Agrilus parkinsoniae Hespenheide, 2009

Hespenheide, Henry A. & Bellamy, Charles L., 2009, New species, taxonomic notes, and records for Agrilus Curtis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) of México and the United States, Zootaxa 2084, pp. 50-68 : 65-66

Agrilus parkinsoniae Hespenheide , New Species

( Figs. 16, 17 , 25 )

Description. Holotype male: Slender, subcylindrical, 3.40 mm long, 0.90 mm wide; dark reddish-coppery throughout, redder on the pronotum and with coppery reflections beneath, except front metallic green; becoming golden just above antennal insertions and epistoma between antennal insertions; pronotum mostly glabrous, otherwise setose, setae pale and recumbent, short, sparse and relatively inconspicuous on front, beneath and most of elytra, denser on narrow margin of pronotum above and below prehumeral carina, denser and conspicuous in three patches on each elytron - a small spot in basal depressions, a narrow, elongate spot along suture at 1/3 and at 2/3 - dense and conspicuous on dorsal portion of abdominal ventrite 1, in denser but inconspicuous spots on lateral portions of ventrites 3–4, in narrow line at middle of ventrites 1–2, on posterior coxae, in upper posterior corners of metasternum and epimeron, setae dense and semi-erect on prosternum and continuing along midline of anterior portion of metasternum between middle coxae.

Head with front very shallowly convex, surface granular-rugose, shagreened; epistoma between antennal insertions 1/3 width of distance between inner margins of eyes, weakly carinate above, emarginate below, eyes oval; antennae serrate from segment 5, segments 5–11 rounded-triangular.

Pronotum slightly narrower than elytra at posterior margin, with sides shallowly expanded outward for basal 2/3 then narrowing slightly to apex; marginal and submarginal carinae slightly undulate, separated for most of their length and converging only at base when viewed from side; from above anterior margin produced as angulately-rounded lobe; basal margin angulately emarginate at middle of each elytron, nearly transverse before scutellum; disk moderately convex, with weak depression along midline almost to anterior margin and slightly stronger on basal 1/2, and oblique depressions interior to and in front of prehumeral carinae to lateral margins; prehumeral carinae weak, nearly straight, less than 1/4 length of pronotum; surface coarsely transversely rugose. Scutellum transversely rectagonal with strong, raised transverse ridge, narrowly acuminate behind.

Elytra subequal in width behind humeri and beyond middle, lateral margins shallowly emarginate between, apices narrowing abruptly, narrowly, separately rounded, minutely toothed; disk convex, each elytron with oval depression at base and distinctly, narrowly costate along suture between and including setal spots; surface transversely imbricate-punctate, more rugose at base.

Prosternum with sides of prosternal process slightly narrowing between coxae, shallowly concave, truncate and emarginate at apex, prosternal lobe broadly, shallowly rounded. Posterior coxae with posterior margin nearly straight, upper exterior angles somewhat produced and obtusely rounded. Abdomen with suture nearly obsolete between ventrites 1 and 2, narrowly depressed along midline of ventrite1. Hind legs with first metatarsal segment slightly shorter than next two combined, tarsal claws similar on all feet, cleft with short inner tooth. Genitalia as in Figure 25 .

Allotype female: As male except 4.15 mm long, 1.10 mm wide; entirely dark reddish-coppery, brighter on front, setae on prosternum and along midline of metasternum sparse and appressed, elytral spots more conspicuous; abdominal ventrites 1–2 convex, without medial depression or line of setae.

Type material. Holotype. México: Oaxaca, Comitancillo, N 16˚28.8’ W 95˚5.5’, 6.12.2005, M. Martinez + C. Pascasio, Parkinsonia aculeata , LPL10469 ( UNAM). Allotype. México: Oaxaca, same data as holotype, except 17.04.2004, M. Martinez + I. Heard, Parkinsonia aculeata , LPL10219 ( UNAM). Paratypes. México: Oaxaca, same data as holotype (1F, CSIRO), same data as allotype (1M, USNM), same data as holotype, except 7.12.2005, M. Martinzz + C. Pascasio, Parkinsonia aculeata , LPL10479 (1M, CSIRO), 13.02.0 6, M. Martinez + C. Pascasio, Parkinsonia aculeata , LPL10512 (1M, 1F, CSIRO), Huazantlán del Río, N 16˚12.3’ W 95˚7.2’, 16.04.2004, M. Martinez + I. Heard, Parkinsonia aculeata , LPL10215 (1M, 3F, CSIRO, USNM), 18.08.2005, M. Martinez, Parkinsonia aculeata , LPL10449 (1M, CSIRO), M. Martinez + C. Pascasio, Parkinsonia aculeata , LPL10492 (2M, CSIRO), 18.10.2006, M. Martinez, C. Pascasio, Parkinsonia aculeata , LPL10795 (1F, CSIRO). Paratypes also to be deposited in CHAH, CLBC, RLWE.

Host. Parkinsonia aculeata L.

Etymology. Named for the genus of its host.

Discussion. This species was found during a search for biological control agents of the “noxious weed,” Parkinsonia aculeata (Wikipedia 2008) by researchers at the CSIRO-Australia - Mexican Field Station, Boca del Río, Veracruz, México. This species is in a group of very similar species that includes Agrilus napatecutli Fisher , A. aethiops Hespenheide , and A. noguerae Hespenheide (Hespenheide 1989) . The short, broad male genitalia with the broadly rounded aedeagus are distinctive and more similar to those of A. catalinae Knull. Males measure 3.20–3.50 mm long (mean = 3.38 mm for 8 specimens), and females measure 3.00– 4.25 mm long (mean = 3.53 mm for 8 specimens).

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 17. Habitus views of Agrilus spp.; scale bars = 1 mm: 10 – 11., holotype, A. leucaenae, dorsal and lateral views; 12 – 13., holotype, A. chrysobothroides, dorsal and lateral views; 14 – 15., holotype, A. paramacer, dorsal and lateral views; 16 – 17., holotype, A. parkinsoniae, dorsal and lateral views.

FIGURES 18 – 25. Male genitalia of Agrilus spp.; scale bars = 1 mm: 18., holotype, A. rifkindi; 19., holotype, A. obrienorum; 20., holotype, A. giesberti; 21., holotype, A. anthaxioides; 22., holotype, A. leucaenae; 23., holotype, A. chrysobothroides; 24., holotype, A. paramacer; 25., holotype, A. parkinsoniae.