Temognatha > Temognatha Index

Temognatha is a genus of metallic wood-boring beetles, that include over 85 species native to Australia.

In the family Buprestidae, the genus Temognatha was previously known as Stigmodera and Themognatha and belongs to the Buprestidae family.

Temognatha bruckii

— see Temognatha bruckii

Temognatha bruckii, Ioppolo Nature Reserve WA © Jean and Fred Hort
Temognatha bruckii, Ioppolo Nature Reserve WA © Jean and Fred Hort
Temognatha chalcodera

The Temognatha chalcodera is a very pale specimen with some darker markings not normally present. The normal colour on the elytra is bright to dark red.

Temognatha chalcodera, west of Menzies WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha chalcodera, west of Menzies WA © Mark Hanlon

This is the more normal colour of Temognatha chalcodera.

Temognatha chalcodera, WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha chalcodera, WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha chevrolati

— see Temognatha chevrolati

Temognatha chevrolati, Bullfinch WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha chevrolati, Bullfinch WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha flavocincta

— see Temognatha flavocincta

Temognatha flavocincta on mallee flowers, Hopetoun WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha flavocincta on mallee flowers, Hopetoun WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha heros

Temognatha heros (female) from near Menzies. This is the largest species of Temognatha in Australia and is quite widespread across the SW mallee and adjacent arid zones of Western Australia.

Temognatha heros (female), near Menzies WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha heros (female), near Menzies WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha heros (female), near Menzies WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha heros (female) from near Menzies WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha lessoni
Temognatha lessoni, Hopetoun WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha lessoni, Hopetoun WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha marginalis
Temognatha marginalis, west of Menzies WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha marginalis, west of Menzies WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha martinii
Temognatha martinii, between Lake King and Esperance WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha martinii, WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha mniszechi

Temognatha mniszechi breed in Melaleuca and are found from Shark Bay to the Nullarbor excluding the SW forests. The pronotum has the finest punctuation of any Temognatha species and is like a mirror.

Temognatha mniszechi, north of Wubin WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha mniszechi, north of Wubin WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha murrayi
Temognatha murrayi, Bullfinch WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha murrayi, Bullfinch WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha obscuripenni
Temognatha obscuripenni, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Temognatha obscuripenni, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Temognatha pascoei
Temognatha pascoei, west of Menzies WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha pascoei, west of Menzies WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha pictipes
Temognatha pictipes, west of Menzies WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha pictipes, west of Menzies WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha secularis

This is one of the smallest Temognatha species in Australia (it’s about18 mm). It’s found in the SW of WA and it’s pattern can vary from very plain for specimens from inland mallee areas to prominent bands in more forested areas. The pronotum can also vary from bronze to copper to bright green. This specimen has a very unusual pattern.

Temognatha secularis, Ravensthorpe WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha secularis, Ravensthorpe WA Mark Hanlon
Temognatha westwoodi
Temognatha westwoodi, Bullfinch WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha westwoodi, Bullfinch WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha bonvouloiri

The Temognatha bonvouloiri (Jewel Beetles) do not live long as adults and die in-situ on the flowers that they feed on the nectar of and where they also mate on, dropping to the ground. Most of these specimens are likely to be males, as the females would have flown off to oviposit on their larval hosts, in this case Allocasuarina sp.

Reference source: Allan Sundholm

Temognatha bonvouloiri, Bullfinch WA © Mark Hanlon
Temognatha bonvouloiri, Bullfinch WA © Mark Hanlon
  • 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: Temognatha

Footnote & References

  1. Temognatha spp. Photographs © Mark Hanlon
  2. Many thanks for ID of Temognatha obscuripennis to Mark Hanlon / Kimberi Pullen and other members of Australasian Beetles Only, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1180404322409639/
  3. Temognatha Solier, 1833, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Temognatha
  4. Genus Temognatha, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/332345-Temognatha
  5. Jewel beetles found in WA from the genus Temognatha, Western Australian Museum, https://museum.wa.gov.au/explore/high-res/jewel-beetles-found-wa-genus-temognatha

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