Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Melobasis sp. Broad green  
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Melobasini » subtribe  Melobasina
Melobasis  species group: ignipicta
Melobasis sp. Broad green   Adult images
Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL3407, male, on Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana, SE, 9.9 × 3.7 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4282, female, (reared from pupa), SE, 9.6 × 3.6 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL3407, male, from Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana, SE, 9.9 × 3.7 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4282, female, (reared from pupa), SE, 9.6 × 3.6 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5741, male, from Correa reflexa var. scabridula foliage, SE, 9.5 × 9.2 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5741, male, aedeagus, SE, 9.5 × 9.2 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL3407, male, on Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana, SE, 9.9 × 3.7 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL3407, male, on Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana, SE, 9.9 × 3.7 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL3407, male, on Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana, SE, 9.9 × 3.7 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4282, female, (reared from pupa), SE, 9.6 × 3.6 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4282, female, (reared from pupa), SE, 9.6 × 3.6 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4282, female, (reared from pupa), SE, 9.6 × 3.6 mm
Actual
size¹:
10.3 mm
×
4.8 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L19.9
9.45 – 10.5
 n = 510.6
9.55 – 12.2
 n = 7
L29.9
9.55 – 10.3
 n = 39.3
4 – 11.8
 n = 7
W4.8
3.6 – 9.2
 n = 54.7
3.45 – 10.8
 n = 7
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

The species was first discovered in SA in November 2015 from WSW of Coomandook and is now known here by numerous records from mallee heath habitat in the northern part of the SE Region and extending into the extreme south of MU Region. Its presence on Eyre Peninsula (EP Region) was inferred from incomplete dead adult remains found in November 2022, and from matching larvae at a separate site in July 2023. It was found in the eastern Mt Lofty Ranges (SL Region) in September 2023. It seems likely to also occur in Victoria and possibly other eastern States.

B. Levey (pers. comm., Jul. 2020) considers that this may be M. ignicollis or something closely related to it.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  EP?,  MU,  SL,  SE
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 Melobasis sp. Broad green  (total of 11 beetles)
1
1 3 6
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Legend
live emerged adults, count > median value of 3 per quarter month
live emerged adults, count <= median value of 3
live non-emerged adults only, for that quarter month
12
number of active beetles for that quarter month
Adult host plants
beetles sites SA regions¹ family position on host plant
Correa reflexa var. scabridula72SER
Allocasuarina muelleriana ssp. muelleriana22SEC
Leptospermum coriaceum11SEM
Leptospermum myrsinoides11SEM
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
R Rutaceae 7 64% 1
M Myrtaceae 2 18% 2
C Casuarinaceae 2 18% 1
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on foliage or non-flowering plant103
on plant (unspecified)11
Melobasis sp. Broad green Breeding record images
Melobasis sp. Broad Green, PL3824, larva, in Correa reflexa var. scabridula (PJL 3120) stem, MU, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 26.2 × 4.2 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4196, larva, in Correa reflexa var. scabridula (PJL 3320), 23 mm long, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 23.1 × 3.8 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4215B, larva, in Correa reflexa var. scabridula (PJL 3335), (dead adult PL4214A above), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 25.0 × 4.8 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4215B, larva, from Correa reflexa var. scabridula (PJL 3335), dorsal side, SE, 25.0 × 4.8 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4215B, larva, from Correa reflexa var. scabridula (PJL 3335), ventral side, SE, 25.0 × 4.8 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4215B, larva, dorsal side, SE, 25.0 × 4.8 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4215B, larva, ventral side, SE, 25.0 × 4.8 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4025, larva, SE, 25.0 × 3.3 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4025, larva, from Correa reflexa var. scabridula stem, SE, 25.0 × 3.3 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4178A, larva, from Correa reflexa var. scabridula (PJL 3305) stem base, dorsal side, SE, 24.8 × 4.2 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4117B, larva, from Correa reflexa ssp. scabridula (PJL 3294) stem, SE, 23.6 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4117B, larva, from Correa reflexa ssp. scabridula (PJL 3294) stem, SE, 23.6 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4117B, larva, from Correa reflexa ssp. scabridula (PJL 3294) stem, SE, 23.6 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5824, larva, in Correa pulchella (PJL 3637) stem base, EP, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 24.2 × 4.4 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5824, larva, in Correa pulchella (PJL 3637) stem base, EP, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 24.2 × 4.4 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5824, larva, from Correa pulchella (PJL 3637) stem base, dorsal and ventral views, larva killed in EtOH, EP, 24.2 × 4.4 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5824, larva, from Correa pulchella (PJL 3637) stem base, pronotal plate, larva killed in EtOH, EP, 24.2 × 4.4 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5824, larva, from Correa pulchella (PJL 3637) stem base, prosternal plate, larva killed in EtOH, EP, 24.2 × 4.4 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5825, larva, in Correa pulchella (PJL 3638) stem base, EP, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 21.4 × 4.5 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5857, larva, in Correa glabra var. turnbullii (PJL 3712) dead stem, SL, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5857, larva, in Correa glabra var. turnbullii (PJL 3712) dead stem, SL, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5857, larva, in Correa glabra var. turnbullii (PJL 3712) dead stem, SL, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4282, pupa, in Correa reflexa var. scabridula, stem base, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 9.6 × 3.6 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4282, pupa, in Correa reflexa var. scabridula, stem base, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 9.6 × 3.6 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4282, pupa, in Correa reflexa var. scabridula, stem base, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 9.6 × 3.6 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4282, female, reared adult, from Correa reflexa var. scabridula, shown on larval host, SE, 9.6 × 3.6 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4213, dead non-emerged adult, in Correa reflexa var. scabridula, (PJL 3334), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4213, dead non-emerged adult, in Correa reflexa var. scabridula, (PJL 3334), halves of split stem, pronotum on RHS, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4213, dead non-emerged adult, from Correa reflexa ssp. scabridula, (PJL 3334), SE Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5703, female, dead non-emerged adult, from Microcybe multiflora ssp. multiflora (PJL 3601) root crown tunnel, elytron 8.7 x 2.4 mm, EP Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4214A, dead non-emerged adult, in Correa reflexa ssp. scabridula (PJL 3335), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4214A, female, dead non-emerged adult, from Correa reflexa var. scabridula, (PJL 3335), SE Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4279, dead non-emerged adult, in Correa reflexa ssp. scabridula, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5858, dead non-emerged adult, in dead Correa glabra var. turnbullii (PJL 3713 adj.) stem, SL Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5858, dead non-emerged adult, in dead Correa glabra var. turnbullii (PJL 3713 adj.) stem, SL Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5858, dead non-emerged adult, in dead Correa glabra var. turnbullii (PJL 3713 adj.) stem, SL Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5858, dead non-emerged adult, in dead Correa glabra var. turnbullii (PJL 3713 adj.) stem, SL Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5858, dead non-emerged adult, in dead Correa glabra var. turnbullii (PJL 3713 adj.) stem, SL Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5858, male, dead non-emerged adult, from dead Correa glabra var. turnbullii (PJL 3713 adj.) stem, SL Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL4213, larval host plant, Correa reflexa var. scabridula (PJL 3334), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5824, larval host plant, Correa pulchella (PJL 3637), EP, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 24.2 × 4.4 mm Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5858, larval host plant, Correa glabra var. turnbullii stem, shallow frass-filled tunnel exposed, SL Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5858, larval host plant, Correa glabra var. turnbullii stem, two halves showing frass traces narrow in cross section, SL Melobasis sp. Broad green, PL5858, larval host plant, Correa glabra var. turnbullii, dead host foreground left, PJL 3713 background right, SL
Larval host plants
records sites SA regions¹ family adult deadadult ex pupapupalarva
Correa reflexa var. scabridula176MU, SER41111
Correa glabra var. turnbullii51SLR14
Correa pulchella21EPR2
Microcybe multiflora ssp. multiflora11EPR1
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
R Rutaceae 25 100% 4
Position in larval host
positionrecordssitesadult deadadult ex pupapupalarva
root crown2211
stem base1153116
stem7416
dead stem5114
Host plant notes

The adult and larval host records of this species in the MU and SE Regions were discovered by A.M.P. Stolarski. They provide strong evidence for its regular breeding in Rough-leaf Common Correa (Correa reflexa var. scabridula).

More recently, I found incomplete dead remains of what appears to be the same species in a root crown of Small-leaf Microcybe (Microcybe multiflora) on Eyre Peninsula. This plant belongs to the same family as the Correa, Rutaceae. As the beetle identification was based largely on just a single elytron, it is regarded as tentative.

Two more recent records of larvae with prothoracic details matching those of the SE specimens were extracted from Salmon Correa (Correa pulchella) on EP and provide further support both for for its occurrence in this region and the host association with plant family Rutaceae.

In September 2023, A. Stolarski and I found evidence of it breeding in the SL region using a third Correa species, C. glabra var. turnbullii (Smooth Correa) as larval host.

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.