Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Temognatha stevensii   Gehin, 1855
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Stigmoderini » subtribe  Stigmoderina
Temognatha  species group: stevensii
Temognatha stevensii   Adult images
Temognatha stevensii, PL1438, female, on Eucalyptus leptophylla, EP, 45.8 × 19.7 mm Temognatha stevensii, PL3520A, male, EP, 50.0 × 20.3 mm Temognatha stevensii, PL3527A, male, EP, 45.2 × 18.2 mm Temognatha stevensii, PL3529, female, EP, 53.0 × 22.2 mm Temognatha stevensii, PL1374, male, EP, 44.4 × 17.9 mm Temognatha stevensii, PL1438, female, EP, 45.8 × 19.7 mm Temognatha stevensii, PL1442, female, EP, 43.6 × 18.0 mm Temognatha stevensii, SID6953, on Eucalyptus socialis ssp. socialis, EP, photo by John Read
Actual
size¹:
49.0 mm
×
20.3 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L147.5
44.4 – 50.2
n = 1050.6
43.6 – 55.5
n = 9
L247.8
46 – 48.8
n = 355.5
n = 1
W19.2
17.9 – 21.2
n = 1021.4
18 – 24.1
n = 9
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 stevensii  Distinctive features

Instantly recognisable by its legs having a general flattening of the tibia, with a distinctive projecting flange on the basal half of the midleg tibia. Elytra with varying proportions of dark brownish-red and yellow markings, but most often with the former predominating and the yellow in two to four tranverse bands.

Notes

Previously this species has been referred to as Temognatha duponti and T. tibialis, the latter referring to the distinctive flattening of the tibia. The taxonomy and correct application of the name T. duponti was resolved by Peterson 2015.

Confined to the western part of the State with an early collection by Tepper from Ardrossan on Yorke Peninsula marking the eastern limit. It appears in large numbers with T. heros (q.v.) in episodic seasons of mass emergences. Peterson provides evidence that the hundreds of Stigmodera gigas reported by Tepper 1887 near Ardrossan in 1878 and 1880 refers to this species, as does his account of its variable colouration patterns under the misappropriated name Stigmodera grandis.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  NUGTEPYP
Australian States:  WASA
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 stevensii  (total of 162 beetles)
1
1
1
67 23 1 19
47 1
1
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
13312EPM
Eucalyptus sp.104EP, YPM
72EPM
42EPM
21EPM
11EPM
11EPM
11NWM
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
M Myrtaceae 159 100% 7
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flower(s)9014
on flowering plant83
on foliage or non-flowering plant11
on plant (unspecified)594
other
  on ground under canopy11
Lure affinity
colour beetles sites SA regions¹
blue21EP
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.