BuprestidaeMore Buprestidae Jewel Beetles Astraeus Calodema plebeia Castiarina Cyrioides Diadoxus Diphucrania Melobasis Merimna atrata 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.
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
- Photographs Metaxymorpha gloriosa © Hongming Kan
- 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
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