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

Melobasis is a genus of beetles in the family Buprestidae, that have 131 described species.

Check out the following selection of Melobasis beetles.

Melobasis andersoni, Perth WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis andersoni, Perth WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis burnsi (top) and Melobasis amoena, Nth of Kalgoorlie WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis burnsi (top) and Melobasis amoena, Nth of Kalgoorlie WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis cuprifera on Gompholobium tomentosum, Gingin WA © Donna Juanita
Melobasis cuprifera, Gingin WA © Donna Juanita
Melobasis gratiosissima, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis gratiosissima, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis purpurascens, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Melobasis purpurascens, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Melobasis sp, Girraween NP QLD © Marc Newman
Melobasis sp, Girraween NP QLD © Marc Newman

The following 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.

Melobasis sp, Girraween NP QLD © Michael Jefferies
Melobasis sp, Girraween NP QLD © Michael Jefferies
Melobasis andersoni
Melobasis andersoni, Perth WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis andersoni, Perth WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis burnsi and Melobasis amoena

The following two Melobasis species were from north of Kalgoorlie on thin leaf Acacia.

Melobasis burnsi (top) and Melobasis amoena, Nth of Kalgoorlie WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis burnsi (top) and Melobasis amoena, Nth of Kalgoorlie WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis cuprifera
Melobasis cuprifera on Gompholobium tomentosum, Gingin WA © Donna Juanita
Melobasis cuprifera on Gompholobium tomentosum, Gingin WA © Donna Juanita
Melobasis gratiosissima

Melobasis gratiosissima (female) Found across Australia on fine leaf Acacias in summer. They are quite small.. maybe 7 mm.

Melobasis gratiosissima, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis gratiosissima, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis gratiosissima, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis gratiosissima, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Melobasis purpurascens
Melobasis purpurascens, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Melobasis purpurascens, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Melobasis purpurascens, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Melobasis purpurascens, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Melobasis purpurascens, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Melobasis purpurascens, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Coleoptera
  • Suborder: Polyphaga
  • Superfamily: Buprestoidea
  • Family: Buprestidae
  • Subfamily: Buprestinae
  • Tribe: Melobasini
  • Subtribe: Melobasina
  • Genus: Melobasis
  • Species:
    • Melobasis amoena
    • Melobasis andersoni
    • Melobasis burnsi
    • Melobasis cuprifera
    • Melobasis gratiosissima
    • Melobasis purpurascens

      Atlas of Living Australia have listed 131 species (as of 22 December 2023)

Footnote & References

  1. Photograph, Melobasis sp © Marc Newman
  2. Photograph stack, Melobasis sp © Michael Jefferies
  3. Photographs, Melobasis andersoni, Melobasis gratiosissima © Mark Hanlon
  4. Melobasis cuprifera © Donna Juanita
  5. Photograph Melobasis burnsi & Melobasis amoena © Mark Hanlon
  6. Photographs Melobasis purpurascens © Tony Eales
  7. Photograph, Melobasis burnsi / Melobasis amoena © Mark Hanlon
  8. Melobasis purpurascens
  9. Melobasis Laporte & Gory, 1837, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/74898816-1534-4659-bd93-95585b914665
  10. Buprestidae of South Australia (Jewel beetles), by Peter J. Lang, https://syzygium.xyz/buprestidae/taxonomy.php?order=alphabetical

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

ColeopteraColeoptera Index Amarygmus sp Anoplognathus sp Aphanestes gymnopleura 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