Species Xanthonia marquai

Davis Mountain Xanthonian

Xanthonia marquai Riley & Quinn, 2019

named to honor of David G. Marqua (1924–2017), beetle collector and Davis Mountains’ resident. Dave’s former residence at 5,800 ft. in the Davis Mountains is likely the best entomologically-known locale in the Davis Mountains, due to his personal collecting efforts, his warm friendly nature, and his long-standing invitation to countless insect collectors. (1)

large, length 3.9–4.9 mm (1)

Elytra of uniform brownish coloration, hairs uniformly pale brownish and integument of uniform medium brown color (1)

ground color of dorsum uniformly medium brownish, elytral hairs uniformly light yellow-brown, venter medium brown; ventral tooth of profemur large; lateral margins of all ventrites entire; median lobe of male genitalia long and narrow, evenly tapered to non-incised apex (1)

known only from the Davis Mountains of w. Texas, specifically from Dave Marqua's former residence and the Madera Canyon rest stop, 30.70613°N, 104.10484°W. (1)

June, July and September. (1)

likely a juniper specialist. Most of the type specimens were beaten from a single unidentified juniper tree having the general habitus of Juniperus ashei. One specimen was beaten from Juniperus deppeana (1)

Type Locality: TEXAS: Jeff Davis Co., Davis Mts. Resort, 5,800 ft., (Marqua residence), 30.62842°N, 104.08360°W, VI-26–27-2010, E. G. Riley, beating Juniperus sp. (1)

Very close to X. vagans with which it shares most characters except the coloration (1)

- Range: AZ to c. TX

Det. E. G. Riley, 2010

Riley, E.G., D.M. Weisman, and M.A. Quinn. 2019. A taxonomic review of the Xanthonia species occurring in Texas (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Eumolpinae). Zootaxa 4668(1): 001–029. (1)