Alice Springs Fauna •

This Lepidiota Beetle, from the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae, and possibly in the genus Lepidiota, was rescued from a swimming pool in Alice Springs.

Genus Lepidiota Beetle (family Scarabaeidae), Alice Springs NT
Genus Lepidiota Beetle (family Scarabaeidae), Alice Springs NT

The white line on one side of the pronotum appears to be the remains of a stamen.

Genus Lepidiota Beetle (family Scarabaeidae), Alice Springs NT
Genus Lepidiota Beetle (family Scarabaeidae), Alice Springs NT
Genus Lepidiota Beetle (family Scarabaeidae), Alice Springs NT
Genus Lepidiota Beetle (family Scarabaeidae), Alice Springs NT

More information on this genus and other beetles can be found here:

Insects > Beetles > Coleoptera > Lepidiota


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Coleoptera
  • Suborder: Polyphaga
  • Superfamily: Scarabaeoidea
  • Family: Scarabaeidae
  • Subfamily: Melolonthinae
  • Tribe: Melolonthini
  • Genus: Lepidiota

Footnote & References

  1. Many thanks for ID to Allen Sundholm, creator of Australasian Beetles Only, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1180404322409639/
  2. Lepidiota Kirby, 1828, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/64a42ec2-a25a-4ccc-80fe-88150585507e
  3. Genus Lepidiota, iNatualistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/326866-Lepidiota
  4. Lepidiota Kirby 1828, An Early Screening Tool for Exotic Scarab Pests to Australia, Government of Western Australia, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/exotic_scarab_pests/key/lucid_key_to_scarabs/Media/Html/entities/lepidiota.htm

Alice Springs FaunaAlice Springs Native Bees Alice Springs Beetles Alice Springs Birds Alice Springs Gastropods (Gastropoda) Alice Springs Insects Alice Springs Marsupials Alice Springs Reptiles Alice Springs Spiders

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