Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Temognatha congener   (Saunders, 1869)
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Stigmoderini » subtribe  Stigmoderina
Temognatha congener   Adult images
Temognatha congener, SID2773, female, on Melaleuca lanceolata, EP Temognatha congener, PL3556, female, from Melaleuca lanceolata, EP, 31.4 × 11.8 mm Temognatha congener, PL3557, female, from Melaleuca lanceolata, EP, 32.9 × 12.7 mm Temognatha congener, PL3556, female, from Melaleuca lanceolata, EP, 31.4 × 11.8 mm Temognatha congener, PL3556, female, from Melaleuca lanceolata, EP, 31.4 × 11.8 mm Temognatha congener, PL1403, female, on Melaleuca lanceolata, EP, 22.1 × 8.1 mm Temognatha congener, PL1403, female, on Melaleuca lanceolata, EP, 22.1 × 8.1 mm Temognatha congener, PL1403, female, EP, 22.1 × 8.1 mm Temognatha congener, SID2773, female, on Melaleuca lanceolata, EP Temognatha congener, PL3557, female, on Melaleuca lanceolata, EP, 32.9 × 12.7 mm Temognatha congener, PL3556, female, on Melaleuca lanceolata, EP, 31.4 × 11.8 mm Temognatha congener, PL3556, female, on Melaleuca lanceolata, EP, 31.4 × 11.8 mm Temognatha congener, PL3556, adult host plant, Melaleuca lanceolata, EP, 31.4 × 11.8 mm Temognatha congener, PL3557, adult host plant, Melaleuca lanceolata, EP, 32.9 × 12.7 mm
Actual
size¹:
27.1 mm
×
10.2 mm
Measurements (mm)
female
L127.1
22.1 – 32.9
 n = 4
W10.2
8.1 – 12.7
 n = 4
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
Temognatha congener  Distinctive features

Metallic green to blue head and pronotum, often with some red lacunae on the pronotum; elytra yellowish medially with red margins that may sometimes extend over most of the area; ventral side mostly pale.

Notes

The locations of recent records of this species have been supressed for conservation reasons. It was 'rediscovered' on a field trip that I did with A.M. Sundholm in 2010, over forty years since the last known record in SA.
In 2021, after 23 years of collecting there, R.V. Glatz made the first collection of the species from KI.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  EP,  MU,  YP,  SL,  KI
Australian States:  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 Temognatha congener  (total of 9 beetles)
1
2
2 2 2
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Legend
live emerged adults, count > median value of 2 per quarter month
live emerged adults, count <= median value of 2
live non-emerged adults only, for that quarter month
12
number of active beetles for that quarter month
Adult host plant
beetles sites SA regions¹ family position on host plant
Melaleuca lanceolata63EP, KIM
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 6 100% 1
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flower(s)63
Host plant notes

The adults found on Dryland Tea-tree Melaleuca lanceolata appeared to have only recently emerged, and this, taken together with host relationships of related species and the habitats in which this species occurs, points to M. lanceolata as a probable larval host plant.

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.