Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Diphucrania minutissima   (Thomson, 1879)
subfamily  Agrilinae » tribe  Coraebini » subtribe  Cisseina
Diphucrania minutissima   Adult images (last updated: 29 Mar 2020)
Diphucrania minutissima, PL0176A, on Calytrix tetragona, SL, 1.3 km SW Montacute, Morialta CP, 4 Oct 2007 Diphucrania minutissima, PL0176A, on Calytrix tetragona, SL, 1.3 km SW Montacute, Morialta CP, 4 Oct 2007 Diphucrania minutissima, PL0176A, on Calytrix tetragona, SL, 1.3 km SW Montacute, Morialta CP, 4 Oct 2007 Diphucrania minutissima, PL0464, male, from Calytrix tetragona, SL, Stonyfell, Ferguson CP, 10 Oct 2008, 3.9 × 1.6 mm Diphucrania minutissima, PL0011A & B & C, SL, Stonyfell, Ferguson CP, 20 Sep 1981 Diphucrania minutissima, PL1590, adult host plant, Calytrix tetragona, SL, 0.9 km SE Eagle on the Hill, Cleland CP, 21 Nov 2010
Actual
size¹:
3.8 mm
×
1.6 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L13.7
2.6 – 4.35
 n = 304.0
3.1 – 4.9
 n = 25
L23.6
2.6 – 4.3
 n = 223.9
3.1 – 4.85
 n = 20
W1.5
1.1 – 1.8
 n = 301.6
1.25 – 2.1
 n = 25
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
Diphucrania minutissima  Distinctive features

The smallest of the SA Diphucrania species, with bronze to greenish colouration and weak scale-hair patches.

Notes

Allied to Diphucrania viridipurpurea, a WA species which has identical genitalia according to Barker (quoted by Niehuis 2001). The holotype of D. minutissima is from Adelaide.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  FR,  EP,  NL,  MU,  SL,  SE
Australian States:  WA,  SA,  VIC
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 Diphucrania minutissima  (total actual records: 124 beetles)
4 21
17 11 2 12
12 12 22
6 3
2
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 > 11.5 (median)
actual count <= 11.5 (median)
Adult host plants
beetles sites SA regions¹ family position on host plant
Calytrix tetragona7215FR, NL, MU, SL, SEM
Leptospermum myrsinoides74SL, SEM
Leptospermum sp.51SLM
Calytrix involucrata51EPM
Leptospermum coriaceum55EP, SEM
Calytrix glaberrima31SLM
Homoranthus wilhelmii31EPM
Hysterobaeckea behrii32MU, SEM
Banksia marginata21SLP
Dillwynia sericea21SLF
Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana11SLC
Dillwynia hispida11SEF
Eucalyptus incrassata11SEM
Fabaceae sp.11SLF
Leptospermum continentale11SLM
Pultenaea laxiflora11SLF
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 105 93% 9
F Fabaceae 5 4% 3
P Proteaceae 2 2% 1
C Casuarinaceae 1 1% 1
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flower(s)338
on flowering plant6216
on foliage or non-flowering plant11
on plant (unspecified)165
other
  on stems11
Lure affinity
colour beetles sites SA regions¹
orange11SE
Host plant notes

Unlike the majority of Diphucrania species which are leaf-eating beetles found on foliage, adults of D. minutissima are usually found feeding in flowers of the Myrtle family (Myrtaceae) and mostly commonly in those of the Fringe-myrtles Calytrix.

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.