Agrilus Curtis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) of the Baja California peninsula, México
Author
Hespenheide, Henry A.
Author
Westcott, Richard L.
Author
Bellamy, Charles L.
text
Zootaxa
2011
2805
36
56
journal article
47666
10.5281/zenodo.277078
0f7d868c-14a8-43b4-aca7-5b54c6915b0d
1175-5326
277078
Agrilus auroguttatus
Schaeffer 1905
, Revalidated status
(Figs. 34–36)
Only a single specimen is known from the peninsula, beaten from
Quercus
sp. at the end of August in the Sierra de La Laguna, BCS.
Agrilus auroguttatus
has been considered a synonym (
Hespenheide 1979
) and later (
Hespenheide and Bellamy 2009
) a subspecies of
A. coxalis
Waterhouse 1889
(Figs. 31–33), but on further study we now conclude that they are distinct species. Although
A. coxalis
has been recorded from southern California (
Westcott 2005
,
Coleman and Seybold 2009
), this population should be treated as
A. auroguttatus
;
A. coxalis
s. str.
has been found only in
Mexico
,
Guatemala
, and perhaps
Honduras
. The senior author only recently had males of
A. auroguttatus
available for study, and when genitalia of specimens from the California population were compared with those of
A. coxalis
from Chiapas,
México
, consistent differences were observed (
cf
. Figures 33 and 36). In addition to differences in genitalia, the elytral pubescent spots of
A. coxalis
are typically smaller (<
0.25 mm
in width) and very pale yellow or white, whereas those of
A. auroguttatus
are larger (>
0.25 mm
in width) and distinctly dark golden orange in the Arizona and California populations, although they are pale in the BCS specimen. The disjunct distributions and consistent genitalic and morphological differences given above all recommend considering
A. auroguttatus
and
A. coxalis
as separate species. Until recently,
A. auroguttatus
had been known only from southeastern Arizona, and had rarely been collected.
Coleman and Seybold (2009)
reported
A. auroguttatus
(as
A. coxalis
) to be causing widespread damage and death to oaks in San Diego Co., California, where, because of its sudden appearance, large numbers, and apparent mortality to its host, it was assumed to have been introduced. Although there are no current records from adjacent BCN, it is likely to spread there soon.
Agrilus blandus
Horn 1891
(Figs. 61–62)
Although this species was recorded from
Isla
Cedros (
Blaisdell 1925
), which is part of BCN, nevertheless it has been unknown from the peninsula itself. The following records are all from BCN:
21 mi
SE Ojos Negros,
17-VII- 55
, J.P. Figg-Hoblyn; Sierra Juárez (CAS);
11 mi
SW Sawmill, 5200’,
16-VII-69
, S.C. Williams, V.F. Lee (CAS); N. Sierra Juárez, Mezquita,
1400 m
,
6.VII-75
, B.K. Dozier (FSCA); Sa.
San Pedro
Mártir, ±
5 mi
S Mike’s Sky Ranch,
1280 m
,
16-VII-77
(RLWE); Sa. Juárez, El Progreso;
8.6 mi
W La Zapopita [near Valle de
Trinidad
]; Sa.
San Pedro
Mártir,
3.9 mi
E Castillo;
12.3 mi
SE
Santo Tomás
, 800’, on
Eriogonum
sp.,
30-VI-73
&
4-VII-75
; Sa.
San Pedro
Mártir, Rcho. El Coyote, 3600’,
1-VI-74
; Sa.
San Pedro
Mártir, El Encino;
10 mi
S Ensenada, VIII (SGWC);
9 mi
E Ojos Negros,
915 m
,
Eriogonum
,
27-V-89
(RLWE); Carr. 3, 21 km SSE Héroes Independencia,
1070 m
,
22-VI-93
(RLWE). Aside from the
Isla
Cedros record, this insect has been known only from California. Adults have been taken on
Eriogonum fasciculatum
Benth. (Polygonaceae)
, and reported by
Nelson and Westcott (1976)
as reared from
E. elongatum
Benth.