Agrilus braconoides Hespenheide, 2010

Hespenheide, Henry A., 2010, New Agrilus Curtis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from México and Costa Rica mimicking parasitic wasps, Zootaxa 2545, pp. 39-46 : 42-43

Agrilus braconoides Hespenheide , New Species

( Figs. 6, 7 )

Description. Holotype female: Slender, in cross-section flattened above, convex below, 8.10 mm long, 1.90 mm wide; head, metasternum, metepimeron and anterior1/2 and apical 1/4 of elytra metallic red; antennae, tibiae, and beneath otherwise black; pronotum dark bluish-purple with basal margin reddish and lateral margins narrowly golden-reddish; elytra dark violet for 1/4 of length beyond middle; femora green; complex pattern of setae: pale, recumbent, and relatively inconspicuous on lower 1/3 of front and postero-lateral portions of abdominal ventrites 4–5, denser along basal and lateral margins of pronotum, on pronotum beneath and on elytra in subquadrate spots at basal 1/4 just interior to suture; setae denser and somewhat golden in broad oblique band at middle from suture to lateral margins; setae longer and denser in broad transverse band at apical 1/4 of elytra, in a broad oblique patch from middle coxae to upper posterior angles of metasternum, on posterior coxae, on posterior 1/3 of dorsal portion of abdominal ventrite 1, and on lateral portions of abdominal ventrite 3; setae dark, long and dense in black elytral portion..

Head with front convex, somewhat swollen and bulbous with bluish reflections in small medial fovea, moderately depressed along dorsal 1/2 of midline, more broadly and deeply on vertex, surface transversely rugose; epistoma with transverse ridge between antennal insertions, golden reflections above ridge and greenish below, width 1/3 of distance between inner margins of eyes, ventral margin very shallowly emarginate, eyes small, oval; antennae long, slender, serrate from antennomere 5, antennomere 5 triangular, 1/2 wide as long, segments 6–11 narrowly rounded-triangular.

Pronotum slightly narrower than elytra at posterior margin, with sides slightly emarginate at base then weakly expanded outward almost to apex, then narrowing slightly; when viewed from side marginal and submarginal carinae slightly undulate, narrowly separated for anterior 1/2; from above, anterior margin weakly produced as broadly rounded-angulate lobe; basal margin shallowly angulately emarginate at middle of each elytron, transverse before scutellum; disk convex in cross section, with distinct depression along midline and stronger narrow depressions at posterior angles and along lateral margins; prehumeral carinae absent; disc distinctly rugose. Scutellum pentagonal, rounded in front, acuminate behind with transverse carina.

Elytra broadly, shallowly emarginate behind humeri, widest at apical 3/5, lateral margins then narrowing to broadly and obliquely rounded-truncate apices; disk weakly costate on basal 1/2, weakly gibbous on apical 1/2, each elytron with strong oval depression at base; surface finely, transversely rugose on basal 1/2, weakly imbricate on apical 1/2; dorsal portions of ventrite 1 barely visible from above.

Prosternum with sides of prosternal process narrowing between coxae to rounded-acute apex; prosternal lobe nearly transverse. Posterior coxae with posterior margins nearly straight, upper exterior angles obtusely rounded. Abdomen with suture between ventrites 1 and 2 weakly indicated at sides, dorsal portions of ventrites 1–5 narrow, slightly broader at posterior portion of ventrite 1. Hind legs with first metatarsal segment equal in length to next three combined, tarsal claws cleft with inner portion shorter and blunter on all tarsi.

Type material. Holotype: Costa Rica: Puntarenas, Monteverde, Apr 19–26 1988, E. Giesbert ( INBC). Paratype: Costa Rica: same data as holotype ( CHAH).

Etymology. This species is named for its resemblance to braconid wasps.

Discussion. This species is similar to the next species, but larger and darker; additional differences are given under that species. The paratype measures 8.45 mm in length.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Wasp-mimicking Agrilus: A. braconicoloratus Hespenheide, figures 1 – 2, dorsal and lateral views, figure 3, male genitalia; A. bellamyi New Species, figures 4 – 5, dorsal and lateral views; A. braconoides New Species, figures 6 – 7, dorsal and lateral views; and A. lucindae New Species, figures 8 – 9, dorsal and lateral views. Scale bars = 1 mm.