Neobuprestis Kerremans 1903

Levey, B. & Bellamy, C. L., 2013, A taxonomic revision of Neobuprestis Kerremans (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) with the description of a new genus and two new species, Zootaxa 3681 (3), pp. 225-240 : 226-227

Neobuprestis Kerremans 1903

Neobuprestis Kerremans 1903:136

Type species: Strigoptera australis Blackburn 1892 (fixed by subsequent designation: Kurosawa 1988).

Diagnosis. Medium sized (length 14–20 mm), elongate subcylindrical species.

Head ( Fig. 16 ): antennal cavities large, approximately circular, forward facing, fully visible when viewed directly from the front, bordered dorsally by a narrow well defined semicircular ridge. Head above eyes (vertex) nearly horizontal, lower part of head between eyes (frons) and clypeal region almost vertical, not separated from one another by a groove or carina; clypeal region with a large depression in the centre just behind the clypeal margin; clypeal margin weakly bisinuate, very shallowly excised at centre, not angulate. Anteclypeus not visible. Genae below eyes relatively broad about one-fifth vertical length of eye. Mandible not strongly angled at base. Distal part of labium pale, less highly chitinised than basal part. Eyes relatively small, vertical length about 2.5 times maximum width, moderately convergent dorsally, moderately convex when viewed from above.

Antennae ( Fig. 18 ): rather long, when flexed backwards reaching just beyond the base of the pronotum; 11 segmented, with segments 3–10 expanded, the expanded part acutely triangular in shape, expanded segments relatively larger in 3 than Ƥ; in 3 expanded segments almost completely covered with basiconic sensillae (see Volkovitsh 2001, Fig. 124); in Ƥ fields of B4c sensillae confined to inner margins (see Volkovitsh 2001, Fig. 125); scape almost club shaped, about 2.5–3.0 times length of pedicel; pedicel almost subcylindrical about 1.25 time as long as wide at apex; segment 3 very slightly triangularly expanded, about 1.25 times length of pedicel in Ƥ, more strongly triangularly expanded and about same length as pedicel in 3; segment 4 about same length as 3, segments 5-10 slightly progressively shorter in Ƥ; segment 4 slightly longer than 3, segments 5–10 slightly progressively narrower in 3; segment 11 about 2.0 times as long as wide, triangularly expanded, the expansion excised near the apex in Ƥ, about 3.0 as long as wide and only slightly triangularly expanded, with a subcylindrical prolongation at the apex in 3.

Pronotum ( Figs. 1, 2 ): about twice as wide as long; anterior and posterior margins weakly bisinuate; lateral margins regularly curved; slightly depressed in mid line near base; lateral carina confined to basal half; punctation composed of simple shallow punctures, without associated setae. Scutellum: transverse, almost heart shaped, about one tenth width of elytra at base.

Elytra ( Figs. 1, 2 ): slightly widened from base over the humeral callosities; almost parallel sided behind callosities to mid length, before weakly converging to the conjointly rounded apices; lateral margins and apices weakly serrate in 3, smooth in Ƥ; epipleura broad opposite the mesepimeron, gradually narrowing opposite metepisternum (metanepisternum), disappearing behind the hind coxa; deflexed ventrally, separated from disc by fine carina; each elytron with four long, well defined, narrow equidistant costae, and a short scutellary costa fusing with the slightly raised suture in the basal fifth; punctation between costae uniform, without evidence of seriation.

Underside: sparsely punctulate.

Prosternum: anterior margin weakly curved, with a complete narrow bead; prosternal process flat, with a slight groove along the lateral margin, lateral margins almost straight in basal two-thirds, before narrowing in apical third, apex broad. Mesosternal cavity broad, reaching the metasternum.

Legs: tarsal segments 1–4 with well developed pulvilli, occupying apical two-thirds of each segment; Segment 5 elongate, flat club shaped with simple claws, widened at base; metacoxal plate twice as wide at inner edge as at outer edge.

Abdomen: ventrite1 almost twice as long as ventrite 2, which is about as long as 3 and 4; ventrite 5 almost twice as long as 4, with apex broadly and deeply excised, with a slightly developed flange and well developed lateral spines in 3 ( Fig. 21 ), apex truncate with a small shallow excision at middle in Ƥ.

Ovipositor: elongate.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 25 ): with a narrow basal lobe; parameres parallel sided with long sensory setae confined to the apex; median lobe (penis) with the apex produced.

Figures

FIGURES 14 – 20. 14. head & pronotum N. williamsi sp. n. (paratype, Barrington Tops, New South Wales); 15 – 17 head: 15. N. williamsi sp. n. (paratype, Barrington Tops, New South Wales); 16. N. peroni (Gory & Laporte) Ƥ (no locality); 17. B. lobatum sp. n. (holotype); 18. antenna 3 N. peroni (Gory & Laporte) (Birchip, Victoria); 19. apical 7 antennomeres of B. lobatum sp. n. (holotype); 20. tarsal segments of B. lobatum sp. n. (holotype).

FIGURES 1 – 6. 1 – 4. adult habitus: 1. N. peroni (Gory & Laporte) 3 (Birchip, Victoria); 2. N. peroni (Gory & Laporte) Ƥ (no locality); 3. N. frenchi (Blackburn) Ƥ (S. Gippsland, Victoria); 4. N. williamsi sp. n. Ƥ (paratype, 60 km E. N. E. Gloucester). 5 – 6. pronotum lateral view: 5. N. frenchi (Blackburn); 6. N. williamsi sp. n.

FIGURES 21 – 25. 21 – 22. apical abdominal ventrite: 21. N. peroni (Gory & Laporte) 3 (Birchip, Victoria); 22. N. williamsi sp. n. Ƥ (paratype, 60 km E. N. E. Gloucester); 23. wing of B. lobatum sp. n. (holotype); 24. aedeagus of B. lobatum sp. n. (holotype); 25. aedeagus of N. peroni (Gory & Laporte) 3 (Birchip, Victoria).