Species Haplorhynchites quadripennis

Haplorhynchites quadripennis (Fall)

Orig. Comb: Rhynchites quadripennis Fall 1929

quadripennis = 'square-winged' [refers to the nearly quadrate elytra(1)]

3.1-4.0 mm(1)

Black with bluish, greenish, and purpurescent reflections, extremities of legs and antennae somewhat paler, to the naked eye varying from a rosy-bronze head and pronotum with a metallic green elytra to a black or greenish-black head and pronotum with a highly purpurescent elytra; above and below with rather long dark setae. Very similar to H. eximius but usually distinct by the dense punctures of the head and pronotum, quadrate elytra, relatively long pubescence, and smaller size.(1)

AZ, c. to s. TX - Map (1)(2)

recorded hosts: Baccharis sp. in TX, Salix sp. in AZ(1)

Described from two examples, probably males, sent me many years ago as hirtus. If my memory serves me they were collected by Rauterberg and probably near New Braunfels. (Fall, 1929)

In general appearance this species is most like eximius and hirtus.

It agrees nearly with the former in color but differs decisively by the very long indexed tooth of the tarsal claws.

Hirtus has similarly toothed claws but the general form is more elongate, the color deep blue, the eyes more distant, the head without the deep interocular channel.

In quadripennis the elytra are only about 1/10 longer than wide; in eximius the length is about while in hirtus it is 2/5 to 1/2 greater than the width. (Fall, 1929)

Fall, H.C. 1929. New North American species of Rhynchites (Coleoptera). Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 24: 292-294. (Full Text)

Type - MCZ, Harvard