Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) leechi Cobos, 1958

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 : 539-540

Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) leechi Cobos, 1958 species-group

( Figs. 4 , 18, 26 )

Diagnosis. Medium-sized (4.1–5.6 mm), posteriorly slightly acuminate, somewhat flattened, dark bronze, lustrous species; frons concave with short, erect, white pubescence; vertex 1.8 times as wide as width of eye; pronotal sculpture homogenous, consisting of large, regular, polygonal, cells without distinct central grains; elytra slightly wedge-shaped, 1.8 times as long as wide with distinct semi-recumbent pubescence; elytral sculpture finely granulate; lateral elytral margins without apical serration; male meso- and metatrochanters unarmed; male meso- and metatibiae widely, shallowly emarginate at apical half of inner margins, without distinct serration; aedeagus very long, slender, parameres widened at basal fourth ( Fig. 4 ).

One of the best defined species-groups due to the strange form of the male genitalia ( Fig. 4 ), concave frons with white pubescence and slightly wedge-shaped elytra.

Species included. Anthaxia (M.) leechi Cobos, 1958 .

Figures

Figs. 1–5. Male genitalia. 1 – Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) neofunerula Obenberger, 1942, holotype, New Hampshire, Charlestown (NMPC); 2 – A. (M.) nanula Casey, 1884, California, Palomar Mts (NMPC).; 3 – A. (M.) prasina Horn, 1882, California, Shingletown (); 4 – A. (M.) leechi Cobos, 1958, holotype, Califormia, Riverside (California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco); 5 – A. (M.) oregonensis Obenberger, 1942, syntype, Oregon, Aspen Lake (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.