Neefia semivestita, Bellamy, C. L., 2003

Bellamy, C. L., 2003, The Madagascan Coraebini (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Agrilinae): Part 4, New genera and species, Zootaxa 174, pp. 1-19 : 6-7

Neefia semivestita , sp. nov.

(Figs. 2, 10, 18)

Description of Holotype. Small, 6.5 x 2.7 mm; body blue­green above and on perimeter of abdominal ventrites, thoracic ventrites and disc of abdominal ventrites black; legs black with faint blue­green reflection; small narrow elongate area on lateral pronotal explanate area with short recurved white setae and some white pulverulence; one large elytral fascia extends from humeri to before middle, densely covered with orange setae; metacoxal plate with dense short recumbent off­white squamae on widened lateral third; surface imbrications elevated most strongly on pronotum; large, round deep punctures on head and pronotum, following imbrications; punctures on elytral more shallow, more elongate; punctures on underside small, shallow. Pronotum 1.3 times wider than long, widest just anteriad to obtuse lateroposterior angles; anterior margin biarcuate on either side of angulate median lobe; posterior margin bisinuate, median lobe truncate, rounded laterally; lateral margin slightly diverging from posterior margin to feebly rounded median arcuation before narrowing to anterior angles. Genitalia as in Fig. 18.

Variation. 20, 4.0 ­ 6.0 x 1.6 ­ 2.6 mm, 37, 4.2 ­ 7.1 x 1.8 ­ 2.9 mm; the ground color varies from a dark blue green to a shiny green blue and the extent and color of the elytral transverse fascia varies from extending from the humeri to approximately anterior 1/3 at the shortest to nearly the middle of the elytral length at the longest and with the setal color varying in subtle tints of dark yellow to burnt orange.

Specimens examined. Holotype (MNHN): Madagascar Est., distr[ict] Mananara ­ N., Antanambe, xi.1966, Vadon et Peyrieras; 58 paratypes: 1, same data as holotype except xi.1965; 1, same data except xi.1966; 1, same data except xi.1969; 2, same data except xii.1969; 2, same data except i.1970; 1, same data except ii.1970; 1, 1, same data except Seranambe ii.[19]62; 2, same except xii.[19]62; 5, 8, same except i.[19]64; 1, same except ii.[19]64; 1, same except ii.[19]65; 1, simply Seranambe, xi.[19]64; 2, same except Fampanambo, iii.[19]62; 2, 2, Distr[ict] Maroantsetra, Ambodivoangy, Vadon et Peyrieras; 1, same data except xi.19 .., J. Vadon/ 126 (h); 1, 1, Mt. Antampona, xii.[19]63; 1, same data except ii.[19]64; 2, Antakataka/JANV.[19]65; 1, Madagascar Est, Vondrozo, xi.1966, collect. J. Vadon; 4

, same data except xii.1966; 4, 6, Belalona, 30 km S. O. Sambava, xi.1968, Vadon et Peyrieras; 1, same data except i.1970; 1, Ste. Marie de Madagascar, Perrot Fréres, X­XII 1896; 1, Rene Vieu, Entomologie, Tananarive/126 (h). Paratypes deposited in MNHN, NMPC, TNSC and CLBC.

Etymology. The specific epithet is chosen to describe the condition that nearly the anterior half of the elytra is covered with a dense vestiture of yellow to orange setae in a broad fascia.

Remarks. This is the most variable species in the new genus, represented by the largest number of specimens, which exhibit a range of size, shape and coloration variation.