Unidentified jewel beetle at Pialligo, ACT
Identification history
| Melobasis sp. (genus) | 3 Oct 2025 | entom2 | ||
| Buprestidae sp. (family) | 3 Oct 2025 | MarkH | ||
| Buprestidae sp. (family) | 3 Oct 2025 | MichaelBedingfield | ||
| Unverified | 3 Oct 2025 | MichaelBedingfield |
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User's notes
Kowen Woodland
5 comments
MarkH
wrote:
3 Oct 2025
It’s definitely a Buprestid and , being on Dillwynia, is likely to be either a Melobasis, Diphucrania or Ethonion. I would lean towards a Diphucrania at this stage however without better pictures it may have to remain a mystery
entom2
wrote:
3 Oct 2025
Hi Michael, hi Mark, I propose Melobasis sp., possibly Melobasis thoracicus due to the purplish colour. I propose it is at least in Melobasis, not being Ethonion as there is no deep sulcus (groove) whatsoever on the frons between the eyes (a deep sulcus on the frons is diagnostic for all species in Ethonion, a function of the bulbous shape of the eyes), and, though difficult to tell, not Diphucrania as there is no obvious carina on the pronotum laterally, such being present in Diphucrania, nor a shallow sulcus or depressed area between the eyes which is present in Diphucrania. In fact this specimen has no depressed area between the eyes at all. Also, the broad frons (space between the eyes at the front of the head) and which appears to be without a depression and is either flattened or even slightly convex also suggests Melobasis. Happy to be corrected of course. Try to find other specimens, and if you find any try to take some pics looking straight above the specimen if you can. Cheers! Allen M. Sundholm.
MichaelBedingfield
wrote:
4 Oct 2025
Hi Allen. It is not possible for me to find other specimens. These photos were taken a year ago at a site that is distant from home.
entom2
wrote:
4 Oct 2025
Hi Michael, understand perfectly! Melobasis thoracica, if that is what this is, has a wide distribution in the SE of Oz (a single record in the Atlas of Living Australia - ALA - of its purported occurrence at 'King George Sound', i.e. Albany, in southern WA, is extremely dubious as to such provenance and will require confirmation), so it very likely occurs near to wherever you live, in case you get a chance to go look. Especially look for it on the foliage of Acacia spp., (around Sydney it favours Acacia fimbriata but it might favour a different Acacia sp. in your area). Here is a link to the species on Dr Peter Lang's absolutely brilliant web page for this species: https://syzygium.xyz/buprestidae/species.php?species=Melobasis_thoracica
Location information
- Coordinates 149.352422-35.323806
- Altitude 769.1m
- Maps Kowen Woodland
- Places Pialligo, ACT
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 26 Oct 2024 03:32 PM Recorded on
- MichaelBedingfield Recorded by
-
Collections
MichaelBedingfield NatureMapr Canberra & Southern Tablelands Jewel beetles (Buprestidae) Beetles (Coleoptera) Insects Buprestidae sp. (family)
Additional information
- Dillwynia sericea Associated plant
- 5mm to 12mm Animal size
Species information
- Buprestidae sp. (family) Scientific name
- Unidentified jewel beetle Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1042.83m 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