BuprestidaeMore Buprestidae Jewel Beetles Astraeus Calodema plebeia Castiarina Cyrioides Diadoxus Diphucrania Melobasis Merimna atrata Metaxymorpha gloriosa Stigmodera Temognatha Torresita cuprifera

The family Buprestidae are a beautiful and often iridescent colourful group of beetles known collectively as “Jewel Beetles” or “Metallic Wood-boring Beetles”. The larvae of this family of beetles are known as flatheaded borers.

The family is among the largest of the beetles, with some 15,500 species known in 775 genera. In addition, almost 100 fossil species have been described.

The following selection of Buprestids were photographed between Lake King and Esperance in Western Australia.

Temognatha martinii
Temognatha martinii, between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha martinii, WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha yarrelli
Temognatha yarrelli (female), between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha yarrelli (female), WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina gardnerae
Castiarina gardnerae, between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina gardnerae, WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina aureola
Castiarina aureola, between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina aureola, WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina simulata lais
Castiarina simulata lais, between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina simulata lais, WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina macmillani
Castiarina macmillani, between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina macmillani, WA © Mark Hanlon

The following Buprestids were photographed around Ravensthorpe in Western Australia and include: Castiarina castelnaudi (1,2), Castiarina clancula (3), Castiarina distinguenda (4,5), Castiarina hateleyi (6), Castiarina marginata (7), Castiarina rufipennis (8), Castiarina subtestacea (9), Castiarina turbulenta (10).

Castiarina castelnaudi, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina castelnaudi, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina castelnaudi, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina castelnaudi, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina clancula, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina clancula, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina distinguenda, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina distinguenda, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina distinguenda, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina distinguenda, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina hateleyi, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina hateleyi, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina marginata, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina marginata, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina rufipennis, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina rufipennis, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina subtestacea, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina subtestacea, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina turbulenta, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina turbulenta, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Buprestids, Ravensthorpe WA

These buprestids were found at Cape Arid in Western Australia.

Castiarina sanguinolenta
Castiarina sanguinolenta, Cape Arid WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina sanguinolenta, Cape Arid WA © Mark Hanlon
Stigmodera roei
Stigmodera roei, Cape Arid WA © Mark Hanlon
Stigmodera roei, Cape Arid WA © Mark Hanlon

Pseudotaenia spilota

Following is Pseudotaenia spilota, a Buprestids from the family Buprestidae, subfamily Chrysochroinae.

Pseudotaenia spilota, QLD © Mark Hanlon
Pseudotaenia spilota, QLD © Mark Hanlon

Photographs © Mark Hanlon

Stigmodera macularia

The following Stigmodera macularia from Girraween, Queensland. The photo compiled from a stack of photos taken using a Canon 7D and Canon 100mm macro lens controlled by DSLR Remote Pro for Mac and combined using Helicon Focus on an iMac.

Stigmodera macularia, Girraween QLD © Michael Jefferies
Stigmodera macularia, Girraween QLD © Michael Jefferies

Photograph © Michael Jefferies

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Coleoptera
  • Suborder: Polyphaga
  • Superfamily: Buprestoidea
  • Family: Buprestidae
  • Subfamily:
    • Agrilinae Gory & Laporte, 1835
    • Bufrestinae
    • Buprestinae Leach, 1815
    • Chrysochroinae Laporte, 1835
    • Polycestinae Lacordaire, 1857

Footnote & References

  1. Buprestidae, Photographs © Mark Hanlon
  2. Information and photographic source Australasian Beetles Only, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1180404322409639/
  3. Castiarina octospilota © Marc Newman, Flickr
  4. Stigmodera macularia © Michael Jefferies, Flickr
  5. Buprestidae Leach, 1815, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/625b4017-8b08-40a9-adf9-77406ba85f8b
  6. Jewel Beetles (Family Buprestidae), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/54964-Buprestidae
  7. Buprestidae, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buprestidae
  8. Lang, P.J. ([Year]). ‘Buprestidae of South Australia’ website at http://syzygium.xyz/buprestidae/taxonomy.php

BuprestidaeMore Buprestidae Jewel Beetles Astraeus Calodema plebeia Castiarina Cyrioides Diadoxus Diphucrania Melobasis Merimna atrata Metaxymorpha gloriosa Stigmodera Temognatha Torresita cuprifera

ColeopteraAmarygmus sp Anoplognathus sp Aphanestes gymnopleura Buprestidae Cerambycidae Coleoptera (Beetles) Curculionidae Digitonthophagus gazella Dung Beetle Eretes australis Helea scaphiformis Johannica gemellata (Pandorea Leaf Beetle) Ladybirds (Beetles) Lepidiota Lucanidae Neospades sp Lycidae Omorgus Paropsine Beetle Paropsisterna sp Pittosporum Leaf Beetle (Lamprolina impressicollis) Protaetia fusca Pterohelaeus sp Rhipiceridae Scarabaeidae Xylophilostenus octophyllus

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera (True Bugs) Mango Planthopper Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Syrphidae Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub