Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Diphucrania rubicunda   (Kerremans, 1898)
subfamily  Agrilinae » tribe  Coraebini » subtribe  Cisseina
Diphucrania rubicunda   Adult images (last updated: 29 Mar 2020)
Diphucrania rubicunda, PL4120A, female, on Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana, SE, 7.7 km SSE Coonalpyn, 6 Jan 2018, 7.2 × 3.0 mm Diphucrania rubicunda, PL4120A, female, on Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana, SE, 7.7 km SSE Coonalpyn, 6 Jan 2018, 7.2 × 3.0 mm Diphucrania rubicunda, PL0333, female, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, MU, 4.8 km S Monarto South, Monarto CP, 5 Dec 2007, 6.3 × 2.7 mm Diphucrania rubicunda, PL0359, male, on Exocarpos sparteus, MU, 9.7 km E Mypolonga, 17 Dec 2007, 5.7 × 2.3 mm Diphucrania rubicunda, PL3412D, male, SE, 8.5 km WSW Coomandook, 30 Nov 2015, 6.4 × 2.3 mm Diphucrania rubicunda, PL0333, female, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, MU, 4.8 km S Monarto South, Monarto CP, 5 Dec 2007, 6.3 × 2.7 mm Diphucrania rubicunda, PL0333, female, on Hysterobaeckea behrii, MU, 4.8 km S Monarto South, Monarto CP, 5 Dec 2007, 6.3 × 2.7 mm Diphucrania rubicunda, PL4120A, female, on Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana, SE, 7.7 km SSE Coonalpyn, 6 Jan 2018, 7.2 × 3.0 mm Diphucrania rubicunda, PL4120A, female, on Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana, SE, 7.7 km SSE Coonalpyn, 6 Jan 2018, 7.2 × 3.0 mm Diphucrania rubicunda, PL0359, male, from Exocarpos sparteus, MU, 9.7 km E Mypolonga, 17 Dec 2007, 5.7 × 2.3 mm
Actual
size¹:
5.8 mm
×
2.4 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L15.5
4.6 – 6.4
 n = 236.2
4.9 – 7.3
 n = 20
L25.4
4.55 – 6.1
 n = 136.1
4.8 – 7.2
 n = 15
W2.3
1.85 – 2.55
 n = 232.6
2.05 – 3.05
 n = 20
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
Notes

Common and widely distributed in mallee vegetation on sandy soils.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  EP,  NL,  MU,  SL,  SE
Australian States:  WA,  SA,  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 Diphucrania rubicunda  (total actual records: 104 beetles)
1 2 12
3 6 18 3
8 15 15
11 1
9
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 > 8 (median)
actual count <= 8 (median)
Adult host plants
beetles sites SA regions¹ family position on host plant
Hysterobaeckea behrii277EP, MU, SEM
Acacia euthycarpa192EP, MUF
Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana154MU, SL, SEC
Acacia pycnantha84MU, SL, SEF
Eucalyptus socialis81EPM
Exocarpos sparteus83EP, MUS
Acacia sp.32SLF
Melaleuca lanceolata21EPM
Eucalyptus dumosa21EPM
Acacia calamifolia11FRF
Alyxia buxifolia11EPA
Eucalyptus oleosa11EPM
Melaleuca uncinata11EPM
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 41 43% 6
F Fabaceae 31 32% 3
C Casuarinaceae 15 16% 1
S Santalaceae 8 8% 1
A Apocynaceae 1 1% 1
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flower(s)42
on flowering plant2810
on foliage or non-flowering plant5512
on plant (unspecified)94
Host plant notes

This Diphucrania species is atypical in the wide variety of adult host plants on which it is recorded, and also in the preponderance of records indicating a special association with flowering Silver Broombush Hysterobaeckea behrii.

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.