Paragrilus rugatulus Thomson

Hespenheide, Henry A., 2002, A review of North and Central American Paragrilus Saunders, 1871 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Agrilinae), Zootaxa 43, pp. 1-28 : 11

Paragrilus rugatulus Thomson

( Figs. 6 , 24 )

Paragrilus rugatulus Thomson, 1879: 74 .

Rhaeboscelis texana Schaeffer, 1904: 211 (synonymy: Hespenheide1979: 118). Paragrilus texanus (Schaeffer) , Obenberger, 1935: 922.

Agrilus caliginosus Dugès, 1891: 31 ­ New Synonymy

Diagnosis: Robust, somewhat variable, usually black throughout, with faint golden reflections on pronotum; 3.0­ 5.1 mm long. Head with front convex, rather broadly, moderately impressed along midline on upper 2/3; epistoma depressed and rather narrow between antennal insertions, ventral margin slightly produced, subtruncate; surface punctate, shagreened. Pronotum about as long as broad, convex, prehumeral callosity strongly indicated by narrow, deep lateral depressions; disc rather strongly depressed along basal margin; surface strongly rugose. Elytra with posthumeral carina extending to beyond hind coxae, surface rugose, with third or first three intervals slightly raised and weak subapical raised callosity; apices broad, usually undulate­emarginate. Posterior angles of hind coxae broadly acute or subquadrate, slightly raised. Male genitalia black, paler basally, with transparent tips to lateral lobes.

Type: “Mex.” (MNHP; Hespenheide 1979); of Agrilus caliginosus, Tupátaro , México (UNAM); of Rhaeboscelis texana, Brownsville , Texas (USNM, lectotype designated by Bellamy and Nelson 1989). A photograph of the type of Agrilus caliginosus Duges was provided by W.F. Barr and it is unequivocally this species, which is widespread and common in México.

Distribution: Common ­ 970 specimens examined, Texas to Costa Rica.

Host: Adults collected on Sida spp.

Discussion: This species as interpreted here is rather variable in size, as indicated above, and coloration. Although the typical color is given above, some specimens can have the elytra purple or dark violaceous and the pronotum brighter purple to golden; many specimens are completely black.

Figures

FIGURES 1 ­ 6. North and Central American Paragrilus, dorsal view ­ P. rugatulus group ­ 1. P. lesueuri Waterhouse; 2. P. vicinus Waterhouse; 3. P. transitorius Waterhouse; 4. P. exiguus (Chevrolat); 5. P. modicus (Solier); 6. P. rugatulus Thomson.

FIGURES 19 ­ 34. North and Central American Paragrilus, dorsal and lateral views of aedeagi ­ P. rugatulus group ­ 19. P. lesueuri Waterhouse; 20. P. vicinus Waterhouse; 21. P. transitorius Waterhouse; 22. P. exiguus (Chevrolat); 23. P. modicus (Solier); 24. P. rugatulus Thomson; P. trifoveolatus group ­ 25. P. tenuis (LeConte); 26. P. impressus (Chevrolat); 27. P. azureus n. sp.; 28. P. trifoveolatus Waterhouse; 29. P. fallorum n. sp.; P. aeraticollis group ­ 30. P. aeraticollis Waterhouse; 31. P. akersorum n. sp.; 32. P. burkei n. sp.; 33. P. heliocarpi n. sp.; 34. P. moldenkei n. sp.