CastiarinaCastiarina Index Castiarina andersoni Castiarina bella Castiarina crenata Castiarina decemmaculata Castiarina decipiens Castiarina erythroptera Castiarina luteipennis Castiarina marginata Castiarina media Castiarina octospilota Castiarina rufipennis Castiarina scalaris Castiarina subtincta Castiarina xanthopilosa

The Castiarina is a genus of beetles in the family Buprestidae, tribe Stigmoderini and the largest genera of beetles in Australia.

These beetles emerge during the summertime, when most of the native plants (including Eucalyptus and Leptospermum – Tea Trees) are in flower.


Castiarina adelaidae

Castiarina adelaidae, Belair SA © Marianne Broug
Castiarina adelaidae, Belair SA © Marianne Broug
Castiarina adelaidae, Belair SA © Marianne Broug
Castiarina adelaidae, Belair SA © Marianne Broug

Castiarina amabilis

The Castiarina amabilis is a beautiful species found around Perth and in the South West of Western Australia.

Castiarina amabilis, Mt Cooke WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina amabilis, Mt Cooke WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina aurea

Castiarina aurea, Logan QLD © Hongming Kan
Castiarina aurea, Logan QLD © Hongming Kan

Castiarina aureola

Castiarina aureola, between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina aureola, between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina balthasari

Castiarina balthasari, Piawaning WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina balthasari, Piawaning WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina bilyi

Castiarina bilyi, Mt Cooke WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina bilyi, Mt Cooke WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina browni

Castiarina browni, Gabyon WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina browni, Gabyon WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina carminea

Castiarina carminea, Mt Cooke WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina carminea, Mt Cooke WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina castelnaudi

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 chamaelauci

Castiarina chamaelauci, Dongara WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina chamaelauci, Dongara WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina charientessa

Castiarina charientessa, Badgingarra WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina charientessa, Badgingarra WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina chlorota

Castiarina chlorota, Badgingarra WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina chlorota, Badgingarra WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina cinnamomea

Castiarina cinnamomea, Childers QLD © Cory Dale
Castiarina cinnamomea, Childers QLD © Cory Dale

Castiarina clancula

Castiarina clancula, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina clancula, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina cupida

Castiarina cupida, Childers QLD © Cory Dale
Castiarina cupida, Childers QLD © Cory Dale

Castiarina decemmaculata

— see Castiarina decemmaculata

Castiarina decemmaculata (Jewel Beetle) on Melaleuca armillaris, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Castiarina decemmaculata on Melaleuca armillaris, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman

Castiarina decipiens

— see Castiarina decipiens

Castiarina decipiens, Brisbane QLD © Iskander Kaliananda
Castiarina decipiens, Brisbane QLD © Iskander Kaliananda

Castiarina desideria

Castiarina desideria, Paynes Find WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina desideria, Paynes Find WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina distantia

Castiarina desideria, Paynes Find WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina desideria, Paynes Find WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina frauciana

— many thanks to Allen Sundholm and Mark Hanlon for ID.

Castiarina frauciana, Childers QLD © Cory Dale
Castiarina frauciana, Childers QLD © Cory Dale

Castiarina gardnerae

Castiarina gardnerae, between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina gardnerae, between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina haswelli

Castiarina haswelli, Childers QLD © Cory Dale
Castiarina haswelli, Childers QLD © Cory Dale

Castiarina ignea

Castiarina ignea, Mt Gibson WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina ignea, Mt Gibson WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina imitator

— many thanks to Allen Sundholm for ID.

Castiarina imitator (female), Blackheath NSW © Kathryn Foley
Castiarina imitator (female), Blackheath NSW © Kathryn Foley

Castiarina jucunda

Castiarina jucunda, Childers QLD © Cory Dale
Castiarina jucunda, Childers QLD © Cory Dale

Castiarina laena

Castiarina laena, Dongara WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina laena, Dongara WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina livida

Castiarina livida on on Ozothamnus obcordatus, Amiens QLD © Marc Newman
Castiarina livida on on Ozothamnus obcordatus, Amiens QLD © Marc Newman

Castiarina maculicollis

Castiarina maculicollis specimen was found by Robert Richardson in Goonoo Goonoo NSW. Photograph by Allen Sundholm.

Castiarina maculicollis, Goonoo Goonoo NSW, (specimen found by Robert Richardson) © Allen Sundholm
Castiarina maculicollis, Goonoo Goonoo NSW, (specimen found by Robert Richardson) © Allen Sundholm

Castiarina mansueta

Castiarina mansueta, Piawaning WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina mansueta, Piawaning WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina marginata

— see Castiarina marginata

Castiarina marginata, South West WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina marginata, South West WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina mustelamajor

Castiarina mustelamajor, Childers QLD © Cory Dale
Castiarina mustelamajor, Childers QLD © Cory Dale

Castiarina nonyma

Castiarina nonyma, Piawaning WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina nonyma, Piawaning WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina octospilota

— see Castiarina octospilota

Castiarina octospilota, Greenlands QLD © Marc Newman
Castiarina octospilota, Greenlands QLD © Marc Newman

Castiarina pallidiventris

Castiarina pallidiventris, Coolcalaya WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina pallidiventris, Coolcalaya WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina pallidiventris, Coolcalaya WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina pallidiventris, Coolcalaya WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina placida

Castiarina placida, Mt Cooke WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina placida, Mt Cooke WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina producta

Castiarina producta, Childers QLD © Cory Dale
Castiarina producta, Childers QLD © Cory Dale

Castiarina punctatosulcata

This Castiarina punctatosulcata image from 2 photos compiled from stacks of 20 photos each view 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.

Castiarina punctatosulcata, Dalcouth QLD © Michael Jefferies
Castiarina punctatosulcata, Dalcouth QLD © Michael Jefferies

Castiarina recta

Castiarina recta, Mt Gibson WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina recta, Mt Gibson WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina rollei

Castiarina rollei © Ben Sale, Flickr
Ben Sale from UK, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Castiarina rollei (female), Garradunga - Polly Creek Nth QLD © Ben Sale
Castiarina rollei (female), Garradunga – Polly Creek Nth QLD © Ben Sale

Castiarina rufipennis

— see Castiarina rufipennis

Castiarina rufipennis, Elliott QLD © Tony Eales
Castiarina rufipennis, Elliott QLD © Tony Eales

Castiarina rufipes

Castiarina rufipes, Childers QLD © Cory Dale
Castiarina rufipes, Childers QLD © Cory Dale

Castiarina sanguinolenta

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

Castiarina scalaris

— see Castiarina scalaris

Castiarina scalaris (Jewel Beetle) on Coryopsis, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Castiarina scalaris on Coryopsis, Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman

Castiarina sexplagiata

This Castiarina sexplagiata photo compiled from a stack of 30 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.

Castiarina sexplagiata, Stanthorpe QLD © Michael Jefferies
Castiarina sexplagiata, Stanthorpe QLD © Michael Jefferies

Castiarina simulata lais

Castiarina simulata lais, between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina simulata lais, between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina strigata

Castiarina strigata, Childers QLD © Cory Dale
Castiarina strigata, Childers QLD © Cory Dale

Castiarina subacuticeps

Castiarina subacuticeps, Coolcalaya WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina subacuticeps, Coolcalaya WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina turbulenta

Castiarina turbulenta, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina turbulenta, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina vulgaris

Castiarina vulgaris, Paynes Find WA © Mark Hanlon
Castiarina vulgaris, Paynes Find WA © Mark Hanlon

Castiarina sp

This deceased beetle is a Castiarina sp, and not “Temognatha bruckii“, as T. bruckii have a pronotum with a yellow lateral margin and the ventral colour is yellow. This deceased specimen has no pronotal margin and the ventral surface is dark blue.11

Castiarina sp (deceased), Boddington WA © Jean and Fred Hort
Castiarina sp (deceased), Boddington WA © Jean and Fred Hort
Castiarina sp (deceased), Boddington WA © Jean and Fred Hort
Castiarina sp (deceased), Boddington WA © Jean and Fred Hort

Images © as indicated below each photograph and in footnote


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Coleoptera
  • Suborder: Polyphaga
  • Superfamily: Buprestoidea
  • Family: Buprestidae
  • Subfamily: Buprestinae
  • Tribe: Stigmoderini
  • Subtribe: Stigmoderina
  • Genus: Castiarina
  • Species:
    at time of writing, Atlas of Living Australia listed 476 species

Footnote & References

  1. Castiarina (various), Photographs © Mark Hanlon
  2. Castiarina adelaidae, © Marianne Broug
  3. Castiarina (various), Photographs © Cory Dale
  4. Castiarina decemmaculata © Marc Newman
  5. Castiarina imitator © Kathryn Foley
  6. Castiarina livida © Marc Newman
  7. Castiarina maculicollis (specimen found by Robert Richardson) © Allen Sundholm
  8. Castiarina rollei © Ben Sale
  9. Castiarina rufipennis © Tony Eales
  10. Castiarina sexplagiata © Michael Jefferies
  11. Castiarina sp (deceased), thanks to Paul Hutchinson for correction to genus.
  12. Information and photographic source Australasian Beetles Only, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1180404322409639/
  13. Castiarina Gory & Laporte, 1838, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Castiarina
  14. Genus Castiarina, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/333313-Castiarina
  15. Castiarina, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castiarina
  16. Lang, P.J. ([Year]). ‘Buprestidae of South Australia’ website at http://syzygium.xyz/buprestidae/taxonomy.php

CastiarinaCastiarina Index Castiarina andersoni Castiarina bella Castiarina crenata Castiarina decemmaculata Castiarina decipiens Castiarina erythroptera Castiarina luteipennis Castiarina marginata Castiarina media Castiarina octospilota Castiarina rufipennis Castiarina scalaris Castiarina subtincta Castiarina xanthopilosa

BuprestidaeMore Buprestidae Buprestidae Index Jewel Beetles Astraeus Bubastes pilbarensis Calodema plebeia Calotemognatha Castiarina Cyrioides Diadoxus Hypocisseis suturalis Diphucrania Julodimorpha saundersii Melobasis Merimna atrata Metaxymorpha grayii Metaxymorpha gloriosa Stigmodera Temognatha Torresita cuprifera

ColeopteraColeoptera Index Amarygmus sp Anoplognathus sp Aphanestes gymnopleura Blackburnium cavicolle Buprestidae Carphurus Cerambycidae Chalcopteroides (Chalcopterus Beetle) Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles) Coleoptera (Beetles) Curculionidae Dung Beetle Eretes australis Helea scaphiformis Hydrophilus Ladybirds (Beetles) Lepidiota Lucanidae Lycidae Neospades sp Omorgus Paropsine Beetle Paropsisterna sp Phorticosomus sp Protaetia fusca Pterohelaeus sp Rhipiceridae Scarabaeidae Tenebrionidae Xylophilostenus octophyllus

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