Species Pachyschelus fisheri

Pachyschelus fisheri Vogt, 1949a

9 spp. n. of Mex. (1)

Length is 2.6-3.0 mm,

the greatest width is 1.7 mm at base of pronotum. (2)

"This is a distinct buprestid beetle, not likely to be confused with similar species. ... The body is flattened and broadly wedge-shaped. The head and pronotum are copper-colored, the later with a narrow vague band of pubescence on each side at base. The scutellum and elytra are bright metallic blue, the latter with a distinct band of pubescence at apical third. The scutellum is large and triangular (as is typical of the genus)." (2)

apparently known from a single locality in southwestern Cameron County, Texas - Map (3)

3 mi. E Santa Maria, Cameron County, Texas. (2)

Number of compiled Texas collecting events by month:

June (1), July (1), August (2), September (2). Not collected since 1947. (2)

larvae mine the leaves of myrtle-croton - Bernardia myricifolia (Euphorbiaceae) (Vogt 1949b)

while rearing this sp., Vogt (1949b) frequently obtained instead a chalcidoid parasite which Mr. A. B. Gahan identified as Conura near odontotae (Howard).

"The only known material for this species is that originally collected by George Vogt, either collected from the foliage of Bernardia myricaefolia (Euphorbiaceae) or reared from the leaves of this plant." (2)

Type Depository: USNM (1)

Texas considers this to be a "Species of Greatest Conservation Need" (SGCN) (4)

Riley, E.G. & J.E. King. 2009. Element record datasheets submitted to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Wildlife Division, Austin. (2)

Vogt, G.B. 1949a. Five new Buprestidae from south Texas (Coleoptera). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 42(1): 48-54.

Vogt, G.B. 1949b. A biologically annotated list of the Buprestidae of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 42(2): 191-202.

Type Info - Smithsonian