Anambodera
An undescribed species of jewel beetle in the Anambodera, collected from Nothing, Arizona. The specimen resembles A. gemina but differs in multiple characters including coarse elytral punctation and heavily sculptured, bronzed pronotal surface. The genus Anambodera is restricted to western North America and is poorly represented in collections due to cryptic habits; most do not visit flowers but instead alight on rock surfaces or bare soil. The genus is currently undergoing revision by Dennis Haines and George Walters.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Anambodera: /ʌnˈpleɪst ˌʌndɪsˈkraɪbd/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
Distinguished from the closely related and speciose Acmaeodera by: front margin of epistoma not reflexed or plate-like, front angles of pronotum rounded in side view, and visible between 1st and 2nd abdominal sterna. This specimen further differs from A. gemina by its coarse elytral punctation and heavily sculptured, bronzed pronotal surface. The overall gestalt resembles small, vittate Acmaeodera but the pronotal is unlike any in that genus.
Distribution
Known from a single locality: Nothing, Arizona, USA. The Anambodera is restricted to western North America.
Behavior
Unlike Acmaeodera, most Anambodera do not visit flowers. They are instead found alighting on rock surfaces or bare soil, making them more cryptic and poorly represented in collections.
Similar Taxa
- AcmaeoderaResembles small, vittate of this exorbitantly speciose in general appearance, but differs in epistomal structure, pronotal angles, abdominal sternal visibility, and pronotal .
- Anambodera geminaKeys to this but differs in coarse elytral punctation and heavily sculptured, bronzed pronotal surface.
More Details
Taxonomic context
The Anambodera is in need of revision. Dennis Haines and George Walters are currently working on such a revision and have already identified several undescribed species from Arizona material. This specimen will be included in their study.
Collection history
Specimen collected by Paul Kaufman, an amateur collector who has provided numerous new state records and larval records through rearing over many years.
Identification resources
Generic separation follows Barr 1972 (New and of North American Buprestidae, Occasional Papers of the Biological Society of Nevada 39:1–13).