Metaxymorpha gloriosa

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

The species Metaxymorpha gloriosa is a beautiful examples of the “Jewel Beetles”.

Belonging to the genera Metaxymorpha, in the tribe Stigmoderini, subfamily Buprestinae, that contain Australasian species, with Metaxymorpha restricted to New Guinea (associated islands) and the northern and north-eastern coastal areas of Australia.

Metaxymorpha gloriosa are about 2-3 cm in length, and emerge during the summer months when the native plants start flowering including Eucalyptus and Tea trees.

Metaxymorpha gloriosa, Far Nth QLD © Hongming Kan — *Metaxymorpha gloriosa*, Far Nth QLD © Hongming Kan

Whilst Metaxymorpha gloriosa have similarities to Castiarina rollei, some obvious differences are in the elytral spikes, with M. gloriosa having 3 spikes and C. rollei having only two spikes. There is also a body length difference with C. rollei being slightly smaller, approximately 2 to 2.5 cm in size. There is also a size difference in the scutellum (located below the pronotum), with C. rollei scutellum being smaller then that in M. gloriosa.

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: Metaxymorpha
Species group: Metaxymorpha
Species: Metaxymorpha gloriosa

Footnote & References

Australasian Beetles Only, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1180404322409639/
Metaxymorpha gloriosa Blackburn, 1894, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https:/biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/6c4b0287-58ea-4494-9aca-3684237da406
Metaxymorpha gloriosa, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/931130-Metaxymorpha-gloriosa

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