Melobasis cupreovittata subsp. westralica

Levey, Brian, 2018, A revision of the Australian species of the genus Melobasis Laporte & Gory 1837 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), Part 2 (Revision of the nervosa species group), Zootaxa 4528 (1), pp. 1-79 : 22-23

M. cupreovittata westralica ssp. n.

(Figs 1, 39–40, 100–101, 212–213)

Type locality: W. Australia, Tammin .

Type specimens examined. Holotype ♂ ( ANIC) Tammin, W.A., H.W. Brown . Paratypes as follows: Western Australia : 8♂, 4♀ ( ANIC, BLC, NMWC, WAMA) same data as holotype ; 1♂, 1♀ ( AMSA) same data as holotype but with 28.9.1936, on Acacia written on mounting card ; 2♂, 4♀ ( MVMA) near Tammin , W.A., H.W. Brown, F.E. Wilson Coll .; 1♂, 3♀ ( BLC, IRSNB, NMWC) Tammin, W.A., Deuquet | Coll .; 1♂, 1♀ ( BMNH) W. Australia, Bencubbin, 1930, Norris. (ex. coll. Carnaby) on Smoke Bush ; 1♀ ( BLC) W.A., H.W. Brown , 18.10.1939 ; 1♀ ( NMWC) W. Australia: Lake Hurlstone near Hyden , 32 o 37 / 119 o 22 /, 3.x.2012, Acacia sp. B. Levey. NMW.Z. 2012.071 ; 1♂, 8♀ ( NMWC) W. Australia: Wandjagill Nature Res. S. of Bruce Rock , 32 o 5 / 118 o 7 /. 3.x.2012 / Flowering Acacia . B. Levey. NMW.Z. 2012.071. Other specimens examined. 2 unsexed ( WADA) Tammin, H.W. Brown [labelled as M. cupreovittata in 1974 before subspecific status was recognised] . 2♂, 1♀ ( ANIC) Tammin, H.W. Brown, C.G.L. Gooding Coll.; 27 (unsexed) ( ANIC) W.A. K. & E. Carnaby ; 4 (unsexed) ( ANIC) Tammin , W.A. 20.9.1937, H.W. Brown on Acacia pycanoptry [this specific name not found] ; 2♂, 1♀ ( ANIC) Tammin, H.W. Brown , 20.9.1940, on Acacia pycanoptry, S.R.E. Brock coll .; 1♂ ( ANIC) Tammin , W.A., H.W. Brown ; 1♂ ( ANIC) Tammin , W.A., H.W. Brown ; 2♀ ( ANIC) H.W. Brown , W.A., 18.9.1939, J.G. Brooks Bequest ; 1♂, 1♀ ( ANIC) Perth , W.A .; 1♂ ( ANIC) Perth , W.A.; 93:857; S.G. Watkins coll. ; 1♂ ( ANIC) Fletcher , Q. [undoubtedly mislabelled] .

Diagnosis. General diagnosis: length 12.7–17.5 mm; head, pronotum, elytra and underside largely dull purplebrown; lower half to two-thirds of head in ♂ usually reddish-copper or deep reddish-purple; pronotum often with extensive blackish-green or blackish-lilac reflections; elytra with the following coppery, golden or golden-green markings: a narrow sutural vitta in basal fifth; a continuous bisinuate vitta extending from the basal margin just internal of the humeral callosity to the apical tenth of the elytra, this vitta extending laterally along the basal margin, and for a short distance along the lateral margin, and onto the epipleura to the level of the hind coxa; an elongate macula close to the lateral margin at the level of the first abdominal ventrite; underside laterally densely clothed with fairly long translucent silvery pubescence, most of prosternum, prosternal process, mesosternum, and central parts of metaventrite and abdominal ventrites glabrous or very sparsely pubescent.

Head: as in M. cupreovittata cupreovittata , but sometimes with an elongate impunctate area in the midline on the upper third of the vertex.

Antenna: as in M. cupreovittata cupreovittata .

Pronotum: as in M. cupreovittata cupreovittata , but sometimes with a narrow impunctate median line, and often lacking the large, shallow, poorly defined depression, in the lateral half at the base.

Scutellum: small, one-twelth to one-eighteenth width of elytra at base, usually heart or shield shaped.

Elytra: in ♂ as in M. cupreovittata cupreovittata with apices weakly serrate (Fig. 212), but in ♀ sutural tooth not or scarcely enlarged, not spine-like (Fig. 213); only 1 st costa next to the subsutural depression well defined, the other two poorly defined.

Hypomeron: as in M. cupreovittata cupreovittata .

Prosternum: as in M. cupreovittata cupreovittata .

Mesanepisternum: as in M. cupreovittata cupreovittata .

Apical ventrite (Figs 100–101): as in M. cupreovittata cupreovittata , but with the following differences: excision in ♂ with the flange less strongly produced at the centre, with the lateral spines parallel, not turned in towards the midline (Fig. 100); ♀ excision with the lateral spines parallel, not turned in towards the midline (Fig. 101).

Fore tibia: as in M. cupreovittata cupreovittata but teeth smaller and less obvious.

Mid tibia: as in M. cupreovittata cupreovittata .

Aedeagus (Figs 39–40): as in M. cupreovittata cupreovittata but parameres less strongly constricted behind the apical setae bearing part.

Ovipositor: not examined.

Comments. This subspecies is only known from the transitional rainfall zone of Western Australia, geographically isolated from the known populations of M. cupreovittata cupreovittata .

Etymology. The name comes from the state of Western Australia, where it occurs.

Bionomics. Adults have been collected in September and October on Acacia spp. ( Fabaceae ). Larval host unknown.