Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate  
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Melobasini » subtribe  Melobasina
Melobasis  species group: nervosa
Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate   Adult images
Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate, PL1031A, on Acacia wattsiana, NL, 14.9 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate, PL1031A, on Acacia wattsiana, NL, 14.9 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate, PL1031A, on Acacia wattsiana, NL, 14.9 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate, PL1031A, on Acacia wattsiana, NL, 14.9 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate, PL1031A, on Acacia wattsiana, NL, 14.9 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate, PL1031A, on Acacia wattsiana, NL, 14.9 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate, PL1031A, on Acacia wattsiana, NL, 14.9 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate, PL1031A, on Acacia wattsiana, NL, 14.9 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate, PL1031A, on Acacia wattsiana, NL, 14.9 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate, PL1031A, on Acacia wattsiana, NL, 14.9 × 4.7 mm Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate, PL1031A, from Acacia wattsiana, NL, 14.9 × 4.7 mm
Actual
size¹:
14.6 mm
×
4.7 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L114.2
13.4 – 14.9
 n = 215.6
 n = 1
W4.5
4.3 – 4.7
 n = 25.2
 n = 1
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
Melobasis sp. Dark grey costate  Distinctive features

Resembles some specimens of Melobasis soror basicostata from WA, but has larger overall size with aedeagus longer and distinct in shape. Close to M. nervosa but differing by its more convex shape (in lateral view), dark grey rather than bronze coloration, aedeagus morphology, and the teeth at extreme elytral apices being blunter, shallower and sparser.

Notes

This appears to be an undescribed species (or subspecies) allied to M. nervosa and associated with the Northern Mt Lofty and Flinders Ranges.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  FR,  NL
Australian States:  SA,  +?
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. Dark grey costate  (total of 4 beetles)
1
1
2
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Legend
live emerged adults, count > median value of 1 per quarter month
live emerged adults, count <= median value of 1
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
Acacia calamifolia22FRF
Acacia wattsiana21NLF
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 4 100% 2
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flowering plant21
on foliage or non-flowering plant22
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.