Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Melobasis sp. Shiny grey  
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Melobasini » subtribe  Melobasina
Melobasis  species group: ignipicta
Melobasis sp. Shiny grey   Adult images
Melobasis sp. Shiny grey, SAMA 25-50484, male, from Allocasuarina verticillata, SL, photo by Peter Lang for SA Museum, 11.9 × 4.2 mm Melobasis sp. Shiny grey, SAMA 25-50484 dorsal view of aedeagus and elytral apices, SL, photo by Peter Lang for SA Museum Melobasis sp. Shiny grey, SAMA 25-50484 ventral view of aedeagus and apical ventrite, SL, photo by Peter Lang for SA Museum Melobasis sp. Shiny grey, SAMA 25-50484, male, from Allocasuarina verticillata, SL, photo by Peter Lang for SA Museum, 11.9 × 4.2 mm Melobasis sp. Shiny grey, SAMA 25-50484, male, from Allocasuarina verticillata, SL, photo by Peter Lang for SA Museum, 11.9 × 4.2 mm
Actual
size¹:
11.9 mm
×
4.3 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L111.4
11 – 11.85
 n = 212.9
 n = 1
L211.2
10.8 – 11.55
 n = 212.6
 n = 1
W4.1
4.05 – 4.2
 n = 24.7
 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. Shiny grey  Distinctive features

Generally dark grey and shiny appearance, each elytron with two prominent major ribs which are narrow and strongly raised, plus some other finer ones; outline strongly tapered in posterior towards elytral apex; distinctive aedeagus with the parameres mostly translucent and colourless in their posterior part..

Notes

Only known in SA by three specimens in the SA Museum collected from a site on the eastern side of the Adelaide Hills in 1967 and 1972.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  SL
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. Shiny grey  (total actual records: 2 beetles)
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 > 1 (mean)
actual count <= 1 (mean)
Adult host plant
beetles sites SA regions¹ family position on host plant
Allocasuarina verticillata31SLC
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
C Casuarinaceae 3 100% 1
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on plant (unspecified)31
Host plant notes

The three SA specimens mentioned above were collected from Drooping Sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata) by Shelley Barker, as stated on the labels, and were taken from the foliage (S. Barker, 2011, pers. comm.).

From Moe, Victoria there is a larval host record for the same plant family, Casuarinaceae, based on three specimens in the Victorian Museum with the label stating 'bred ex Casuarina sticks' (C.G.L. Gooding, NMV T8666 to T8668).

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.