considerably from individual to individual.

Type Material Examined. H O L O T Y P E: C. iridescens – “ CASEY; bequest; 1925 / TYPE USNM; 35733 / iridescens Csy. CASEY determ.; georgiana -12” ( USNM) .

Other Material Examined. 23 specimens (see Maier 2010, Appendix C).

Notes. While Kerremans (1909) pointed out certain affinities of C. georgiana to C. liberta , to the point of considering synonymizing the two, C. georgiana appears to be a well-defined species. Externally, this species can closely resemble the C. virginiensis / C. angulicollis complex, however, the male genitalia share the character of thin parameres, which do not wrap around the median lobe, with C. liberta .

Host Records. Pinus caribea Morelet , Pinus echinata Miller , Pinus palustris Miller , Pinus taeda L. ( Nelson et al. 2008).

Recorded Distribution. USA: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia .

Figures

Figs. 1–5. Chalcophora species, habitus. 1) C. virginiensis, Arkansas; 2) C. angulicollis, Idaho; 3) C. liberta, Wisconsin; 4) C. georgiana, Florida; 5) C. fortis, New York.

Figs. 6–10. Chalcophora species, elytral apices. 6) C. virginiensis; 7) C. angulicollis; 8) C. liberta; 9) C. georgiana;

Figs. 15–24. Chalcophora species, male genitalia, dorsal view (top row), ventral view (bottom row). 15–16) C. virginiensis; 17–18) C. angulicollis; 19–20) C. liberta; 21–22) C. georgiana; 23–24) C. fortis.