Tl IE BUPRESTIDAE AND CLERIDAE OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE (COLEOPTERA) ' William F. Barr" The collecting phases of the comprehensive ecological investiga- tions conducted under the auspices of Brigham Young University at the Nevada Test Site in southern Nye County, Nevada, as reported by AUred. Beck and Jorgensen (1963a) yielded relatively few specimens of the beetle families Buprestidae and Cleridae. This is somewhat surprising inasmuch as these groups are usually considered to be major components of the Coleopterous fauna occurring in the desert and adjacent mountainous areas of the southwestern United States. However, several of the collections that were made do provide new or otherwise significant distributional or bionomical information for some of the species encountered. Therefore, a preliminary listing of the species of these two families taken at the Test Site along with a presentation of the available collection information seems war- ranted at this time. For the exact location of collection sites and areas as listed herein, reference must be made to the papers by Allred. Beck and Jorgensen (1963b) and Knight (1968). Appreciation is expressed to Drs. D. M. Allred and the late D. E. Beck of Brigham Young University for allowing me the oppor- tunity of studying their material. This material was collected under Contracts AT( 11-1) 786 and AT(11-1)1326 between the Atomic Ejiergy Commission and Brigham Young University. Buprestidae Hippomelas {Gyascutus) near obliterata LeConte Specific determination of the 14 specimens taken at the Test Site is not possible at this time. Perhaps they represent one of the several species described by Casey (1909) from southwestern Utah which have been relegated to synonymy in the most recent catalogs. Un- fortunately. Casey's descriptions are not sufficient in their charac- terization of important features to allow identification of the Test Site material and I have not had opportunity to make comparisons with his type material. The Test Site collections were made between July 2 and August 2 in 1960, 1961. and 1962, at 9 and 9.5 miles N of Well 3B in a Coleogyne habitat, in the environs of Well 3B in a Grayia-Lycium 'Published with the approval of tlie Direttor of the Idalio Agi-itullural F,xpcrin\pnt Station js Research Paper No. 780. 'University of Idaho, Moscow. 11 The Great Basin Naturalist 12 WILLIAM F. BARR Vol. XXIX. No. 1 community, at 1 miles NW of Mercury and in the environs of Well 5B in a Larrea-Franseria community. Melanophila consputa LeConte Three large specimens, ranging in length from 12 to 14 mm., were taken in the euAdrons of Mercury on Larrea divaricata (DC.), at 10 miles NW of Mercury and at Ground Zero in a can pit- trap in a Grayia-Lycium community. Collection dates were July 8, 1960. and July 22, 1962, and 1965. M. consputa is known to develop only in coniferous trees, conse- quently the occurrence of specimens in desert areas of the Test Site some distance from a coniferous habitat may seem unusual. How- ever, these specimens probably were attracted to smoke or fumes that were present in the desert areas. Such materials are known to be highly attractive to M. consputa and related species. Melanophila pini-edulis Burke This uncommon species is known from the intermountain West and adjacent regions, but has not been reported specifically from Nevada. One specimen was collected in Area 18 on June 20, 1965, and was associated wdth Pinus monophylla Torrey and Fremont. Anthaxia {Haplanthaxia) deleta deleta LeConte One specimen of this common and wide-ranging subspecies was taken in Area 12 on June 11, 1965, from Cowania stansburiana Torrey in a Juniper-Pinyon community. Chrysobothris cuprascens LeConte Six specimens were collected at Rainier Mesa on June 15, 1964, from Pinus monophylla Torrey and Fremont and Juniperus osteo- sperma (Torrey). They are assigned to C. cuprascens rather than to the closely related C. semisculpta LeConte on the basis of host plan.t association and geographic distribution. According to Fisher (1942) these two species are doubtfully distinct. Chrysobothris arizonica Chamberlin A single specimen, tentatively assigned to this species, was col- lected along the Basalt Area road, 12 miles NW of Tippipah Spring in a Grayia-Lycium community on July 13. 1964. from Baileya pleniradiata Harvey and Gray. The finding of C. arizonica on this plant probably constitutes a visitation rather than a host record. Chrysobothris platti Cazier This species has not been recorded previously from Nevada. One female was collected in the environs of Tippipah Spring on July March 28, 1969 buprestidae & cleridaf. in nkvada 13 23. 1965. from Ephedra viridis (yoville which uncloubtcdly is a host of this beetle. Acmaeodera lanata Horn A single specimen of this well-known southwestern species was collected in Area 16 on June 11, 1965. from Dalea polyadenia Torrey. The larva of this species is known to bore in the roots and lower stems of Ephedra spp. Acmaeodera purshiae Fisher Five specimens of this attractive species were collected. Three were taken in the environs of Tippipah Spring on June 14. 1965, from Fallugia paradoxa (D. Don), one was found 10 miles NW of Mercury on June 20, 1965, on Purshia glandulosa Curran and one was taken in the Mid Valley Area on July 28. 1962, and was associated with P. tridentata (Pursh). This species has been recorded previously from several areas of California and Oregon and from the Reno area of Nevada. Its only known host plant is P. tridentata. Acmaeodera diffusa Barr, n. sp. (Fig. 1) Acmaeodera variegata, auctorum Male. — Medium-sized, moderately robust, black; pronotum blackish-bronze with a small yellow spot at sides immediately be- hind middle; each elytron with four transverse irregular straw- colored spots extending from lateral margin to near suture, first spot in front of basal fourth, second spot in front of middle and anteriorly oblique on disk, third spot in front of apical fourth and anteriorly oblique on disk, fourth spot in front of apex, small and oblique; upper surface moderately clothed with rather long erect and suberect brown hairs; ventral surface and legs moderately clothed with suberect whitish hairs. Head densely punctured, punctures small and deep; vertex with- out a median carina; front convex except upper portion obliquely flattened; clypeus with front margin broadly, subtriangularly emar- ginate; antenna shining, extending to about hind margin of proster- num, serrate from fifth segment, outer segments slightly wider than long. Pronotum slightly less than twice as wide as long, irregularly convex with a shallow transverse depression behind front margin, a small transverse median depression in front of base, a very faintly indicated median longitudinal depression in front of middle and a broad shallow depression surrounding the conspicuous subbasal pits; sides arcuate, widest at about basal third; lateral margins very slightly reflexed. visible from above on anterior half; front margin very broadly and feebly triangularly lobed at middle; surface more The Great Basin Naturalist 14 WILLIAM F. BARR Vol. XXIX, No. 1 coarsely and densely punctured than on head, becoming sub-reticu- late towards sides. Elytra subequal in width to pronotum; disk irregularly de- pressed and flattened except for slightly elevated area near sides at basal fourth and for the narrowly elevated suture on apical three- fourths; sides nearly vertical, when viewed from above, feebly nar- rowing at basal fourth, slightly expanded at middle, and gradually evenly narrowing to conjointly rounded apices; front angles rectan- gular when viewed from the side; lateral margins broadly bisinuate when viewed from the side, most deeply emarginate at basal fourth, coarsely serrate on apical half; surface deeply punctured, slightly roughened at extreme base, strial punctures about subequal to those on thorax becoming smaller apically, interstrial spaces flattened with inconspicuous tiny punctures, third interstrial space feebly elevated, ninth interstrial space elevated at extreme base. Ventral surface. — Thorax coarsely, densely punctured; front margin of prosternum retracted, subtruncate, very slightly reflexed on either side of middle. Abdomen rather finely densely punctured except for first sternite which is more coarsely punctured at middle and along front margin; last sternite short and broad, feebly convex at middle and vsdthout a subapical plate or elevation, margins nar- rowly reflexed, lateral margin straight, oblique, hind margin very broadly rounded. Length. — 8.4 mm.; width, 2.9 mm. Ho lo type, male (California Academy of Sciences) from Highland Range, above Mendha, Lincoln County, Nevada, July 9, 1965 (W. F. Barr) . Two hundred and twenty- three paratypes from type locali- ty July 9, 1965 (W. F. Barr and R. L. Westcott), and June 25, 1966 (E. J. Allen, W. F. Barr, D. S. Horning, Jr., R. L. Westcott and R. L. Penrose), most specimens collected from the flowers of Opuntia sp. and Sphaeralcea sp., others on the flowers of Chaenactis sp., Garrea sp. and Calochortus sp. One paratype from Nevada Test Site, Mer- cury, Nevada, June 11, 1965. on Viguiera multiflora (Nutt.) Blake. Ten paratypes from Pine Valley, Washington County, Utah. June 2. 1960 (Verity and Raven), and from the same locality. 31 para- types, June 12 and 14, 1961 (D. W. Davis and B. Haws), one para- type June 25, 1948, and one paratype June 27, 1933 (J. T. Howell). Paratypes in the collections of the American Museum of Natural History, California Academy of Sciences, IjOs Angeles County Museum, U. S. National Museum, Brigham Young University, Uni- versity of Idaho, Utah State University; W. F. Barr, F. M. Beer, D. S. Horning. Jr., J. N. Knull, G. H. Nelson, R. L. Penrose, D. S. Verity, and R. L. Westcott. Many additional specimens have been examined which have not been designated as paratypes. Distributional information from these specimens is as follows: Arizona: Betatakin Cyn.; Navajo National Monument; Grand Canyon; Jacob L^ake; Kayenta, Navajo County; Navajo Mt., Navajo County; Prescott; and near Williams. Colo- March 28, 1969 buprestidae & cleridae in Nevada 15 Fig. 1. Acmaeodera diffusa, new species, dorsal view of holotype. RADO: Durango; Glenwood Springs; Meeker; and Mesa Verde. Utah: American Fork Canyon; Aspen Grove. Timpanogos; Beaver Canyon; Beaver Cr., Kamas; Bryce Canyon; Cainville; City Cr. Canyon; Dugway; Emigration Canyon, Salt Lake County; Escalante; Farmington, Davis County; Fort Douglas; Fruita; (ilendale. Tlanks- ville; Indianola; Jordan River; Lehi; Little Cottonwood Canyon, Wasatch Mountains; Mount Dell Cr.. Salt Lake City; Mt. Nebo. Juab County; Mt. Timpanogos; North Fork of Provo Canyon; Oak Creek Canyon; Ogden; Park City; Parley's Canyon; The Pass. Table Cliff Mountain. Garfield County; Pay son Canyon, Utah County; Provo; Provo Canyon; Red Butte; Rock Canyon, Provo; St. George; The Great Basin Naturalist 16 WILLIAM F. BARR Vol. XXIX. No. 1 Salt Lake; Salt Lake City; Spanish Fork; Stockton; Vivian Park; Wasatch Mountains; Zion Lodge; Zion National Park. A. diffusa is a well-known species that has a wide distribution range in the western United States. It is especially abundant in the Intermountain Regions. In most of the literature and in most collec- tions it is referred to as A. variegata LeConte, but that name must be utilized for another distantly related species that occurs in New- Mexico and Arizona. This species may be separated from other known species by the lack of a subapical plate or elevation on the shortened and broadly rounded last abdominal sternite, by the irregularly flattened elytral disk and by the coarsely and densely, nearly cribrately punctured pronotmn which usually is of a dark bronzy color. The yellowish elytral markings, consisting of three pairs of fasciae and a pair of subapical spots, although distinctive, are variable. These markings usually are irregular and interrupted at the suture, but may be broken, reduced or greatly expanded. The pronotal spots also are of a variable nature. They exhibit considerable difference in size, may be present on one side of the pronotum or may be entirely absent. In the case of the type series these spots are present on approximate- ly 70 percent of the specimens. Acmaeodera sp. Four specimens belonging to the retifer species complex were taken in an Artemisia community 4.4 miles S of Tippipah Spring and at Tippipah Spring on June 13, 1964. They were found on Argemone corymnosa (Greene) and Eriogonum fasciculatum Benth. The retifer complex is in need of a thorough taxonomic study before names can be assigned to its many populations that occur in the Pacific Coast and intermountain states. Acmaeodera immaculata Horn One specimen of this widespread Great Basin and Mohave Desert inhabitant was collected 4.4 miles S of Tippipah Spring in an Artemisia community. It was found on Baileya pleniradiata Harvey and Gray. In southern Idaho A. immaculata is known to develop only in the roots of Eurotia lanata (Pursh), but adults are frequent- ly encountered on the flowers of a variety of plants including the Compositae. Agrilus pubifrons Fisher This species, previously known from southern Idaho and eastern Oregon, is recorded from Nevada for the first time. Four specimens were taken at the Test Site in Area 12 and in Area 18 on June 11, July 27 and August 7. 1965, on Chrysothamnus visidiflorus (Hook.), C. parryi (A. Gray) and Grayia spinosa (Hook.). C. viscidiflorus is its only known host plant. . March 28. 19()9 buphkstidak & clkkidak in nkvada 17 Agrilus felix Horn One specimen, tentatively identified as this species by J. N. Knull, was collected at 4.5 miles SE of Well 5B on luric 11. l