Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Castiarina kirbyi   (Guerin, 1830)
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Stigmoderini » subtribe  Stigmoderina
Castiarina  species group: trifasciata
Castiarina kirbyi   Adult images
Castiarina kirbyi, PL4623B, PL4623A, female and male, on Leptospermum coriaceum, EP Castiarina kirbyi, PL3286, male, on Leptospermum coriaceum, SE, 13.1 × 4.9 mm Castiarina kirbyi, PL3286, male, on Leptospermum coriaceum, SE, 13.1 × 4.9 mm Castiarina kirbyi, PL3286, male, from Leptospermum coriaceum, SE, 13.1 × 4.9 mm Castiarina kirbyi, PL0139, female, on Grevillea aspera, EP, 11.2 × 4.2 mm Castiarina kirbyi, PL3286, male, on Leptospermum coriaceum, SE, 13.1 × 4.9 mm Castiarina kirbyi, PL3286, male, on Leptospermum coriaceum, SE, 13.1 × 4.9 mm Castiarina kirbyi, PL3286, male, on Leptospermum coriaceum, SE, 13.1 × 4.9 mm Castiarina kirbyi, DAY49, female, from Hakea mitchellii, KI, 14.8 × 5.6 mm Castiarina kirbyi, DAY82, male, from Hakea mitchellii, KI, 13.3 × 5.1 mm Castiarina kirbyi, PL0139, female, from Grevillea aspera, EP, 11.2 × 4.2 mm Castiarina kirbyi, PL0139, female, on Grevillea aspera, EP, 11.2 × 4.2 mm Castiarina kirbyi, PL0139, female, on Grevillea aspera, EP, 11.2 × 4.2 mm Castiarina kirbyi, PL4623B, female, on Leptospermum coriaceum, EP, 14.4 × 4.7 mm Castiarina kirbyi, PL4623B, female, on Leptospermum coriaceum, EP, 14.4 × 4.7 mm
Actual
size¹:
13.0 mm
×
4.8 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L112.6
11.5 – 13.7
 n = 1213.9
11.2 – 15.3
 n = 6
L212.5
12 – 13.45
 n = 514.1
13.25 – 15.2
 n = 4
W4.6
4 – 5.1
 n = 125.1
4.2 – 5.9
 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 kirbyi  Distinctive features

Surfaces with a distinctive 'waxy' sheen; elytra yellow-orange to red with dark fasciae in broad bands; head, pronotum and scutellum greenish blue, dark blue or violet.

Notes

Widely distributed in semi-arid areas but found in low numbers.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  FR,  EP,  MU,  SL,  KI,  SE
Australian States:  SA,  VIC,  NSW
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 Castiarina kirbyi  (total actual records: 51 beetles)
1
3 1 4 4
6 23 1 2
1
5
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Legend
9
number of active beetles, actually recorded in that quarter-month
actual count > 3 (median)
actual count <= 3 (median)
Adult host plants
beetles sites SA regions¹ family position on host plant
Leptospermum sp.94SL, KIM
Hakea mitchellii81KIP
Hakea sp.62EP, MUP
Leptospermum coriaceum54EP, MU, SEM
Grevillea anethifolia30EPP
Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana11SEC
Eucalyptus socialis ssp. socialis11EPM
Grevillea aspera11EPP
Grevillea ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia11MUP
Hakea leucoptera ssp. leucoptera11EPP
Leptospermum continentale11KIM
Leptospermum myrsinoides11SEM
Melaleuca sp.11EPM
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
P Proteaceae 20 51% 5
M Myrtaceae 18 46% 5
C Casuarinaceae 1 3% 1
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flower(s)75
on flowering plant147
on foliage or non-flowering plant22
on plant (unspecified)156
other
  on stems11
Lure affinity
colour beetles sites SA regions¹
red33EP, KI, SE
orange11SE
yellow11EP
Host plant notes

There is an unusual, relatively high incidence of this species on plants of the genera Grevillea and Hakea (both in family Proteaceae), certainly greater than would be expected by chance alone. It appears to be unrelated to flower colour, and it is postulated that Hakea and Grevillea are most likely larval hosts for this species.

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.