Jewel beetles (Buprestidae)

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References for Jewel Beetles (family Buprestidae): https://sites.google.com/site/buprestidpages/

And a photo gallery for the family: https://sites.google.com/site/buprestidpages/buprestidae-gallery

This gallery can be searched by genus, for example, Castiarina:

https://sites.google.com/site/buprestidpages/castiarina-gallery

Another good gallery for Castiarina: http://www.virtual-beetle.com/castiarinafp.html

Jewel beetles (Buprestidae)

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MarkH

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entom2

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Discussion

entom2 wrote:

5 Feb 2025

It is wonderful that, as anticipated, Fritz will recognise this as a valid species, a status that has long been suspected. I note that in his 1929 check list H.J. Carter treated it as a mere 'variety', which has no taxonomic status (read further below as to why he might have thought such). Selagis formosa occurs around Sydney where I have taken it at Picton, at Currency Creek which is just north of Wilberforce, and with R. de Keyzer near the bridge where the Putty Road crosses the Colo River. I have also taken it near both Currarong and Huskisson on the NSW south coast. In the Atlas of Living Australia records there is a specimen that is clearly Selagis formosa from Brogo, on the far south coast of NSW (see: https://biocache.ala.org.au/occurrences/fd6f39a9-64aa-44ed-96f4-3cd6077e47d6), and another photographed in December 2024 from nearby in far southern NSW at Black Range (see: https://biocache.ala.org.au/occurrences/9a645588-6567-4cc8-b4af-9e146c37b28f) (I have been in touch with the observer). Selagis formosa occurs in Victoria at Lederberg just north of Melbourne, where it has been taken by Martin Lagerwey and whose pic of it will be in the proposed book I am the lead author of on the jewel beetles of Victoria. Selagis formosa also occurs at Upper Yarra Reserve in the mountains NE of Melbourne (see: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/35365682). Looking at the photos in those online records they are clearly all 'formosa'. However, amongst the caloptera specimens in the entomology collection held by Museums Victoria there are some specimens that appear to be intergrades between caloptera and formosa, which may have caused H.J. Carter to assume that Gestro's later-described species formosa was just a variety of caloptera. I have not had a look at those specimens, I have been sent photographs only, and not all that clear, but I admit they do look rather like intergrades. Both typical formosa and caloptera occur around Melbourne. Perhaps Fritz and / or MarkH might want to take a close look at the Museum Victoria specimens (sitting in the unit trays for caloptera) to determine once and for all what they are, either caloptera, or formosa, or what. Cheers, Allen M. Sundholm.

Selagis formosa

entom2 wrote:

5 Feb 2025

I have taken this further south near Landsdowne, in the Coopernook area, which is to the NE of Taree. There is a photo that Dr Geoff Williams took of a live one sitting on Leptospermum flowers (Fig. 477) on page 134 of the book 'Australian Jewel Beetles. An Introduction to the Buprestidae' that Geoff and I co-authored with Kevin Mitchell, published by CSIRO Publishing in March 2024. Cheers, Allen M. Sundholm.

Temognatha gemmelli

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

5 Feb 2025

Thanks Mark - much apreciated

Temognatha gemmelli

MarkH wrote:

5 Feb 2025

I just checked my specimens and I have collected gemmelli from Caparra which is a bit further south from this record.

Temognatha gemmelli

MarkH wrote:

5 Feb 2025

Yes definitely Temognatha gemmelli. The pronotum is more finely punctured than T. suturalis which it can be mustaken with.
The record is a fair way south and might be close to its southern limit of distribution. The species stronghold is northern NSW however I have caught it up as far as Rockhampton in wetter sclerophyll habitats

Temognatha gemmelli