Burnsiellus Levey & Bellamy, 2013, gen. n.

Diagnosis of Burnsiellus gen. n.

Type species: Neobuprestis trisulcata Carter (here designated).

Diagnosis. Medium sized (length 15–20 mm) elongate subcylindrical species flattened above.

Head (Fig. 17): antennal cavities small, approximately circular, downward facing, not fully visible when viewed directly from the front, bordered by a well defined semicircular ridge dorsally, widely separated. Head above eyes (vertex) dorso-ventrally curved, lower part of head between eyes (frons) and clypeal region almost vertical, not separated from one another by a groove or carina; frons almost flat; clypeal region widely shallowly depressed between the antennal cavities; clypeal margin weakly, broadly emarginate at centre, angulate laterally. Anteclypeus not visible. Genae below eyes relatively broad, about one-fifth vertical length of eye. Mandible strongly angled at base. Labium uniformly highly chitinised. Eyes moderate sized, vertical length about 2.5 times maximum width, moderately convergent dorsally, moderately convex when viewed from above.

Antennae (Fig. 19): rather short, when flexed backwards, not reaching the base of the pronotum; 11 segmented with segments 4–10 expanded, sensory pores concentrated in a distal fovea on the inner side of each expanded antennomere.

Pronotum (Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10): wider than long, approximately rectangular, with a broad medial longitudinal depression and a variably developed depression internal of the hind angles in the basal third; lateral carina incomplete, confined to the basal three-quarters.

Scutellum: small, ovoid.

Elytra (Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 26, 28, 29): wider than pronotum; sides bisinuate, the lateral margins without serrations; apices separately subtruncate to obliquely truncate with an irregular margin; disc with four equidistant longitudinal costae, a shorter scutellary costa and a costate sutural margin; punctation between costae without evidence of seriation, but with irregular patches of smaller denser finer punctation, bearing short setae; epipleura moderately broad opposite the mesepimeron, slightly narrowing opposite metepisternum (metanepisternum) before becoming evanescent opposite the hind coxae; deflexed ventrally, separated from disc by fine carina.

Underside: punctate to punctate reticulate.

Prosternum: anterior margin weakly curved, with a complete bead; posternal process flat, without a groove along the lateral margin, lateral margins curved in basal half, before narrowing in apical half, apex broad. Mesosternal cavity broad, reaching the metasternum.

Legs (Figs. 20, 27): tarsal segments 1 and 2 with reduced pulvilli, occupying less than half segment length, those of 3 and 4 less reduced occupying half or more segment length; segment 5 flat club shaped with simple claws, widened at base; metacoxal plate 1½ to 2 times as wide at inner edge as at outer edge. Mid tibia in male strongly swollen in B. trisulcata (Fig. 27), but not in males of the other three species.

Abdomen (Figs. 11, 12, 13): ventrite 1 almost twice as long as 2, which is about as long as 3 and 4; 5 almost twice as long as 4, with apex broadly and shallowly excised, with a flange and well developed lateral spines in 3 (Fig. 11, 13), apex truncate or broadly and shallowly excised in Ƥ (Fig.12).

Ovipositor: elongate.

Aedeagus (Fig. 24): with a narrow basal lobe; lateral margins of parameres subparallel with long sensory setae confined to the apex; median lobe (penis) with the apex produced.

Wing: (Fig. 23): terminology follows that of Lawrence et al. (2010) with terminology of Good (1925) in brackets. Radial cell narrow, elongate; cross-vein r4 (radiomedial crossvein) slightly distal of base of radial cell; veins MP3 (1stA), MP4 (2dA1) and CuA2 (2dA2) fused basally (B. trisulcata) or MP3 (1stA) not fused to MP4 (2dA1) and CuA2 (2dA2) (B. lobatum sp. n.), attached to vein MP1+2 (cubitus); wedge cell (2d-2dA) present, closed.

Etymology. The masculine generic name is dedicated to the late Gordon Burns in recognition of his contributions to Australian coleopterology and particularly buprestology. Gordon will be remembered as an enthusiastic collector and student of entomology, for his well prepared and curated collection and for the many hours of work in the collections of the Museum of Victoria.