Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Melobasis nervosa   (Boisduval, 1835)
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Melobasini » subtribe  Melobasina
Melobasis  species group: nervosa
Melobasis nervosa   Adult images
Melobasis nervosa, PL2300, on Acacia retinodes, MU Melobasis nervosa, PL1698, on Acacia uncifolia, KI Melobasis nervosa, PL0529, on Acacia retinodes, MU, 15.5 × 4.9 mm Melobasis nervosa, PL0529, on Acacia retinodes, MU, 15.5 × 4.9 mm Melobasis nervosa, PL0529, on Acacia retinodes, MU, 15.5 × 4.9 mm Melobasis nervosa, PL2300, on Acacia retinodes, MU Melobasis nervosa, PL1698, on Acacia uncifolia, KI Melobasis nervosa, PL1698, on Acacia uncifolia, KI Melobasis nervosa, DAY41, from Acacia uncifolia, KI, 15.0 × 5.1 mm
Actual
size¹:
13.9 mm
×
4.5 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L113.0
12.3 – 13.85
 n = 415.6
15.5 – 15.6
 n = 2
L212.1
11.85 – 12.35
 n = 2
W4.2
4 – 4.4
 n = 45.0
4.9 – 5
 n = 2
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

There are many SA Museum specimens of this species but they have not yet had their data captured.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  FR,  EP,  NL,  YP,  SL,  KI,  SE
Australian States:  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 Melobasis nervosa  (total actual records: 21 beetles)
4 1
3 2 3 3
1 2
1 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
actual count > 2 (median)
actual count <= 2 (median)
Adult host plants
beetles sites SA regions¹ family position on host plant
Acacia pycnantha96NL, SLF
Acacia retinodes51MUF
Acacia uncifolia32KIF
Acacia longifolia ssp. sophorae11SEF
Acacia provincialis11KIF
Eucalyptus albopurpurea11KIM
Hakea rostrata11SLP
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
F Fabaceae 19 90% 5
M Myrtaceae 1 5% 1
P Proteaceae 1 5% 1
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flowering plant21
on foliage or non-flowering plant147
on dead foliage11
on plant (unspecified)44
Host plant notes

Turner & Hawkeswood 1995d reported three dead adult M. nervosa extracted from the trunk of a dead Silver Wattle Acacia dealbata in southern New South Wales. This Acacia occurs in SA also, where it has become an established alien in some higher rainfall areas.

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.