Meliboeus species

Niehuis, Manfred, 2020, A review of the jewel beetles of the genus Meliboeus in Israel (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), Israel Journal of Entomology (Oxford, England) 50 (2), pp. 159-176 : 161-162

Key to the Meliboeus species from Israel

1 Antennal segments from segment VI to apex transversely dentate, thus antennal club consists of six segments. Dorsal and ventral side bronze coloured with rather long and small squamose hairs forming white spots on enlarged bases of metacoxae.............................................................................................. halperini

– Antennal segments from antennal segment V to apex transversely dentate, thus antennal club is composed of seven segments. Coloration of dorsal and ventral side variable, vestiture at ventral part of different pattern.................................2

2 Antennal groove under lateral border of pronotum abruptly ends exactly at its midlength, where sharp keel meets border of pronotum at acute angle and merges with it. With or without unpaired onychium between claws..............................3

– Antennal groove flattens out distally without sharp edge; sharp keel does not merge with border of pronotum, but runs parallel next to border up to hind edge of pronotum. Without unpaired onychium between the claws...........................4

3 Protarsus with two long claws, without unpaired onychium between them. Pronotum transversely evenly convex. Elytra bronze coloured with sparse, extremely short white hairs ..................................................................................... aureolus

– Protarsus with two short claws, with unpaired onychium between them. Posterior margins of red-cupreous or greenish pronotum flattened, concave. Elytra black with short, thin, bright shining hair................................................... fulgidicollis

4 Prementum completely undivided or more or less deeply excavated. Ventral side of pronotum under its margin always without antennal grooves. Lateral parts of pronotum more or less broadly flattened. Body elongated-oval, metallic blue to blue-green...........................................................................................................5

– Prementum completely divided into two widely distant semicircular lobes. Epipleura of the pronotum excavated forming antennal groove. Pronotum transversely convex up to border. Body cylindrical, Agrilus -shaped, bronze coloured, at most with slight greenish hue.....................................................................................7

5 Hairs on elytra extremely short, dot-like. Pronotum shagreened, with weak silky lustre. Penis from base to apex doubling in width, at apex abruptly narrowed, with short small median tip.................................................................. adlbaueri

– Hairs on elytra longer, semi-erected or recurved. Pronotum stronger shining, smooth. Penis slightly wider toward its apex and with narrowed, short, small median tip.......................................................................................................... 6

6 Hairs on elytra semi-erected, stout, not curved backward at apex. Tibiae cupreous. Lateral parts of penis (in cross-section) impressed, concave, apex of penis points down.......................................................................................................... oliveri

– Hairs on elytra recurved at apex, thus appearing ‘woolly’. Tibiae black to plumbeous. Lateral parts of penis (in cross-section) convex, apex of penis points straight.................................................................................................... parvulus

7 Claws of all tarsi without basal denticle .............................................. monnerati

– Claws of all tarsi with slender basal denticle, 0.3–0.5× as long as claw...........8

8 Last four antennomeres with distal angle drawn into elongated pointed extensions. Hairs on dorsal and ventral sides small, squamous, white, condensed in grooves of pro- and metacoxae, on outer margins of metacoxae, on epipleura of both first sternites and/or on metapleura, forming white spots.........................................9

– Last four antennal segments with distal angle drawn into massive blunt extensions. Hairs sometimes bright or white, but thin and inconspicuous, on ventral part of thorax not forming white spots........................................................................10

9 Hind angles of pronotum diagonally trimmed and obtuse, lateral margin often slightly concave, with secondary edge, also obtusely-angled, immediately adjacent to true hind edge. Aedeagus broadest at midpoint, from there to its apex wedgeshapely narrowing, also narrowing toward base. Lateral lobes of sensitive part reach to the top of aedeagus or even surpass it. Apex of penis conically narrowed and rounded, without longitudinal dorsal groove ................................... heydeni

– Hind angles of pronotum without secondary edge, right-angled to obtuse. Sensory lobes of aedeagus without prominent lateral lobes.Aedeagus broadest subapically. Apex of penis broad, with small longitudinal dorsal groove .... aeratus hoscheki

10 Gibbosity of pronotum ends posteriorly in fine tip at level of pronotal posterior angles. Apex of penis attenuated in shape of pipette. Parameres firmly fused, heavily sclerotized, dark, at apex rounded, pliers-like............................... guyoti

– Gibbosity of pronotum rounded posteriorly, without fine tip reaching basal third of pronotum......................................................................................................11

11 Apex of penis attenuated in shape of pipette. Parameres firmly fused, heavily sclerotized, dark, at apex rounded, pliers-like. Body length 0.5–0.8 mm ........... .............................................................................................................. sinaiticus

– Apex of penis broadly rounded. Parameres separated into two sclerites, medially weakly sclerotized, nearly transparent (aedeagus visible), with single contact point in apical third. Body length 0.5–1.1 mm ................................................12

12 Pronotum impressed medio-laterally, before middle, with lateral margin straight to slightly concave. Pronotum appears parallel-sided with right-angled outline. Fourth antennomere bearing weak tooth, not always well developed. Body length 0.7–1.1 mm ................................................................................... impressithorax

– Pronotum not impressed medio-laterally, with lateral margin rounded at midlength. Fourth antennomere more or less symmetrical, with slight conical enlargement, nearly cylindrical. Body length 0.5–0.8 mm ..................................... alfierianus