Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Castiarina rufipennis   (Kirby, 1818)
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Stigmoderini » subtribe  Stigmoderina
Castiarina  species group: rufipennis
Castiarina rufipennis   Adult images (last updated: 29 Mar 2020)
Castiarina rufipennis, PL0256, on Leptospermum myrsinoides, SL, 1.7 km NW McLaren Flat, 30 Oct 2007, 15.3 × 5.7 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL2729, on Grevillea pterosperma, EP, 7.4 km SSE Carpie Puntha Hill summit, Heggaton CP, 29 Oct 2013 Castiarina rufipennis, PL2729, on Grevillea pterosperma, EP, 7.4 km SSE Carpie Puntha Hill summit, Heggaton CP, 29 Oct 2013 Castiarina rufipennis, PL0210, male, on Leptospermum myrsinoides, SL, 1.1 km SSE Scott Creek, Scott Creek CP, 13 Oct 2007, 13.2 × 5.1 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL0210, male, on Leptospermum myrsinoides, SL, 1.1 km SSE Scott Creek, Scott Creek CP, 13 Oct 2007, 13.2 × 5.1 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL0210, male, on Leptospermum myrsinoides, SL, 1.1 km SSE Scott Creek, Scott Creek CP, 13 Oct 2007, 13.2 × 5.1 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL3092, male, SL, 1.3 km SE Eagle on the Hill, Cleland CP, 8 Nov 2014, 13.8 × 5.3 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL0256, from Leptospermum myrsinoides, SL, 1.7 km NW McLaren Flat, 30 Oct 2007, 15.3 × 5.7 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL0256, from Leptospermum myrsinoides, SL, 1.7 km NW McLaren Flat, 30 Oct 2007, 15.3 × 5.7 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL0305, male, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, EP, 6.2 km SW Carpie Puntha Hill summit, Heggaton CP, 20 Nov 2007, 13.1 × 4.8 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL0305, male, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, EP, 6.2 km SW Carpie Puntha Hill summit, Heggaton CP, 20 Nov 2007, 13.1 × 4.8 mm
Actual
size¹:
13.5 mm
×
5.0 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L112.8
10.4 – 15.6
 n = 1714.8
11.4 – 17.1
 n = 8
L212.2
10.2 – 13.6
 n = 914.8
13.6 – 16.7
 n = 5
W4.8
3.7 – 6.2
 n = 165.6
4.1 – 6.75
 n = 8
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 rufipennis  Distinctive features

Pronotum black & shiny with sparse shallow fine punctures and a large pit towards each posterior corner. Ventral side black with blue reflections. Apical sternite with bifurcate projection in female. Tarsi large.

Notes

A Lycid beetle mimic. (Notes about this mimicry series are provided under Castiarina erythroptera.)

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  FR,  EP,  NL,  MU,  SL,  KI,  SE
Australian States:  WA,  SA,  TAS,  VIC,  NSW,  QLD
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 rufipennis  (total actual records: 174 beetles)
1
1
3 2 28
10 9 32 13
34 4 9 19
4 6
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 > 9 (median)
actual count <= 9 (median)
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.
Adult host plants
beetles sites SA regions¹ family position on host plant
Leptospermum continentale8012SL, KI, SEM
Leptospermum sp.186SL, KIM
Grevillea pterosperma164EPP1
Myoporum platycarpum101MUS1
Bursaria spinosa ssp. spinosa74SLP2
Leptospermum myrsinoides65SL, SEM
Hysterobaeckea behrii53EP, MU, SEM
Leptospermum coriaceum54MU, SEM
Myoporum platycarpum ssp. perbellum41EPS1
Myrtaceae sp.42SL, KIM
Acacia brachybotrya11MUF
Acacia oxycedrus11SEF
Acacia victoriae ssp. victoriae11FRF
Calytrix tetragona11SLM
Eucalyptus albopurpurea11EPM
Eucalyptus remota11KIM
Exocarpos cupressiformis11SLS2
*Kunzea ambigua11SLM
Melaleuca decussata11SLM
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 123 75% 9
P1 Proteaceae 16 10% 1
S1 Scrophulariaceae 14 9% 2
P2 Pittosporaceae 7 4% 1
F Fabaceae 3 2% 3
S2 Santalaceae 1 1% 1
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flower(s)12725
on flowering plant148
on foliage or non-flowering plant55
on plant (unspecified)1710
other
  on stems11
Lure affinity
colour beetles sites SA regions¹
blue32MU, SE
orange21SE
yellow21SE
light pink11SE
Castiarina rufipennis Breeding record images (last updated: 10 Dec 2024)
Castiarina rufipennis, PL6167B, larva, in Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 23.0 × 3.2 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6167B, larva, from Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, dorsal, ventral & lateral views, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, 23.0 × 3.2 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6167B, larva, from Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, 23.0 × 3.2 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6167B, larva, from Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, lateral view, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, 23.0 × 3.2 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6167B, larva, dorsal, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, 23.0 × 3.2 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6167B, larva, from Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, ventral, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, 23.0 × 3.2 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6167B, larva, from Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, lateral, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, 23.0 × 3.2 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6167B, larva, from Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, dorsal, ventral & lateral views, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, 23.0 × 3.2 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6168, prepupa, in Acacia myrtifolia dead branch, SL, 6.7 km W Parawa, 24 Sep 2024, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Castiarina rufipennis, PL6166A, pupa, in Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 12.4 × 5.0 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6166Bx, female, pupa, from Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, 15.6 × 5.5 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6166Bx, female, pupa, in Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, 15.6 × 5.5 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6166B, female, reared adult, in Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 11 Oct 2024 Castiarina rufipennis, PL6169, female, reared adult, in Acacia myrtifolia dead branch, SL, 6.7 km W Parawa, 3 Nov 2024, photo by partially made exit hole Castiarina rufipennis, PL6169, female, reared adult, on Acacia myrtifolia dead branch, just emerged from exit hole, SL, 6.7 km W Parawa, 3 Nov 2024, 15.0 × 5.6 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6165A, male, non-emerged adult, in Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Castiarina rufipennis, PL6165C, female, non-emerged adult, in Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, 14.2 × 5.2 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6165C, female, non-emerged adult, in Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) dead branch, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024, 14.2 × 5.2 mm Castiarina rufipennis, PL6165, PL6166C, larval host plant, Acacia myrtifolia (PJL 3797) stems with exit holes, SE, 13.0 km SSE Malinong, 22 Sep 2024 Castiarina rufipennis, PL6169, larval host plant, Acacia myrtifolia dead branch, exit hole, SL, 6.7 km W Parawa, 3 Nov 2024
Larval host plant
records sites SA regions¹ family adult liveadult ex billetadult ex pupapupalarva
Acacia myrtifolia152SL, SEF33153
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
F Fabaceae 15 100% 1
Position in larval host
positionrecordssitesadult liveadult ex billetadult ex pupapupalarva
dead stem15233153
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.