Genus Pyrestes Pascoe

Pyrestes Pascoe, 1857, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., ser 2, 4 : 96 (type-species : P. eximius Pasc., 1857) loc. cit.; 1869, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., ser 3, 3 : 576. - Gahan, 1906b, Fauna British India, Col. 1 : 227 - Aurivillius, 1912, Coleopt. Cat., 39 : 289, - Gressitt, 1951c, Longicornia 2, 184. - Grissitt & Rondon, 1970, Pac. Ins. Monogr., 24: 182.

Pyresthes: Lacordaire, 1869, Gen. Col., 8 : 520 (loc. cit.).

Diagnostic characters : frons short, vertical; gena and clypeus moderately long; antennae serrate, shorter than body in , subequal to body length in ; segment 5 - 10 very complanate and strongly angulate ectoapically, less so on 3 & 4; antennal insertion approximate; prothorax oblongcylindrical, 2 X as long as broad; elytra sinuate at base, disc glossy, punctate, very convex from side to side; legs very short, not extended beyond second abdominal segment.

Key to species of Pyrestes in Sarawak

1.    Elytra punctate; antennal segment 5 first triangular segment; sterna of thorax coarsely punctate; epipleura of elytra notched at base. ................... 2
Elytra impunctate, glossy; antennal segment 4 first triangular segment; all sterna of thorax sparsely punctulate; epipleura of elytra curved at base - politus PASCOE, 1866

2(l)  Head and prothorax black; elytra entirely vermilion red; sterna of thorax black; abdomen red; prothorax closely and transversely rugose; apical antennal segments produced externally only; elytra punctate, subglossy. - eximius PASCOE, 1857
Head black; entire prothorax black with 2 longitudinal stripes side of median; elytra vermilion red except suture, shoulder and apex black; ventral of thorax and abdomen black; prothorax coarsely punctate; apical antennal segment bilaterally produced; elytra coarsely puncto­reticulate; epipleura strongly produced and mucronate at apex. - virgatus PASCOE, 1866

 

Pyrestes politus PASCOE

Pyrestes politus Pascoe, 1866, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 516.

Pyrestes polita : Aurivillius, 1912, Coleopt. Cat., 39 : 289.

Entire head, antennae, prothorax, scutellum, ventral of thorax and entire legs black; elytra glossy vermilion red except a black patch at apex, marginal and sutural edge bordered with fuscous; abdomen red.

Head exserted and broad below eyes, narrower than prothorax on elytra; gena long, parallel-sided, sparsely punctulate; clypeus long, 2 fovea side of middle below frons, coarsely punctate; frons with 2 median carinae; acutely concave side to side between antennal insertion, behind it a deep pit. Antenna shorter than body, extended to 1/3 or 1/2 of elytra; covered with dense adpressed tomentum; strongly complanate; scape coarsely and irregularly rugulose, subasperate; segment 3 shorter than scape; 4 the first triangular segment; 5 -10 strongly produced externally and angulate ectoapically. Prothorax 1.5 X as long as broad; base wider than apex; side weakly convex and narrower towards apex; disc glossy, nitid, impunctate; anterior of pronotum with several transverse wrinkle or striate; basimedian with short parallel rugulose. Scutellum small; oblong; very convex; impubis. Elytron 7.3 X as long as width at base; humeral angle elevated with a small protuberance side of scutellum; parallel-sided at 1/3 from base, remaining 2/3 gradually widen and curved; apex feebly truncate with a strong and stout sutural spine; disc glossy, nitid, blackish minute spots as if embeded; epipleura wide, prominent. Undersurfaces : sterna glossy, impubis; metasternum sparsely punctulate. Legs : femora short, fusiform.

Measurement : Length 17.0 mm; breadth 3.5 mm (base), 4.5 (apex) 

Distribution : Sarawak; Peninsular Malaysia (Penang)

Material examined : 1 specimen in SM Coll. : Mt. Sibau, Balai Ringin Protected Forest, Samarahan Div., V-VI.1902.

 

Pyrestes eximius PASCOE

Pyrestes eximus Pascoe, 1857, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., ser 2, 4 : 96, pl. 22, fig. 3. (loc. cit.).; 1869, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., ser 3, 3 : 576.

Pyrestes eximia: Aurivillius, 1912, Coleopt. Cat., 39 : 289.

Mandible, labrum and clypeus pitchy; head, antennae, pronotum, scutellum black; sterna of thorax and legs black; elytra and abdomen bright vermilion red.

Head strongly exserted; clypeus with 2 deep fovea side of median, coarsely punctate; frons deeply and strongly punctate, tomentose; not raised between antennal insertion but inner antennifer margin acutely inclinate and tuberculate; gena very long; gula transversely rugose; vertex with a short glabrous median carina between upper eye lobe; neck moderately long, glossy and sparsely punctate. Antenna extended to 1/2 of elytra; scape closely and deeply punctate, pubescence decumbent; segment 3 & 4 wide at apex; segment 5 first triangular segment; 5 - 10 produced laterally and angulate ectoapically; 5-7 more strongly produced than 8 - 10. Prothorax 1.5 X to 2 X as long as broad; wide at base, gradually narrow to apex; disc very transversely rugulose, rugulae close and subparallel with interspace sometimes sparsely punctate. Elytron 6.3 X as long as width at base; side gradually widen and broadly rounded at apex; apex not spine; disc with a submedian glabrous costate extended beyond middle; surface between costate and suture planate, outer half convex; tip of apex abruptly convex, punctate, piliferous and subpubescent; lateral deflexion over metathorax strongly notched. Undersurfaces : mesosternum and episternum of metathorax closely punctulate; metasternum coarsely puncto-striate. Legs : femora fusiform-clavate.

Measurement : Length 14.0 - 16.0 mm; breadth 2.7 - 3.5 mm

Distribution : Sarawak

Material examined : 7 specimens in SM Coll. : Limbang, Limbang Div., 11.IV.1910; Penrissen, Kuching Div., V.1899; Matang Road, Kuching Div., 31.III.1912; Matang Road, Kuching Div., 23.III.1912; Matang Raod, Kuching Div., 30.III.1912; Mt. Merinjak (2200 ft), 24.V.1910; Matang Road, Kuching Div., 30.III.1912.

 

Pyrestes virgatus PASCOE 

Pyrestes virgatus Pascoe, 1866, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 517, pl.42, fig. 4. 

Pyrestes virgata: Aurivillius, 1912, Coleopt. Cat., 39 : 289.

Entire head black; antennae fuscous-castaneous; prothorax black with 2 longitudinal vermilion red stripes side of median; scutellum black; elytra vermilion red with shoulder, suture and apical tip black; sterna of thorax black; abdomen and legs black tinge with castaneous.

Head grooved between antennal inserion, concave side to side; clypeus coarsely punctate, strongly incised at sides below antennal support near to gena, median with an elevated surface; neck coarsely punctate. Antenna shorter than body; scape punctate, not very asperate; segment 5 - 10 strongly complanate; 5 first triangular segment, angulate ectoapically; 6 & 7 produced externally, acutely angulate ectoapically, endoapical roundly dentate; 8 - 10 bilaterally more produced, widen to apex, dentate ecto- and endoapically; terminal segment dentate preapically at both lateral sides, apex acuminate. Prothorax 2 X as long as broad; coarsely punctate; apex as wide as base. Elytron 6 X as long as  width at base; disc coarsely puncto-reticulate; apex conjointly rounded; epipleura produced, mucronate at apex. Undersurfaces : pronotum coarsely and deeply reticulo-punctate; mesosternum and episternum of metathorax densely punctulate; metasternum. coarsely punctate.

Measurement : Length 11.0 - 12.0 mm; breadth 2.0 - 2.5 mm

Distribution : Sarawak; Peninsular Malaysia (Penang)

Material examined : 5 specimens in SM Coll. : Mt. Matang (3100 ft), Kuching Div., 22.V.1910; Mt. Merinjak (2200 ft), 23.V.1914; Limbang, Limbang, Div., 11.IV.1910; Quop, Samarahan Div., III.1914; Lundu, Kuching Div., 21.X.1909.