Acmaeodera consors Horn, 1878

Westcott, Richard L., 2007, A new species of Chrysobothris Eschscholtz feeding on Dudleya spp. (Crassulaceae) from California and Baja California, with biological, distributional and taxonomic notes on other North American Buprestidae (Coleoptera), Zootaxa 1630, pp. 23-37 : 33-36

Acmaeodera consors Horn, 1878 .

Acmaeodera consors Horn, 1878:20 .

Acmaeodera montezuma Obenberger, 1924:35 . New synonymy Acmaeodera perforata Cazier, 1940:17 . New synonymy

Barr (1975) discussed A. montezuma and considered it “very closely related” to A. perforata . He separated them by differences he observed on the front of the head, front margin of the prosternum, and subapical development of the last visible abdominal ventrite. I have examined and compared the unique holotypes of those species and A. consors , plus two additional specimens determined as the latter species. Despite the considerable range in size, all specimens easily fit into a normal range of variation that can be observed in many species of Acmaeodera ; therefore, I find all three species conspecific. The elytral pattern and punctation are similar. The variation in structure of the last visible abdominal ventrite likely is attributable to sex, as it is with other species of this genus. Acmaeodera consors was described from a female from “Tex.” (MCZC) measuring 7.5 mm long, and I examined two other Texas specimens: female, 7.5 mm, Travis Co., Austin, 18-VI-87, WFBM; male, 10.0 mm, Val Verde Co., 1 mi S Juno, 22-V-76, RLWE. Chamberlin (1926) listed a specimen from Arizona, Pinal Mts.; however, surely this refers to another species. Acmaeodera montezuma was described from what appears to be a female, measures 13 mm long, and is from “ Mexico ” (NMPC). Acmaeodera perforata was described from a male, 11 mm long, collected at New Braunfels, Texas, May, 1902 (AMNH).

Acmaeodera delectabilis Waterhouse, 1889 . Adults collected ex [likely on flowers] Cordia parviflora , Durango, 44 km SE Ceballos, 24-VIII-91, RLWE, SEMC.

Acmaeodera depressa Barr, 1972 . Reared from dead branches of Bursera microphylla from Arizona, Yuma Co., Telegraph Pass on I-8, summer 2002, WBWC (new larval host).

Agrilus acutipennis Mannerheim, 1837 . FLORIDA, Hernando Co., Croom Wildl. Mgmt. Area, Rital-Croom Road near I-75,15- IV-2006, on Quercus laurifolia , RLWE.

Agrilus cephalicus LeConte, 1860 . WISCONSIN, Outagamie Co., 1000 Is. Env. Ctr., Kaukana, 21/VI-5/ VII-2002, NSCH.

Agrilus cladrastis Knull, 1945 . MISSISSIPPI, Bolivar Co., 12.1 mi W Boyle on 446, Dahomey 2 MT, 12- 25-V-97, NSCH.

Agrilus pulchellus Bland, 1865 . UTAH, Utah Co., Provo, Rock Canyon, 5-VII-2002, BYUC. This record, based on one specimen of this widely ranging species, is from a locality within the range of the very closely related A. utahensis Westcott , the known range of which is from northern Utah to northern Arizona ( Nelson and Westcott, 1991).

Agrilus lasiosurus Obenberger, 1935 . Honduras, S.C. Y., Lago Yojo, 21-VII-74, RLWE. This species has been recorded only from Costa Rica.

Agrilus rubroniger Hespenheide, 1979 . FLORIDA, Hernando Co., Croom Wildl. Mgmt. Area, Rital-Croom Road near I-75,15- IV-2006, on Quercus laurifolia , RLWE.

Anthaxia carolinensis Obenberger, 1928 . This species has been known only from “ Carolina ”. According to S. Bílÿ (P. Harpootlian via e-mail) the holotype is labeled: “ Sylvania , 30.6.[18]95/ America borealis, coll. Obenberger/ Carolina .” However, surely it was collected at Sylvania , California, which is the locality from which Chrysobothris sylvania Fall was described ( Fall, 1910). Further evidence for its occurrence in California: I have examined a photograph of the aforementioned type and consider it to be the same as or close to A. pseudotsugae Chamberlin , which is considered by most authors as a subspecies of A. caseyi Obenberger (formerly very well known as A. deleta LeConte ). However, this confusing related group of western taxa is in great need of study and any taxonomic changes are best left to that time.

Brachys aerosus Melsheimer, 1846 . It seems worthwhile to note only the second record of this species from BRITISH COLUMBIA: Vinsulla, 12-VI-67, on Populus tremuloides , 67-0-5410-07, PFCA. The first record is from Oliver ( Barr, 1971), which is about 195 km south-southeast, and was collected on black birch. See Westcott (2005) for a discussion of this species in the Pacific Northwest.

Chrysobothris nelsoni Westcott & Alten, 2006 . NEVADA, Clark Co., Mt. Potosi BSA Camp, 23-VI-97, BYUC.

Chrysobothris nixa Horn, 1886 . UTAH, Tooele Co., Grantsville City, 3-VIII-2007, in Japanese beetle trap, UDAF.

Chrysobothris schaefferi Obenberger, 1934 . From Baja California N., one specimen each: cut from pupal cell in Dudleya albiflora, San Andres Can. , ca. 19 km S Punta Prieta, 26-VI-80 (new larval host); beaten from Prunus fremontii , 24 mi E, 1.5 mi N El Rosario, 1300’, 8-VI-74; collected on Fouquieria splendens , 2 mi W Bahía Santa María , 22 mi S San Felipe, 2-VII-75, all RLWE.

Phaenops lecontei (Obenberger), 1944 . BRITISH COLUMBIA, 25 km SW Campbell River, 49°50’56”, 125°24’54”, 20-30-VIII-96, PFCA. The specimens were taken from a Lindgren funnel trap baited with ethanol raised 25 meters in a heavily thinned stand of Abies amabilis-Tsuga heterophylla dominant forest (Lee Humble, pers. comm.). This is the first record for Canada.

Taphrocerus chevrolati Obenberger, 1924 . UTAH, Uintah Co., 6 mi SE Randlett, SW Sec.35, T3S, R2E, SW of Pelican Lake near Duchesne River, 4800’, 4-VI-2007, sweeping marshy area with mostly Juncus sp., BYUC, EMUS, RLWE.

Xenomelanophila miranda (LeConte, 1854) . CALIFORNIA, Alpine Co., Markleeville, Dump Canyon, 20- VIII-50, on Juniperus occidentalis , FSCA, WFBM, and Markleeville, 1-VIII-61, CSCA; Lassen Co., Lassen N.F., “Cinder Fire”, T34N, R9E, Sec. 7, 19-VIII-1999, on burnt juniper in juniper-ponderosa pine forest, NSCH; Siskiyou Co., 15 mi NE Yreka, “Vista Fire” (juniper), 26-VIII-2000; Secs. 26 & 27, T40N, R2E, ca. 5 mi E Bartle, “Bear Fire”, 21-VIII-2007, on recently burnt Calocedrus decurrens , NSCH, RLWE. IDAHO, Cassia Co. , 10 km (air) SSW Malta, 5050’, 14-VIII-86, base of juniper burnt 6 days previously, CASC, CLBC, PJJC, RLWE, WFBM. NEVADA, Storey Co., 4 mi N Virginia City, 23-VI-86, on side of house near recent burn, NVDA. WA S H I N GTO N, Yakima Co., Yakima, landscape waste recycle station, in Lindgren funnel trap baited for Sirex noctilio detection, 17-VII-2007, RLWE, WSUC. The latter record, a collection of seven specimens, represents the northernmost known locality for this species. I am unaware that native juniper (it would be J. occidentalis ) occurs in significant numbers near Yakima, so these beetles may represent an introduced population—they could utilize ornamental junipers, or perhaps another cupressaceous host (see below)—or could have flown from afar. Alternatively, native junipers may once have occurred closer to Yakima, such as along the Columbia River prior to the advent of dams (Don Knoke, in litt.), and from that source become established in the city and its environs. The association of X. miranda with fire is well known, so it is of interest to note that the Yakima specimens were trapped about 100 feet from some pines that had burned a week earlier, and about two miles distant from some (apparently) ornamental junipers that burned in a small brush fire (E. Lisowski, in litt.). I know this species almost entirely from its association with burning or burnt junipers, and it can be attracted in very large numbers to forest fires where those trees occur (N. Schiff, pers. comm.; personal observation). Many have been taken at a wood recycling plant in Redmond, Deschutes Co., Oregon, in Lindgren funnel traps baited with alpha-pinene and ethanol, also in those traps at the nearby Bend landfill (Oregon Department of Agriculture Exotic Woodborer Survey). At the former site, juniper wood was being ground for mulch. Thus, quite clearly, wood volatiles attract these beetles. From my observations and those of colleagues, it has appeared that junipers are the only adult hosts (the beetle has never been reared). However, 12 specimens were collected by N. Schiff near Bartle, California, on burnt incense cedar at a site where no juniper was observed. It remains to be ascertained if that tree can serve as a host or if the beetles were attracted from surrounding areas where juniper occurs. That all were taken on the cupressaceous tree appears to favor the former hypothesis. In that regard it is worth noting Burke (1919) who, in regards to X. miranda , stated: “Considerable collecting has been done in forested areas of these regions by members of the Branch of Forest Insect Investigations but no specimens have been taken. The species is thus extremely rare or it does not infest the common forest trees.” He specifically mentioned other Buprestidae that are commonly attracted to forest fires, but apparently the work on “our most important coniferous forest trees” did not include junipers. In other papers he treated species that work in juniper, but apparently he was never lucky enough to find those trees burning and encounter the “wonderful fire beetle.”

Near Malta, Idaho, P.J. Johnson and I collected and observed numerous individuals of X. miranda from 3:30–5: 20 p. m. (MDT) on what appeared to be, because of their smaller stature, Juniperus osteosperma rather than J. occidentalis . Almost all were seen at the base of trunks, and females were observed to oviposit only there, often to insert their ovipositor below ground (ash) level. In southeastern Oregon I have observed them higher on the trunk, but do not recall oviposition. Specifically, I collected them from a J. occidentalis tree near Klamath Falls that was still smoldering on 4-VIII-68. The trunk of this tree was cut and caged during VIII-70 and kept through the following year. Although smaller Buprestidae and woodboring wasps ( Westcott, 1971) emerged, no X. miranda were reared. Surely that species oviposited in this tree. Given so, it could be they have a longer life cycle or that the larva—at least the mature larva—feeds beneath where the tree was cut. The Idaho observations suggest the latter.

I have seen two specimens from western Oregon that represent anomalous records: Lane Co., Florence, on beach, 7-VIII-96, OSAC, and Multnomah Co., Portland 23-VIII-02, at Wood Waste Management, a wood recycler, in a trap with alpha-pinene and ethanol, ODAC. These localities are completely outside the range of native juniper, although the Portland specimen is not surprising considering the place it was trapped. However, it would be a long ride in driftwood for such a beetle to arrive in south coastal Florence! Cobos (1987) provided a record from Jacala, Hidalgo, Mexico, and I have examined the specimen (MCZC). He did not record the elevation, which is given as 4500’ on the label. I have visited this area, and juniper abounds there. It is by far the southernmost known occurrence for X. miranda ; also it is the easternmost. Thus, X. miranda occurs over at least 25.6° of latitude and a NW–SE distance of approximately 2100 mi.

On 5-VIII-70 I was at a controlled burning of a juniper tree ( J. occidentalis ) by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Lake Co., Oregon. This took place from 10:30–11:30 a.m. PDT. About two hours after the burn, with the tree still smoldering, adults of X. miranda began to arrive and continued to do so at least until 3 p. m. However, they were much more numerous the next day. A female and male beetle were confined in the lab and provided with juniper brought from their habitat. They fed sparingly on the leaves. It was interesting to note that when they were later given fresh J. occidentalis leaves from another locality, they preferred the much drier leaves, which had been kept in a refrigerator, from their “home”. Mating was observed several times, but only once from start to finish, a duration of only16 minutes; however, a later observation of the pair already in copula lasted 30 minutes. On 11-VIII the female was observed to lay eggs, seven of which hatched by 19 or 20-VII. The larvae, measuring about 2 mm in length, were place on artificial medium but soon died. On 9-IX the female died, was dissected and no eggs were found in her ovaries. The male died on 12-IX.