male | female | |||||
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L1 | 8.6 | 7.3 – 9.55 | n = 3 | 8.2 | 6.35 – 10 | n = 8 |
L2 | 8.4 | 7.15 – 9.4 | n = 3 | 8.5 | 6.3 – 9.85 | n = 6 |
W | 2.9 | 2.45 – 3.3 | n = 3 | 2.8 | 2.2 – 3.5 | n = 8 |
Legend | L1 | length from clypeus/frons to elytral apex (mean, range, sample size) |
L2 | length from anterior of edge of eyes to elytral apex | |
W | maximum width with elytra fully closed |
Larger on average than Melobasis gratiosissima and with head and pronotum differently coloured to elytra, often blue, sometimes green or gold (golden-green in protologue), and with more extensive dark fasciae on the elytra.
Closely related to Melobasis gratiosissima (q.v.) and placed as a synonym under that species by Carter 1909. Emerges earlier than M. gratiosissma and is generally collected in spring (rather than summer like M. gratiosissima).
The taxonomic status of M. speciosa needs further investigation, as M. gratiosissma and M. speciosa are highly variable in size and colouration patterns. This is illustrated by the fact that Obenberger 1942 described three new varieties of M. gratiosissima, all from the same location, interpreted to be Gawler, SA (although given as 'New South Wales: Gowlerstown (Odewahn)').
Blackburn described the underside of M. speciosa as blue, but Obenberger's key gives it as green or green-gold, and has typical M. gratiosissima keyed in a group of varieties that are very blue underneath.
Legend | P.J.Lang collection vouchered records | |
other private collection or museum specimens, or sightings |
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Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Legend | live emerged adults, count > median value of 4 per quarter month | |
live emerged adults, count <= median value of 4 | ||
live non-emerged adults only, for that quarter month | ||
12 | number of active beetles for that quarter month |
beetles | sites | SA regions¹ | family | position on host plant | ||||
Senna sp. | 19 | 5 | FR, EP, MU | F | ||||
Acacia victoriae ssp. victoriae | 17 | 1 | FR | F | ||||
Acacia calamifolia | 9 | 8 | FR, EP | F | ||||
Senna artemisioides ssp. petiolaris | 4 | 4 | FR, EP, MU | F | ||||
Melaleuca uncinata | 4 | 1 | EP | M | ||||
Acacia quornensis | 3 | 1 | EP | F | ||||
Acacia euthycarpa | 2 | 1 | MU | F | ||||
Senna artemisioides ssp. x coriacea | 2 | 2 | EP, MU | F | ||||
Acacia burkittii | 1 | 1 | EP | F | ||||
Acacia rigens | 1 | 1 | EP | F |
Legend | beetles | count of beetles collected from, or sighted on, host plant taxon |
sites | count of major sites (unique 10 km grid cells +/- some distinct approximate localities) |
Code | beetles | % | host plant taxa | |
F | Fabaceae | 56 | 93% | 7 |
M | Myrtaceae | 4 | 7% | 1 |
position | beetles | sites | |
on flower(s) | 5 | 2 | |
on flowering plant | 4 | 4 | |
on foliage or non-flowering plant | 49 | 18 | |
on plant (unspecified) | 4 | 2 |
¹ Legend | regions | SA 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 |
size | The ellipse is the correct size when printed, indicative on a desktop screen, and likely to be wrong on a mobile device. |