Forum Entomologi Italiani

Prasinalia imperialis

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Vahe Martirosyan

... or Prasinalia cuneata? Not so easy to discriminate by photo.

P. cuneata is usually dark blueish black or greenish black. My two specimens of P. imperialis from Imperial County, Glamis (about 1 km East of Algodones Dunes, so probably collected in the same place) are dark coppery black, very similar to your specimen, so I think the identification is right.

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Maurizio Gigli
http://utenti.romascuola.net/bups
http://bup.xoom.it/

According to Nelson G. H. & Bellamy C. L. (1996) A revision of the subtribe Hippomelanina Hippomelas, Prasinalia, Gyascutus, and Barrellus, gen. nov. Journal of Natural History 30, 861-911 imperialis "is so closely similar to P. cuneata (Horn) that only the differences will be indicated. Colour iridescent reddish-coppery with about 10% having a greenish tint;
pubescence more dense; and pronotum usually more densely punctate. The differences in clypeal shape and in punctation of the prosternal process mentioned by Barr (1969) are not reliable when long series are available."

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Vahe Martirosyan

In my opinion this is imperialis for sure.

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Vahe Martirosyan

It is also my opinion.

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Maurizio Gigli
http://utenti.romascuola.net/bups
http://bup.xoom.it/

Thank you!

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Vahe Martirosyan