Anthaxia (Cratomerus) gebhardti Obenberger 1924

Anthaxia (Cratomerus) gebhardti Obenberger, 1924

(Figs 1–3, 7–8, 11–12, 15–16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 27–28)

Anthaxia gebhardti Obenberger, 1924:77-78, type locality: Afrika or.: Katona (Inter Marti et Arusha).

Anthaxia (Cratomerus) gebhardti Obenberger, 1924 (Bílý 1997).

Anthaxia cytheraea Obenberger, 1931: 102; syn. nov. type locality: Afrika Rhodesia (Zimbabwe).

Anthaxia (Cratomerus) cytherea Obenberger, 1931 (Bílý 1997).

Anthaxia gedyei, female, Théry, manuscript name.

Type material examined. A. gebhardti: Lectotype, female (lectotype here designated): Inter Marti / et Arusha [printed white label] // Afrika or / Katona [printed white label] // Typus [printed red label] // Anthaxia Type / gebhardti / det. Dr. Obenberger [white label, partly written] // Mus. Nat. Pragae/ inv. 22790 [yellow label, partly written] // Lectotype / Anthaxia (Crat.) gebhardti / Obenberger, 1924 / M. Obořil & P. Baňař des. 2020 [printed red label] (NMPC); A. cytheraea: lectotype, male (lectotype here designated): Rhodesia [written white label] // Typus [printed red label] // Anthaxia / cytheraea / Type / det. Dr. Obenberger [white label, partly written] // Mus. Nat. Pragae / inv. 22781 [yellow label, partly written] // Anthaxia / (Cratomerus) / cytheraea / Zimb. Obenberger, 1931 / Vít. Kubáň det. 2012 [white label, partly written] // Lectotype / Anthaxia (Crat.) cytheraea / Obenberger, 1931 / M. Obořil & P. Baňař des. 2020 [printed red label] // Anthaxia (Cratomerus) / gebhardti / Obenberger, 1924 / M. Obořil & P. Baňař, 2020 [printed white label] (NMPC).

Further specimens studied. KENYA: KENYA VOI env, 13.-19.11. / Sagala env., 750 m / Snížek 2011., (1♂, 1♀ RUPC); KENYA Eastern / Katutu-Kithioko / 27.xi.1999. / M. Snížek lgt., (1♀ SBPC); Makuyu I. XI. 37 / C. D. Knight / Kenya / No. 810 // Pres. By / Imp. Inst. Ent. / B.M. 1939-358 // IMP INST. / ENTOM // Anthaxia gedyei Théry [partly written] / TYPE // Type [white round label with red margin]; MALAWI: Africa-MALAWI / 4 km S Kasungu / 28.xii.2001 / Jiří Halada lgt., (1 ♀ SBPC); TANZANIA: Tanzania Dodoma N / Dodoma pr. 1300 m. 70 km / 16.xii.2006 / J. Halada lgt., (40 ♂♂, 20 ♀♀ MOCO); Tanzania pr. Dodoma / 70 km N of Dodoma 1350 m / 5°40´N; 35°48´E / L. Hálková lgt., 17.xii.2006. (6 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀ MOCO); C TANZANIA / DODOMA PROV. 1300M / 70 KM N DODOMA / 16.-18.xii.2006 // A. KUDRNA JR LGT., (2 ♂♂, 1♀ SPZC; 1♂, 1♀ MKNC); TANGANYIKA / Dr.Szunyogny / Lavierero // 22.i.1960 (2 ♂♂ SBPC); ZAMBIA: ZAMBIA / Central province / 10k m NE Chibombo / 14.-15.xii.2002 / A. Kudrna lgt., (2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ MOCO; 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀ MKNC); ZAMBIA / 14xii.2002 / F.& L. Kantner lgt., (1 ♂, 1♀ MOCO); ZAMBIA / 10 km E Chimombo / 2.ii.2003 / J. Secký lgt., (1 ♂, 1 ♀ MŠLC); Zambia-S / 10 km SW Choma / 18.XII.2002 / J.Halada leg., (1 ♂ MKNC); ZAMBIA occ. 13.Nov.2006 / Nquluwe env. / 30 km NNE of Kaoma / Zd.Jindra lgt., (1 ♂ MKNC); ZIMBABWE: ZIMBABWE W / S of Harare / Beatrice, Ngezi env. / 10.12.2011 Snížek (1 ♂ RUPC).

Redescription of female lectotype of A. gebhardti (Fig. 1). Total body length 5.4 mm, ratio of the total body length to maximum width 2.88. Head semi-circular, black, with short, recumbent pubecence. Eyes moderately sized, narrower than pronotum in anterior corners. Cell-like sculpture on head surface conspicuous, cells with regularly elevated margins, central grains elongate. Eye 1.16 times as wide as vertex. Antennae very short, reaching the middle of pronotum when laid alongside, blackish with green tinge.

Pronotum rectangular, wider than long (ratio length to its maximum width 0.76); widest in the middle of its length, with very narrow collar on its anterior bisinuate margin, without pubescence. Posterior pronotal corners obtuse-angled, about 110°. Pronotum in posterior half with very shallow impressions, starting before hind corners reaching almost to the middle of pronotum length. Pronotal impressions with very fine sculpture, composed of (1) fine points running in the form of wrinkles towards blackish central part of the pronotum and (2) running in the form of polygonal cells with inner wrinkles and inconspicuous central grain. Pronotum laterally golden-green, its central part (ca 50% of surface) black with narrow blue middle line. Scutellum cordiform, blackish with blue tinge, with fine microsculpture.

Elytra narrow, 2.38 times longer than wide, conspicuously narrowed in the middle of their length, abdominal tergites partly laterally visible. Elytra asetose. Humeral angles very small, not exceeding elytra outline. Sculpture very finely granulose. Apices of elytra finely serrate. Elytra blackish with blue tinge.

Ventral surface. Pro-, meso- and metasternum bronze, with sparse whitish pubescence, sculpture composed of oval cells with central grains. First ventrite bronze in the middle, towards lateral margins blackish, with sparse whitish pubescence. Other ventrites (with exception of anal ventrite) black, with whitish pubescence becoming denser towards lateral margins. Anal ventrite bronze, its lateral margins serrate, apex truncate, with regularly distributed white setae. Anal ventrite inconspicuously convex apically (Fig. 26).

Legs slender, straight, black with greenish tinge, with fine pubescence.

Variation Observed colour variability in other female specimens available for the study: 1) golden stripe around eyes; 2) variable wideness of central stripe of pronotum, varying from blue to green colour; 3) lateral margins of pronotum from golden-green to golden reddish; 4) elytra black with blue or green tinge.

Male (Figs 3, 7, 11, 15). Frons green, vertex blackish. Pronotum green with two wide, black longitudinal stripes. Elytra blackish-green, with green stripe along elytral suture, widening posteriorly from half of its length; sculpture in the green stripe smother than in the rest of elytral surface.

Venter of thorax and first ventrite green, rest of the ventrites very dark green. Lateral margins of anal ventrite (Fig. 27) finely serrate with truncate apex. Legs green. Fore tibia (Fig. 18) on outer margin serrate.All tibiae on inner margins curved, smooth. Generally shape of all the body parts same as in females, no colour variability observed.

Aedeagus (Fig. 22) slender, small, weakly sclerotized, 4.54 times as long as wide. Parameres narrow, widest across apices (ratio length to maximum width 2.78), each apex with four conspicuous setae.