Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Temognatha flavomarginata   (Gemminger & Harold, 1869)
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Stigmoderini » subtribe  Stigmoderina
Temognatha flavomarginata   Adult images
Temognatha flavomarginata, iNat-104393299, adapted, CC BY-NC, SL, photo by pamwhetnall Temognatha flavomarginata, SAMA 25-020447, SL, 24.5 × 4.9 mm Temognatha flavomarginata, SAMA 25-020447, SL, 24.5 × 4.9 mm
Actual
size¹:
25.7 mm
×
9.3 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L124.0
22.9 – 24.7
n = 527.0
25.55 – 28.45
n = 6
L223.8
22.75 – 24.7
n = 526.7
25.45 – 28.05
n = 6
W8.1
4.9 – 9.4
n = 510.4
10 – 10.95
n = 6
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
Temognatha flavomarginata  Distinctive features

Pronotum (greenish-) grey with yellow margins, elytra dark red with yellow margins, and a short yellow strip below the scutellum. Similar in colouration but otherwise very different to T. flavocincta in its narrower body shape, frons and underside much less hairy, and pronotum more finely and evenly punctate.

Notes

The type locality of this species is given as Adelaide, and I have examined 14 specimens from seven sites in the Adelaide area, one of which is illustrated here. These all appear relatively slender in form and there is good evidence for an association with River Red Gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis and the prospect of it being their larval host. Recently, three observations of T. flavomarginata made during the summer of 2021-2022 were posted on the iNaturalist website; all were from the Adelaide region and in areas where River Red Gums occur.

Superficially similar beetles that were previously grouped under this name (although flagged as a potentially distinct taxon) are now recognised on this website as T. marginalis (q.v.). These are thicker in form and, being collected in mallee areas remote from E. camaldulensis, presumably have a different host.

An unnamed species mentioned and distinguished by Tepper 1887 under Stigmodera flavocincta may actually be T. flavomarginata. He notes that 'it appears now to be very rare' and refers to a specimen he picked up in the street at Kent Town (an inner city suburb of Adelaide).

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  MUSLSE
Australian States:  SAVIC
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 Temognatha flavomarginata  (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
Eucalyptus sp.11SLM
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 family
Code beetles % host plant taxa
M Myrtaceae 1 100% 1
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on plant (unspecified)11
Host plant notes

There is circumstantial evidence for breeding in River Red Gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis and for the adults feeding on its flowers which appear in December and January. The reference by Tepper 1887 to what might be this species frequenting 'the flowers of the White Gum' is puzzling but most likely refers to white-barked forms of E. camaldulensis; the only other native white-barked gum around Adelaide is E. leucoxylon which can be discounted because it flowers there in April and May.

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.