Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Castiarina argillacea   (Carter, 1916)
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Stigmoderini » subtribe  Stigmoderina
Castiarina  species group: octospilota
Castiarina argillacea   Adult images
Castiarina argillacea, PL0300, male, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, EP, 11.5 × 4.3 mm Castiarina argillacea, PL3294, female, from Leptospermum myrsinoides, SE, 14.7 × 5.5 mm Castiarina argillacea, PL0300, male, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, EP, 11.5 × 4.3 mm Castiarina argillacea, PL0298, female, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, EP, 9.6 × 3.5 mm Castiarina argillacea, PL0298, female, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, EP, 9.6 × 3.5 mm Castiarina argillacea, PL0300, male, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, EP, 11.5 × 4.3 mm Castiarina argillacea, PL0300, male, from Hysterobaeckea behrii, EP, 11.5 × 4.3 mm Castiarina argillacea, PL2727, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, EP Castiarina argillacea, PL2727, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, EP Castiarina argillacea, PL2727, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, EP Castiarina argillacea, PL2619, on Leptospermum coriaceum, EP
Actual
size¹:
12.6 mm
×
4.7 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L112.1
11.35 – 12.65
 n = 613.2
9.6 – 14.7
 n = 6
L212.1
11.1 – 12.6
 n = 413.6
13.5 – 13.8
 n = 4
W4.5
4 – 4.7
 n = 65.0
3.5 – 5.45
 n = 6
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
Castiarina argillacea  Distinctive features

Dirty orange background coloration of elytra, and upper legs with strongly defined zone of red to pink.

Notes

Related to Castiarina adelaidae (also in the octospilota group of Barker 2006a) but confined to dryer habitats than that species, usually mallee communities with sandy soils. There is considerable overlap in distribution with C. adelaidae, but no sign of intergradation where the two species occur together.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  GT,  EP,  MU,  SE
Australian States:  SA,  VIC,  NSW
South Australia distribution
LegendP.J.Lang collection vouchered records
other private collection or museum specimens, or sightings
Satellite map
Terrain map
Enlarge map
Adult activity records for Castiarina argillacea  (total of 132 beetles)
3
23 10 13 41
25 7 2 3
3 2
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Legend
live emerged adults, count > median value of 7 per quarter month
live emerged adults, count <= median value of 7
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
Leptospermum coriaceum8419GT, EP, MUM
Hysterobaeckea behrii3212EP, MU, SEM
Leptospermum myrsinoides53MU, SEM
Leptospermum sp.44EP, SEM
Homoranthus wilhelmii32EPM
*Brassica x napus11SE
Calytrix tetragona11EPM
Eucalyptus sp.11EPM
Eucalyptus yumbarrana11EPM
Legendbeetlescount of beetles collected from, or sighted on, host plant taxon
sitescount of major sites (unique 10 km grid cells +/- some distinct approximate localities)
*indicates alien (non-native) plant occurrences, either wild or planted (the species may be alien in SA, or native in parts of its SA range)
Plant family
Code beetles % host plant taxa
M Myrtaceae 131 100% 6
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flower(s)6214
on flowering plant3019
on plant (unspecified)4011
Lure affinity
colour beetles sites SA regions¹
blue51MU
Host plant notes

The SA adult host plant records are almost entirely from plants of the Myrtle family (Myrtaceae) and the beetles are often found feeding on their nectar-rich flowers. There is a particularly strong association with Mallee Tea-tree Leptospermum coriaceum.

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.