6 Jewel beetle at Dunlop, ACT
Identification history
| Temognatha thoracica | 23 Jul 2025 | MarkH | ||
| Temognatha sanguinipennis | 23 Jul 2025 | MichaelBedingfield | ||
| Temognatha thoracica | 11 Mar 2021 | KimPullen | ||
| Temognatha sp. (genus) | 19 Feb 2021 | Harrisi | ||
| Unverified | 18 Feb 2021 | kasiaaus |
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Significant sighting
MichaelMulvaney noted:
15 Mar 2021
Ist electronic record of this species in our region and only about 20 national records in Atlas of Living Australia
User's notes
It was a very large beetle. I would estimate at least 4cm long. It's a pity that it was a bit damaged.
11 comments
Harrisi
wrote:
19 Feb 2021
Far out! and well done Kasia. I am literally green now! This may be one for Kimberi but it definitely is in the genus Temognatha, my guess initially would be T. sanguiniventris. Have scanned the available (uncomprehensive) resources available and will need to send pic onto others...
KimPullen
wrote:
19 Feb 2021
Nice! Could be Temognatha sanguiniventris, or T. thoracica. Further investigation needed.
kasiaaus
wrote:
19 Feb 2021
Thanks Stuart and Kim. I wish I had known how unusual it was when I found it. I went there again this morning but it is gone now :-(
MatthewFrawley
wrote:
23 Jul 2025
This sighting was featured on Facebook in 2021 and this comment was made today from Allen Sundholm:
This is Temognatha sanguiniventris.
This is Temognatha sanguiniventris.
MichaelBedingfield
wrote:
23 Jul 2025
Hello @entom2 ... can you confirm this suggestion of Temognatha sanguinipennis
MarkH
wrote:
23 Jul 2025
This is 100% a Temognatha thoracica. Definitely not T. sanguinipennis which is a narrower species with a different apical mark.
I have compared the photos with my collection and it matches thoracica exactly.
I have compared the photos with my collection and it matches thoracica exactly.
entom2
wrote:
23 Jul 2025
Yes, I confirm that this is definitely Temognatha sanguiniventris (not Temognatha sanguinipennis). Stuart, you had it right. Mark, it sounds like you may have specimens of Temognatha sanguiniventris in your collection that have been misidentified as Temognatha thoracica. I agree though that this it is not Temognatha sanguinipenns which is very different indeed - that's another story. Anyway, compared to Temognatha thoracica, (a) the specimen in the photos in this post has shorter elytra, is flatter and is differently shaped, when looking from above, to Temognatha thoracica; (b) has distinctly explanate margins to the pronotum whereas in Temognatha thoracica the pronotal margins are more rounded, and (c) displays the graduated marginal elytral colouring that is often seen in Temognatha sanguiniventris but is not seen in Temognatha thoracica. I have encountered both species and others and have good series of specimens of both Temognatha thoracica and Temognatha sanguiniventris and readily relate that some curated specimens of Temognatha thoracica remind one of Temognatha sanguiniventris, but never the other way around. Their body shapes, pronotal margin shapes, and colour shadings, all differ. Once you 'get your eye in' with finding specimens of both species in what little is left of the wild they become quite easy to determine to species, and consequently likewise with curated specimens. Cheers, Allen M. Sundholm.
MarkH
wrote:
23 Jul 2025
T. thoracica and T. sanguiniventris can have very similar patterns however the pattern on the specimen shown is a lot closer to thoracica than to sanguiniventris which generally has a smaller apical mark than that shown.
The other differences between the two species are the pronotal shape (as Allen pointed out), overall size (thoracica is a larger species), shape (sanguiniventris is a generally a bit broader than thoracica), and the length of the first tarsal segment on the rear tarsa (in thoracica this is significantly longer).
It would be easy to identify this specimen if there was a photo from directly above however based on the photos at hand it could easily be argued it could be either thoracica or sanguiniventris.
While the original observer stated that the specimen was approximately 4cm long (which would make this thoracica size - sanguiniventris is 25-30mm) I agree with Allen that the first photo suggests a body shape more like sanguiniventris (but apical mark like thoracica). This may be due to the angle of the photo. The two photos showing the rear tarsa are equally not conclusive however if anything the first segment does look somewhat elongated.
So I am still leaning to thoracica rather than sanguiniventris however without the specimen or other photos I don’t believe a firm decision can be made.
The other differences between the two species are the pronotal shape (as Allen pointed out), overall size (thoracica is a larger species), shape (sanguiniventris is a generally a bit broader than thoracica), and the length of the first tarsal segment on the rear tarsa (in thoracica this is significantly longer).
It would be easy to identify this specimen if there was a photo from directly above however based on the photos at hand it could easily be argued it could be either thoracica or sanguiniventris.
While the original observer stated that the specimen was approximately 4cm long (which would make this thoracica size - sanguiniventris is 25-30mm) I agree with Allen that the first photo suggests a body shape more like sanguiniventris (but apical mark like thoracica). This may be due to the angle of the photo. The two photos showing the rear tarsa are equally not conclusive however if anything the first segment does look somewhat elongated.
So I am still leaning to thoracica rather than sanguiniventris however without the specimen or other photos I don’t believe a firm decision can be made.
kasiaaus
wrote:
3 Aug 2025
Thanks everyone. @MarkH, I have replaced one of the photos with one that I think is directly from above. I hope it helps.
MarkH
wrote:
3 Aug 2025
Thanks kasiaaus, that’s certainly very helpful and I’ll compare with specimens of both species next week when I’m home.
entom2
wrote:
2 Nov 2025
Yep, the top-down pic reinforces my view this is Temognatha sanguiniventris, by the explanate pronotal margins, the size of the gap between the spines at the elytral apices, the overall body shape, and its colouring (which varies but this is certainly within parameters). I might add that Fabian Douglas concurs that this is definitely Temognatha sanguiniventris. Cheers!
Location information
- Coordinates 149.016373-35.192098
- Altitude 565.8m
- Places Dunlop, ACT
Sighting information
- At least 1 Abundance
- 17 Feb 2021 02:53 PM Recorded on
- kasiaaus Recorded by
-
Collections
kasiaaus NatureMapr Canberra & Southern Tablelands Jewel beetles (Buprestidae) Beetles (Coleoptera) Insects Temognatha thoracica Significant
Additional information
- 25mm to 50mm Animal size
Species information
- Temognatha thoracica Scientific name
- Jewel beetle Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Rare or uncommon native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 856m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Description
- Additional attributes