Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Anilara sp. Golden Bronze  
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Curidini » subtribe  Anilarina
Anilara sp. Golden Bronze   Adult images
Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5714, male, from Melaleuca halmaturorum dead stem, SL, 5.3 × 2.5 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5714, male, from Melaleuca halmaturorum dead stem, SL, 5.3 × 2.5 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5689, female, on Callitris verrucosa, EP, 5.3 × 2.5 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5736A, male, reared from Melaleuca halmaturorum, SL, 5.4 × 2.5 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5738A, female, reared from Melaleuca halmaturorum, SL, 5.6 × 2.6 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5689, female, from Callitris verrucosa, EP, 5.3 × 2.5 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL4136, male, from Melaleuca uncinata foliage, MU, 4.6 × 2.1 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5736A, male, reared from Melaleuca halmaturorum, SL, 5.4 × 2.5 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5736A, male, reared from Melaleuca halmaturorum, SL, 5.4 × 2.5 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5738A, female, reared from Melaleuca halmaturorum, SL, 5.6 × 2.6 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5738A, female, reared from Melaleuca halmaturorum, SL, 5.6 × 2.6 mm
Actual
size¹:
5.2 mm
×
2.4 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L15.0
4.15 – 6.2
n = 285.5
3.95 – 6.7
n = 16
L24.8
4 – 5.9
n = 285.4
4.55 – 6.4
n = 15
W2.3
1.95 – 2.65
n = 282.5
1.8 – 3
n = 16
Legend  L1length from clypeus/frons to elytral apex (mean, range, sample size)
L2length from anterior of edge of eyes to elytral apex
Wmaximum width with elytra fully closed
Anilara sp. Golden Bronze  Distinctive features

Differs from Anilara sp. Broombush in its greenish to golden (-bronze) colouration on the head and pronotum, and especially on much of the ventral side; also the pronotum is less strongly tapered towards the head and often at its widest around mid-length rather than at the base; the outline of the eltra is more rounded; and the aedeagus parameres are more extensively darkened at their apex and bear a (small) pre-apical lateral projection.

Notes

This phrase name Anilara sp. Golden bronze was first applied to a single specimen that I collected on Kangaroo Island in 2010. Later collections were formerly treated on these pages as a separate taxon, Anilara sp. Dune ridge. That name was applied to a single live specimen collected from Broombush Melaleuca uncinata growing on a sand dune in Billiatt Conservation Park in the in the Murray region. It was later also used for two matching dead adult remains extracted from stems of M. uncinata in the South-east region.

In 2022 large series of specimens were obtained as breedng records in Salt Paper-bark Melaleuca halmaturorum from north of Adelaide and the SE Region, as well as from M. uncinata in the SE Region. Using this better sample, it became clear that both these and the A. sp. Dune ridge specimens were conspecific with Anilara sp. Golden bronze. Although poorly represented by collections at the SA Museum, the species appears to be quite abundant and widespread. I have also identified it amongst collections of Anilara from WA.

The general form of its aedeagus suggests a close relationship with Anilara sp. Broombush, but there are significant differences in detail. Also, A. sp. Broombush has only been collected from M. uncinata growing on stony hills, but when A. sp. Golden bronze uses the same host species, it is growing on dunes or flats.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  EPMUSEKI
Australian States:  WASA+?
Southern South Australian occurrences
LegendP.J.Lang collection vouchered records
other private collection or museum specimens, or sightings
Satellite map
Terrain map
Enlarge map
Adult activity records for Anilara sp. Golden Bronze  (total of 45 beetles)
1 2
9 3 9 10
9 1
1
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Legend
live emerged adults, count > median value of 3 per quarter month
live emerged adults, count <= median value of 3
live non-emerged adults only, for that quarter month
12
number of active beetles for that quarter month
Adult host plants
beetles sites SA regions¹ family position on host plant
11MUC
11KIC
11EPC
Eucalyptus sp.11EPM
11MUM
Legendbeetlescount of beetles collected from, or sighted on, host plant taxon
sitescount of major sites (unique 10 km grid cells +/- some distinct approximate localities)
Plant names in green are hyperlinked to a matching host species page with plant photos.
Plant family
Code beetles % host plant taxa
C Cupressaceae 3 60% 3
M Myrtaceae 2 40% 2
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flowering plant11
on foliage or non-flowering plant33
on plant (unspecified)11
Lure affinity
colour beetles sites SA regions¹
dark violet11SL
Anilara sp. Golden Bronze Breeding record images
Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5622B, prepupa, in Melaleuca halmaturorum stem, pupal chamber in frass-filled larval tunnel exposed after removal of overlying bark, SL, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 7.1 × 2.7 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5622B, prepupa, in Melaleuca halmaturorum stem, showing lining of pupal chamber with fresh wood frass, SL, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 7.1 × 2.7 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5622D, prepupa, in Melaleuca halmaturorum, within horizontal pupal chamber mostly in bark layers, SL, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 8.6 × 3.5 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5620, prepupa, in Melaleuca uncinata (PJL 3494) stem, shallow larval excavation with pupal chamber arrowed, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 7.9 × 2.8 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5620, prepupa, in Melaleuca uncinata (PJL 3494) dead stem being wedged apart, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 7.9 × 2.8 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5620, prepupa, in Melaleuca uncinata (PJL 3494) dead stem, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 7.9 × 2.8 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5620, prepupa, in Melaleuca uncinata (PJL 3494) dead stem, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 7.9 × 2.8 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5620, prepupa, from Melaleuca uncinata dead stem, SE, 7.9 × 2.8 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5631Ax, PL5631B, pupa, in Melaleuca halmaturorum dead stem with outer bark removed, SL Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5631Ax, PL5631B, pupa, in Melaleuca halmaturorum dead stem with outer bark removed, SL Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5709Bx, pupa, in Melaleuca halmaturorum dead stem, SE Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5715x, female, pupa, from Melaleuca halmaturorum dead stem, SL Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5631A, male, reared adult, in Melaleuca halmaturorum dead stem with outer bark removed, SL, 4.2 × 2.1 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5631A, male, reared adult, from pupa in Melaleuca halmaturorum dead stem, SL, 4.2 × 2.1 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5709B, female, reared adult, in Melaleuca halmaturorum dead stem, SE, 4.7 × 2.2 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5714, male, reared adult, in Melaleuca halmaturorum dead stem billet, in vertical pupal chamber, surrounding wood being cut away, SL, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 5.3 × 2.5 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5714, male, reared adult, on Melaleuca halmaturorum billet with some frass layers, pupal chamber from which it was cut on right, SL, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 5.3 × 2.5 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5714, male, reared adult, on Melaleuca halmaturorum dead stem billet  from which it was extracted, SL, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 5.3 × 2.5 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5714, male, reared adult, from Melaleuca halmaturorum dead stem billet, SL, 5.3 × 2.5 mm Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5619, dead non-emerged adult, in Melaleuca uncinata dead stem (PJL 3494), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5619, dead non-emerged adult, in Melaleuca uncinata dead stem (PJL 3494), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5619, dead non-emerged adult, in Melaleuca uncinata dead stem (PJL 3494), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5619, dead non-emerged adult, in Melaleuca uncinata dead stem (PJL 3494), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5619, dead non-emerged adult, in Melaleuca uncinata dead stem (PJL 3494), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5619, dead non-emerged adult, from Melaleuca uncinata dead stem (PJL 3494), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Anilara sp. Golden bronze, larval host plant, M. halmaturorum, larval trace (with terminating pupal chamber) after removal of bark and frass, SL, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5619, larval host plant, Melaleuca uncinata (PJL 3494), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5619, larval host plant, Melaleuca uncinata (PJL 3494), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5619, larval host plant, Melaleuca uncinata (PJL 3494), exit hole, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL5619, larval host plant, Melaleuca uncinata (PJL 3494), exit hole, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL57309B, larval host plant, Melaleuca uncinata stem, exit hole of PL57309B in outer bark, SE Anilara sp. Golden bronze, PL57309C, larval host plant, Melaleuca uncinata stem, exit hole of PL57309C, SE
Larval host plants
records sites SA regions¹ family adult deadadult ex billetadult ex pupapupalarva
662SL, SEM417711
61SEM213
Legendrecordscount of breeding adults, pupae and larvae
sitescount of major sites (unique 10 km grid cells +/- some distinct approximate localities)
adultlive = extracted alive;   dead = extracted dead as intact or fragmentary remains;   ex billet = reared and emerged from stored sections of host;   ex pupa = reared from sampled pupa
pupaextracted pupa;   pupa ex larva = reared pupa from larva
larvaextracted larva (any stage including prepupa)
gall (only)hatched or unhatched gall identified by form and position rather than contents
Plant names in green are hyperlinked to a matching host species page with plant photos.
Plant family
Code records % host plant taxa
M Myrtaceae 72 100% 2
Position in larval host
positionrecordssitesadult deadadult ex billetadult ex pupapupalarva
dead stem7232427714
Host plant notes

There are remarkably few adult host records, and more sampling by sweeping on, and in vicinity of, known larval host plants is needed.

Broombush Melaleuca uncinata and Salt Paper-bark Melaleuca halmaturorum are established as larval hosts, supported by large numbers of individuals. Both are paperbark tea-trees and the larvae feed and construct their pupal chambers (at varying angles) very close to the stem surface, immediately underneath thin layers of adhering papery bark.

There is circumstantial evidence that other Melaleuca species with papery bark may be larval hosts also. Slender Honey-myrtle M. gibbosa and Dune Honey-myrtle M. eleuterostachya were present where single individuals were collected (from Callitris foliage) at a Kangaroo Island, and a Googs Track site, respectively.

One of the specimens I identified from WA (M. Powell, Melaleuca Park, 5 Dec 1986) was cut from Stout Paperbark Melaleuca preissiana, a teatree of sandy soils and swamps.

¹ LegendregionsSA State Herbarium regions (map)
EA: Eastern, EP: Eyre Peninsula, FR: Flinders Ranges, GT: Gairdner-Torrens, KI: Kangaroo Island, LE: Lake Eyre, MU: Murray, NL: Northern Lofty, NU: Nullarbor, NW: North-Western, SE: South-Eastern, SL: Southern Lofty, YP: Yorke Peninsula
sizeThe ellipse is the correct size when printed, indicative on a desktop screen, and likely to be wrong on a mobile device.