Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) californica Obenberger, 1914

Bílý, Svatopluk & Kubáň, Vítězslav, 2010, A study on the Nearctic species of the genus Anthaxia (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Buprestinae: Anthaxiini). Subgenus Melanthaxia. Part I, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 50 (2), pp. 535-546 : 542-545

Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) californica Obenberger, 1914 species-group

( Figs. 7 , 21, 29 )

Diagnosis. Medium-sized (4.1–5.9 mm), convex, rather roughly sculptured, subparallel, black species; frons convex; vertex 1.5–1.6 times as wide as width of eye; frontal pubescence semi-erect, rather long, white, distinctly obliquely directed toward respective side from longitudinal median line, that of vertex short, brown; pronotum nearly regularly convex, 1.8–1.9 times as wide as long with very poorly developed laterobasal depressions; pronotal sculpture consisting of small, dense, sharply limited cells with well-developed central grains which are poorly distinct on prescutellar portion of pronotum ( Fig. 29 ); cells on lateral sides of pronotum exceptionally somewhat more elongate but not forming longitudinal lines or keels; elytra subparallel, 1.8–2.1 times as long as wide, regularly granulate with short, rather dense, semi-erect brown pubescence; apical third of elytral margins with fine or rather sharp serration; ventral surface lustrous, bronze with brass tinge with rather long, white pubescence; anal ventrite with fine or rather rough lateral serration; male meso- and metatrochanters with small but sharp spine on posterior margin; male meso- and metatibiae with very fine, inner preapical serration; aedeagus subparallel, rather long or very long and slender, median lobe pointed apically ( Fig. 7 ).

This species-group is well-defined by the convex frons, not very long but rather dense, rigid dorsal pubescence, rough pronotal and elytral sculpture, short, sharp spine on male trochanters, distinctly serrate apex of elytral margins and by the long, slender male genitalia ( Fig. 7 ).

Species included. Anthaxia (M.) californica Obenberger, 1914 , A. (M.) serripennis Obenberger, 1936 .

Figures

Figs. 6–14. 6–8 – Male genitalia: 6 – Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) strigata LeConte, 1859, California, Mt. Diabolo (NMPC); 7 – A. (M.) californica Obenberger, 1914, California, San Diego (NMPC); 8 – A. (M.) aeneogaster Gory & Laporte, 1839, syntype, California (Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris). 9–11 – male left metatibiae: 9 – A. (M.) oregonensis Obenberger, 1942, syntype, Oregon, Aspen Lake (NMPC); 10 – A. (M.) strigata, California, Mt. Diabolo (NMPC); 11 – A. (M.) aeneogaster, syntype, California (Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris). 12–14 – male metatrochanters: 12 – A. (M.) aeneogaster, syntype, California (Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris); 13– A. (M.) prasina Horn, 1882, California, Shingletown (NMPC); 14 – A. (M.) strigata, California, Mt. Diabolo (NMPC).

Figs. 23–30. Pronotal sculpture. 23 – Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) neofunerula Obenberger, 1942, holotype, New Hamp-shire, Charlestown; 24 – A. (M.) nanula Casey, 1884, California, Palomar Mts.; 25 – A. (M.) prasina Horn, 1882, California, Shingletown; 26 – A. (M.) leechi Cobos, 1958, California, near Hemet; 27 – A. (M.) oregonensis Obenberger, 1942, California, Riverside; 28 – A. (M.) strigata LeConte, 1859, California, E of Stockton; 29 – A. (M.) californica Obenberger, 1914, California, Palomar Mts.; 30 – A. (M.) aeneogaster Gory & Laporte, 1839, California, Mukelumne River.