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Leptopius maleficus or Leptopius nodicollis FAMILY CURCULIONIDAE
Looking more Lion-like than Elephant-like. Medium sized beetle of this type, dark, bumpy exterior covered in a bright orange brown 'fluff' all over. Unsure of exact name of this one & also wondering if it has some sort of fungal disease??? Rostrum is stout & broad. Plant eater. Known commonly as Elephant Beetle due to the rostrum or snout being elongated.
Found in various environments throughout Australia. This one in dry woodland forest on Eucalyptus tree in north-east NSW.
If someone has idea of accurate ID or information on condition of this beetle I would be interested to know as I have not found any further information.
Spotted on Feb 23, 2014
Submitted on Feb 27, 2014
14 Comments
Thanks staccyh. I have only seen this beauty once.
Great photos :)
Thanks dotun55. Yes very cartoon-like.
Very aptly named weevil. Reminds me of cartoons. Nice one!
New photo added. Maybe it's just a 'fluffy' character. If you hear of anything like it would you please let me know? You can see a few loose flecks of the orange on its eyes. Could it be a similar covering to butterfly wing scales or the 'fluff' from moths?
I think not fungal. Too all-covering and doesn't seem to be affecting the beetle. With the exception of internal attacks (like cordyceps) living beetles must be some of the most fungi resistant critters around.
No that yellow is really fascinating.
Had a look more closely at those ones Mark, and agree it has more characteristics of the Wattle Pig - still no mention of that beautiful 'tumeric' coat though. The name is growing on me!
Thanks Mark. 'gold dust' weevil sounds beautiful! But then you throw 'wattle pig' at me - what a disappointment! Will check that one out. Thanks for helping with ID, was unsure.
There is a weevil called the 'gold dust' weevil but this isn't it. I think this one is not a gonipterus type but more likely subfamily:Entiminae+genus:Leptopius . The gonipterans usually have narrower, softly rounded snouts forming a smooth line through the thorax and over the thorax and the back. This looks more like the 'wattle pig' with a flared blunt snout. http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...
Thanks Mark. Yes it looks like tumeric it's so bright! But no, he was out in the bush. There was no pollen around...that's why I wondered if it wasn't some type of fungal disease...I've never seen it before. But I know they can look 'fluffy'. This beetle was about 2cm long.
Amazing colour in that coating. I don't suppose it just climbed out of a packet of tumeric? :-)
Thanks Gilma Jeannette Ospino Ferreira-Norman for comments. Elephant beetles are so charismatic.
It looks gorgeous!! I just hope it is not a disease...it becomes it... : o