Castiarina michaelpowelli Barker

Barker, Shelley, 2005, Nine new species of Castiarina Gory & Laporte, 1838 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), Zootaxa 1062, pp. 57-68 : 64-65

Castiarina michaelpowelli Barker , new species ( Fig. 2 a)

Type material: Holotype female, 1 km N Baladjie Lakes approx. 5 km ENE Baladjie Rock M P, WA, 26.xii.2004, on Thryptomene leaves, M.Powell, SAMA I 21 710. Paratypes. WA: 1 female, Dedari, 12.xi.1977, flying, M.Powell, MPWA; 1 female, Lake Hurlstone, 11 km N Holt Rock, 12.iii.2003, dead salt lake edge, M.R.Golding, MPWA; 1 female, Lake Hurlstone, 29.ii.2004, dead salt lake edge, M.R.Golding, MGWA; 1 female, same data as holotype, MPWA.

Size. Holotype, 11.3 x 4.1 mm. Females, 10.2 x 3.4–11.3 x 4.1 mm. Male unknown.

Description. Colour: Head black, with blue reflections medially and apically, bronze reflections basally. Antennomeres: black with blue reflections. Pronotum, mainly black with purple reflections dorsally, pale yellow laterally encroaching on the dorsal surface basally. Scutellum blue. Elytra basal colour pale yellow with the following black markings with blue and purple reflections: basal margin; pre­medial fascia reaching margin, projecting anteriorly over humeral callus towards basal margin but not reaching it, with a shorter posterior projection; post­medial fascia reaching margin and joined laterally to an apical mark, forming a pre­apical yellow spot on each elytron. Ventral surface pale yellow, meso­ and metathoracic sutures outlined in blue and posterior edges of abdominal segments, lateral blue marks on S3, S4, S5, S6. Setae silver.

Shape & sculpture. Head closely punctured with small median sulcus between eyes, mouthparts short. Antennomeres: 1–3 obconic; 4–11 triangular. Pronotum closely punctured, anterior margin projecting medially, basal margin almost straight, small medial basal fovea; laterally rounded from base to apex, slightly narrowed apically. Scutellum scutiform, with few punctures. Elytra punctate­striate, laterally angled outwards from base, rounded at humeral callus, concave, rounded post­medially elytra ended abruptly with very small marginal and sutural spines, large interval between almost straight and slightly angled anteriorly from marginal spine, last two dorsal abdominal plates exposed. Ventral surface with shallow punctures, mostly very short sparse setae. S7: females, laterally narrowed, apex prominently rounded and covered with bristle­like setae.

Remarks. Because males are unknown I am unable to group this species with any other. Shape of the elytra unique in the genus.

Distribution. In a large area of the goldfields south­west of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

Etymology. This species is named after its discoverer M. Powell, Applecross, Western Australia.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habitus illustrations of the following Castiarina species: a. C. michaelpowelli sp. nov. b. C. allensundholmi sp. nov. c. C. purcellae sp. nov. d. C. keyzeri sp. nov. e. C. setifera sp. nov. f. C. suehasenpuschae sp. nov. g. C. jacki sp. nov. h. C. lycida sp. nov. i. C. macarthuri sp. nov. Scale bar = 5 mm.