Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Castiarina octomaculata   (Saunders, 1868)
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Stigmoderini » subtribe  Stigmoderina
Castiarina  species group: octomaculata
Castiarina octomaculata   Adult images
Castiarina octomaculata, PL0027B, male, SL, 11.6 × 4.3 mm Castiarina octomaculata, PL0027B, male, SL, 11.6 × 4.3 mm Castiarina octomaculata, PL0027A, female, on Leptospermum myrsinoides, SL, 8.2 × 3.2 mm Castiarina octomaculata, PL2433, on Leptospermum continentale, SE Castiarina octomaculata, PL2433, on Leptospermum continentale, SE Castiarina octomaculata, PL0014A, PL0014B, from Leptospermum myrsinoides, SL Castiarina octomaculata, PL0027B, on Leptospermum coriaceum, SL, 11.6 × 4.3 mm Castiarina octomaculata, PL0027B, on Leptospermum coriaceum, SL, 11.6 × 4.3 mm Castiarina octomaculata, PL1716, on Leptospermum continentale, SL Castiarina octomaculata, PL1716, on Leptospermum continentale, SL
Actual
size¹:
10.4 mm
×
4.0 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L110.0
8.7 – 11.9
n = 3910.9
8.2 – 12.3
n = 30
L29.8
8.6 – 11.2
n = 2010.4
8.9 – 11.7
n = 17
W3.8
3.2 – 4.6
n = 394.2
3.2 – 4.9
n = 30
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 octomaculata  Distinctive features

Instantly recognisable by the eight major spots on the orange-coloured elytra. In the South-east of the State the spots tend to be larger and the background a richer and darker red-orange.

Notes

The type of this species is from Adelaide. It was first described under (under Stigmodera) by Saunders 1868b who gave its habitat as 'Adelaide'. In spring, it is common on Leptospermum flowers in Stringybark and sand heath plant communities of the Adelaide Hills, southern Mt Lofty Ranges and South-eastern regions, and also occurs widely across south-eastern Australia. Notably it is absent from Kangaroo Island where similar plant communities occur.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  SLSE
Australian States:  SAVICNSWQLD
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 Castiarina octomaculata  (total of 531 beetles)
1
3 50 103 73
81 92 49 18
43 5 8 5
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Legend
live emerged adults, count > median value of 43 per quarter month
live emerged adults, count <= median value of 43
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
36028MU, SL, SEM
9310SL, SEM
Leptospermum sp.379SL, SEM
73SEM
51SLA
42SEM
22SEM
22SEX
11MUC
*Argyranthemum frutescens 11SLA
11SEM
11SEM
Eucalyptus sp.11SEM
11SLM
Melaleuca sp.11SLM
11SER
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 names in green are hyperlinked to a matching host species page with plant photos.
Plant family
Code beetles % host plant taxa
M Myrtaceae 508 98% 9
A Asteraceae 5 1% 1
X Xanthorrhoeaceae 2 0% 1
C Casuarinaceae 1 0% 1
R Rutaceae 1 0% 1
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flower(s)26522
on flowering plant15825
on foliage or non-flowering plant22
on plant (unspecified)9311
Lure affinity
colour beetles sites SA regions¹
white2673SE
light pink1123SE
blue823SE
bright green11SE
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.