Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Castiarina simulata   (Gory & Laporte, 1838)
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Stigmoderini » subtribe  Stigmoderina
Castiarina  species group: simulata
Castiarina simulata   Adult images
Castiarina simulata, DAY133A, male, on Melaleuca gibbosa, KI, 14.0 × 5.7 mm Castiarina simulata, DAY133A, male, on Melaleuca gibbosa, KI, 14.0 × 5.7 mm Castiarina simulata, PL2859, male, from Calytrix tetragona, KI, 15.1 × 5.6 mm Castiarina simulata, DAY133A, male, on Melaleuca gibbosa, KI, 14.0 × 5.7 mm Castiarina simulata, DAY133A, male, KI, 14.0 × 5.7 mm Castiarina simulata, DAY36, KI, 12.2 × 5.0 mm Castiarina simulata, DAY99, KI, 16.4 × 6.3 mm Castiarina simulata, PL4604, adult host plant, Melaleuca decussata (PJL 3450), EP Castiarina simulata, PL4604, adult host plant, Melaleuca decussata (PJL 3450), EP
Actual
size¹:
14.6 mm
×
5.8 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L113.9
12.35 – 15.1
 n = 715.1
13.35 – 16.9
 n = 12
L213.4
12.35 – 14.4
 n = 314.5
13.25 – 15.65
 n = 8
W5.5
4.9 – 5.7
 n = 75.9
5.2 – 6.45
 n = 12
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
Distribution
SA Regions¹:  EP,  MU,  YP,  SL,  KI,  SE
Australian States:  WA,  SA,  VIC,  NSW
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 simulata  (total actual records: 121 beetles)
1
1 1
1
2
7 4 8 26
21 27 4 6
9 4
2 1
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Legend
9
number of active beetles, actually recorded in that quarter-month
2
estimate of active beetles, inferred* from adjoining date ranges
actual count > 6 (median)
actual count <= 6 (median)
inferred* active beetles only (mostly from colour lure trap results)
live non-emerged (inactive) beetles only
 *Inferred when a site has counts of active beetles for each of two consecutive periods (date ranges), one finishing and the other starting in the same quarter-month.
The count estimate is assigned to that quarter-month and calculated as the lower of the two total beetle counts, divided by the number of quarter-months in its date range.
Assumes that beetle activity is essentially continuous within a single active period per year, and that date ranges do not bridge a non-active period (thus only ranges of < 4 months are used).
Adult host plants
beetles sites SA regions¹ family position on host plant
Melaleuca uncinata228EP, YP, KIM
Leptospermum coriaceum2012EP, MU, SEM
Eucalyptus diversifolia ssp. diversifolia134EPM
Melaleuca gibbosa135EP, KIM
Hysterobaeckea behrii125EP, MUM
Leptospermum sp.105MU, KIM
Calytrix tetragona72MU, KIM
Eucalyptus socialis61MUM
Leptospermum myrsinoides33KI, SEM
Melaleuca decussata32EPM
Eucalyptus sp.22EPM
Eucalyptus socialis ssp. socialis11EPM
Eucalyptus yumbarrana11EPM
Melaleuca lanceolata11EPM
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
M Myrtaceae 115 100% 12
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flower(s)6325
on flowering plant2212
on foliage or non-flowering plant32
on plant (unspecified)2714
Lure affinity
colour beetles sites SA regions¹
blue145EP, MU, SE
light violet11EP
white11SE
Castiarina simulata Breeding record images
Castiarina simulata, PL5613, female, non-emerged adult, in Leptospermum myrsinoides root, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 14.3 × 5.6 mm Castiarina simulata, PL5613, female, non-emerged adult, in Leptospermum myrsinoides root, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 14.3 × 5.6 mm
Larval host plant
records sites SA regions¹ family adult live
Leptospermum myrsinoides11SEM1
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 1 100% 1
Position in larval host
positionrecordssitesadult live
root111
Host plant notes

Adults have a strong association with Melaleuca species, which suggests that this genus may also function as a larval host.

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.